CAMANO ISLAND — Bathrooms and showers are down the trail. Guests must bring their own bed linens. Forget about cable television, or any television at all.
Still, the 33 cabins and bungalows at Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island’s western edge are booked solid every weekend until August, state parks spokeswoman Virginia Painter said. Most weekdays are booked, too. There are a few openings scattered here and there, but don’t expect much choice if you want to stay the night.
The park has been wildly popular since it opened in June. Ironically, the reasons people love it now — seclusion, free of distractions from modern amenities — are the very reasons it fell out of favor in the 1950s.
Cama Beach was a popular place for American Indians long before Europeans came to the region. Later, it was the site of a logging camp for the men who felled cedar and other trees on the island’s forests. It was a fishing village in its next incarnation, then finally, in the 1930s, became a summer resort, catering mainly to Seattle families.
The resort closed in 1989, after a long decline in popularity as families began to prefer more glamorous locales. It became too difficult to rent out cabins that didn’t include at least a shower, let alone a whirlpool bathtub.
Washington State Parks worked for years to renovate the cabins to boost them up to code, but workers were careful to preserve the authentic 1930s feel, Painter said.
“We knew it would be popular,” Painter said. “It’s just the most peaceful place. It gives you chills, it’s so beautiful there.”
People come for the secluded beach, and a chance to build a campfire in the sand. In the summertime, they come to rent sailboats from the Center for Wooden Boats, which set up shop there. But mostly, Painter said, people come for the nostalgia.
“You’re in a cabin that’s very like what it would have been like in the 1930s,” Painter said. “The place has spirit.”
Reporter Krista J. Kapralos: 425-339-3422 or kkapralos@heraldnet.com.
Cama Beach State Park cabins
There are two dozen standard cabins, seven deluxe cabins and two bungalows. The cabins and bungalows sleep up to six people, with a living room, kitchen area and bedroom.
Amenities include electric heat and lights, refrigerator, microwave and sink. Guests must bring their own food, dishes and utensils. The bungalows have a propane fireplace. There is no linen service; guests must bring their own bedding.
Cabins start at $27 per night, bungalows start at $65 per night. For more information or to reserve a cabin, call 360-387-1550.
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