Cama Beach Cabins on Camano Island, Washington
I especially loved the Camano Pastry Cafe. It was really cute and had the yummiest baked goods. There was a big glass window that let you see what the bakers were preparing in the back and a gift shop attached where I purchased an adorable mason jar spoon rest (which sadly fell on our kitchen floor and shattered a few days later...).We stayed at the Cama Beach Cabins at Cama Beach State Park and absolutely adored them."From 1934 until 1989, the Stradley family operated the Cama Beach Resort on Camano Island, an hour’s drive north of Seattle in Washington’s Puget Sound. Established during the Great Depression, it was an unpretentious fishing camp, surrounded by spectacular scenery, with rows of cedar cabins, wooden boat rentals, and a large campfire circle, where families could spend summer vacations relaxing and enjoying nature.By the 1990's, however, lifestyles had changed dramatically since the Resort’s heyday in the ‘40s and ‘50s, and the Stradley granddaughters approached the Washington State Parks Department with the generous idea of donating most of the land to make a new state park.
In 2008, the Stradley family’s dream was realized when their beloved camp - carefully restored but with modern improvements - opened to the public as Cama Beach Historical State Park, a 486-acre site connected to a second facility, Camano Island State Park, by a mile-long hiking trail.
Cama Beach still retains much of its old-time feel, and some say it is a bit like stepping through a time warp; the waterfront cabins are still there, as is the historic boathouse, and even the campfire circle. In 2001, the Cama Beach Resort was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 2010, this idyllic setting has also been home to something perhaps unexpected: an outdoor quilt show called Quilts on the Beach." (Source)
Everything about the park was super organized, from check-in to check-out, we felt very well taken care of by the staff there. Everyone was really friendly and happy to answer any questions we had.
Everything was clean (including the nearly spotless bathrooms that had fresh flowers on every sink!), the space was quiet, and our cabin was practically on the beach. What more could you ask for??
When you arrive, you park in the lot and then wait for the shuttle to bring you and your belongings down the hill. You're free to walk, but it's a bit of a trek, especially when you have a bunch of stuff to carry. We packed overnight bags with the essentials, but we also brought pillows and our double sleeping bag, too. The rooms have quilts on the beds, but that's about it, so you should definitely bring your own bedding. (There is also no wifi or much cell service, so bring cards, games, and books!) While we were driving to our cabin in the shuttle, I spotted a huge sea lion in the water!
I really enjoyed reading about the history of the cabins. They had old photos on the walls, and some books that talked about the sea life in the area, as well as where the quilts on the beds come from.
"The quilt show was not the first instance of quilters’ involvement in the revitalization of Cama Beach, however, and in fact quilts and quilters have been integral to the whole process. When the former fishing resort was being readied for its transformation into a state park, a woman who lived on Camano Island, Audrey McEwen, marshaled a group of fellow quilters to see how they might help with that effort. That’s how the Cama Beach Quilters (an informal group without membership dues or officers) came into being. Pam Fredericksen, who now acts as spokesperson for the group, recounted the history:
'Audrey and Head Ranger Jeff Wheeler set a goal of making 100 quilts to go on beds in the 38 cabins. The group of 16 quilters began their work in 2003 by making scrap quilts based on designs common to the 1930's when the resort was built. By the time the park was opened, even though we had already surpassed that goal, we decided to continue making quilts at and for the park and we’ve been doing it ever since. We’ve now made close to 400 bed-size quilts.'" (Source)
It was pretty chilly outside, so we spent a lot of time in our cozy cabin (which had a small but powerful heater), reading and enjoying the views. Before arriving, we stuffed our faces with pizza at Brooklyn Bros. Pizzeria since we didn't bring any food to cook at the cabin (they provide a fridge, microwave, and sink).
We did get out and explore a little bit, and we walked down to check out the Center for Wooden Boats. You can rent row boats, motor boats, sailboats, kayaks, canoes, fishing rods, and even crab pots.
There were a few other people staying the night as well, but because it wasn't too busy, the staff spaced us out so every other cabin was occupied. It was great and didn't feel like your neighbor was right on top of you. I can imagine it's probably a much crazier scene in the summer.
In the morning, we walked from our cabin up the hill to the Cama Beach Cafe for breakfast and devoured quiche, potatoes, toast, coffee, and tea.It was the perfect weekend getaway and I'd love to go back in the summer and see what it's like in the warmer months! As always, thanks for reading, xo