Dan & Arlyne":2m0fex7n said:
We are 1st time posters to this group. We have kicked around buying a boat to travel as you all have and found this group to follow, love the name C-Brats. We are planning to attend the Friday Harbor event next month to network and learn more about this lifestyle. We will have a truck and camper. Could someone recommend a campground that would be close to the dock?
Thank you!
Hi Dan and Arlyne. We have taken our motorhome onto San Juan Island several times. Our situation was different, as we were staying there through an entire season (summer into fall) each time. There are a few things to know when bringing an RV to San Juan Island: first is the cost of bringing it on the Washington State Ferry. You will want to check with Washington DOT to determine cost and get a reservation. Not knowing if your camper is a in-the-bed pickup camper or a pull behind travel trailer, if you are longer or taller than a "typical" vehicle, you will need to have that information for your reservation.
There are no "full service" campgrounds on San Juan Island. There are a couple places that have water and electric. The closest to the marina is at the County Fairgrounds. Again, you would want to call them to make sure those sites are available at that time. The next closest place would be Lakedale Resort. They are set up mostly for tenters, but do have some sites with power when I last checked. The county park that was mentioned in a previous post is a pretty place on the west side of the island (other side of the island from Friday Harbor). I have seen pickup campers and an occasional pop-up camper there, no idea about any kind of utilities. Again, you would want to check with them about availability: (360) 378-8420.
The roads on the island are all fairly narrow, the fastest speed limit on the island is 45mph. At the time of the year of the C-Brat gathering, things are still pretty quiet on the island - good for you as far as getting a reservation, but again to make sure that any of the above facilities are open.
As I recall, the cost to bring our 30' motorhome with a small cargo trailer onto the island by ferry was just over $300. By comparison, bringing just a truck was around $75. Fares vary according to the time of year, and you should still be in the lower cost spring season in mid-May. If you choose to leave your truck/camper in Anacortes, doing a walk-on for the ferry is around $12. Once in Friday Harbor, unless you intend to drive around the island, there is no need to have a vehicle there - groceries, restaurants, and various hotels and B&Bs are within walking distance of the ferry landing.
Hope that helps with your planning.