Family-friendly campgrounds in Washington State

Deception Pass State Park

Located at the northern tip of Whidbey Island, where the island meets the mainland, is Deception Pass. If you've ever driven over the long bridge that connects the two, you know that this is probably one of the most gorgeous spots in the entire state, with huge, high banks reaching up over the water to create the pass. Families love camping at Deception Pass for countless reasons, some of which include the wide variety of things to do at the campground and in the area, the spacious campsites and the onsite lake.

Location: 41020 Highway 20, Oak Harbor, WA 98277

Phone: 888-226-7688

Website: parks.wa.gov/parks

Birch Bay State Park

You'll need to drive nearly to Canada to find Birch Bay State Park, but we promise that it's worth it! Birch Bay State Park is filled with families, all enjoying the nearly 15,000-feet of shoreline. And when the tide goes out, you can do some serious exploring in the muddy tide flats which are full of sea life. Birch Bay is also home to a long street of vacation homes that line the beach, making it more of a community than other places you'll camp. We love that it's laid back — kids riding bikes on the street and playing happily and neighbors getting together for campfires. You're sure to fall in love with camping at Birch Bay!

Location: 5105 Helweg Road, Blaine, WA 98230

Phone: 360-371-2800

Website: parks.wa.gov/parks

Leavenworth Thousand Trails

If you've never been to at Thousand Trails Preserve to camp, you should start with their location in Leavenworth. What used to be a private, membership-only campground is now open to the public. The campground itself is about 20 minutes outside of Leavenworth, which is nice because you can easily escape the hustle and bustle of this tourist town. Bonus points to Thousand Trails Leavenworth for the great swimming pool, tons of organized activities for kids (bingo night, anyone?), trails that are great for hikes and bike rides and super-friendly staff-members.

Location: 20752 Chiwawa Loop Road, Leavenworth, WA 98826

Phone: 877-362-6736

Website: thousandtrails.com

Camp Long

Did you know that there is a campground within the city limits of Seattle? There is! And it's fantastic! Camp Long is hidden away in West Seattle, although hidden is a bit of an exaggeration considering the park is 68-acres! Camp Long has 10 rustic cabins, and you can spend your time at Camp Long hiking, searching for wildlife, joining in on organized family-friendly classes and activities and, well, just enjoying yourselves! Plus, if you live in Seattle, you don't have to account for travel time to go camping at Camp Long — no cranky traveling kids? Sounds like camping heaven to us!

Location: 5200 35th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98136

Phone: 206-684-7434

Website: seattle.gov/parks

Pearrygin Lake State Park

Every summer, families flock to Pearrygin to camp — many families planning it as their one summer vacation, staying for as long as they can possibly manage! Pearrygin is located near the little cowboy town of Winthrop in the North Cascades, just on the east side of the mountains. Families love camping here for the huge, grassy campsites that are right on the lake — there is lots of space for kids to run around, and Pearrygin is especially nice for little campers who are on the ground most the time. Don't forget some low beach chairs for sitting next to the lake and dipping your toes in the water!

Location: 561 Bear Creek Road, Winthrop, WA 98862

Phone: 509-996-2370

Website: parks.wa.gov/parks

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