Seattle RV Park for Vintage Airstream

[GoToasterGo]

Hi All,

I am looking for an RV park (or any other alternative) to stay in long term near Kirkland, WA. I have a 1969 completed renovated Trade Wind and am having difficulties with 2 things in the area.

1. Everywhere seems fully booked with months - years long wait lists.
2. Age limit cut off's, I have been able to convince a couple of places that this trailer should be an exception but not everyone agrees with me.

Any help or advice for living in the Seattle area would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[OTRA15]

You are moving into one of the tightest housing markets in the country, so headwinds are to be expected. The age of your Airstream, and its perceived [assumed] condition, is a problem to the uninitiated, as you recognize. It might be necessary to make reservations for a couple of weeks, at a campground you feel might be a good fit, in order to let the owners see and appreciate your trailer.

Talking your way past the "age/condition" limitations will be much easier if folks can see your end results IMO.

I would line up a series of reservations to add up to a few months, and take the plunge.

Good luck,

Peter

PS -- Also, the west coast in general has a fairly elevated level of snobbery at play IMO, into which you may be running!

[GoToasterGo]

I've thought about booking at a few different places for a couple weeks at a time as you mentioned. This might be a good option. Thanks!

[PKI]

Olympia Washington has the Airstream Land Yacht Harbor. Rentals and lots to purchase. Not in Kirkland, but might be worth a look.

Fellow that posts on a boating forum lives on one of the islands off Seattle. Takes his boat in to Seattle and rides a bike to work. Another perspective for you to consider as a way to expand your area of consideration.

Good luck with your search. Pat

[dmcgaugh]

Your best and closest facility is likely going to be Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell. My dad full times there in a 5er. They do have a RV age restriction, but I think that may only apply to full-timers. If you can work it out logistically, I’d book a temp spot for as long as you can and get a conversation going with the management there when they can see your AS.

When my dad first moved in there he started nightly, then monthly, then went to full-time once something opened up.

[sgschwend]

Did you check the county parks? Such as Tolt McDonald in King County. They have paved camping with power and water. I am not sure the open season but all of that is on the county's WEB page.

There is a Thousand Trails in Redmond too.

[douggant]

You might try Issaquah Village RV park.

https://ivrvpark.com/

[wavelength]

First of all tell them it’s a 2009. Nobody knows what year a airstream is anyway. I did that a few years ago with my 99 Classic never had a problem. Try Lake Pleasant RVPark in Bothell just north of Seattle

[hhendrix]

Originally Posted by wavelength

First of all tell them it’s a 2009. Nobody knows what year a airstream is anyway. I did that a few years ago with my 99 Classic never had a problem. Try Lake Pleasant RVPark in Bothell just north of Seattle

Lake Pleasant RV park is unfortunately about our only choice when visiting family nearby. Lots of big Class A's and the owners are not the most friendly either. It is a nice park although tight and no competition nearby is expensive. Lots of full timers.

Once when I was there I arrived after dark discovered in the morning, the previous tenant dumped his black tank on the ground, probably by accident. There was feces and toilet paper spilled in a large area where I had been walking. It apparently had been there a few days and had dried. I went to the office understanding it wasn't their fault, it just got missed in cleanup.

I wasn't asking for much, maybe a little credit as I had to wash my shoes and all my hookups. The guy was a little pissy but he would come take a look. He saw the mess and kind of snarled "How do you know that's not dog poop." I responded when my dogs learn how to use toilet paper I'll come back and apologize.

He refunded the full amount but clearly missed the class on customer service.

It's a nice park but we only go there because we have to.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by GoToasterGo

I've thought about booking at a few different places for a couple weeks at a time as you mentioned. This might be a good option. Thanks!

My guess is that once folks take at look at your renovated Airstream, you will be having a problem just the opposite of feeling unwanted. You may have more visitors wanting tours than you thought possible!

The thread linked in your signature, for folks who have not seen it:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f116...mn-168178.html

Well done!

Good luck,

Peter

PS -- Strongly disagree with the suggestion to lie about the age of your trailer. Not a good fork in the road to take IMO.

[GoToasterGo]

Originally Posted by dmcgaugh

Your best and closest facility is likely going to be Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell. My dad full times there in a 5er. They do have a RV age restriction, but I think that may only apply to full-timers. If you can work it out logistically, I’d book a temp spot for as long as you can and get a conversation going with the management there when they can see your AS.

When my dad first moved in there he started nightly, then monthly, then went to full-time once something opened up.

When I was in Seattle last week I talked to them. They told me it was 4+ year wait for a full timer spot

I could try talking to them again though. That park is very nice and a great location.

[GoToasterGo]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

My guess is that once folks take at look at your renovated Airstream, you will be having a problem just the opposite of feeling unwanted. You may have more visitors wanting tours than you thought possible!

The thread linked in your signature, for folks who have not seen it:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f116...mn-168178.html

Well done!

Good luck,

Peter

PS -- Strongly disagree with the suggestion to lie about the age of your trailer. Not a good fork in the road to take IMO.

Thank you very much for the compliments Peter. I still have a few additional projects I am working on as well.

This really makes me think I should just tow it around to a few spots and see if anyone will be OK with it.

[Pat Pierce]

You prefer to be close to Kirkland. Will you be commuting into there from your trailer on a daily or frequent basis? The less you commute, the farther out options will be found. If you do have a Bothell option, the commute to Kirkland is on a slow moving freeway during rush hours...which are longer all the time, though the distance isn't too long.

You might check east say, around North Bend or Snoqualmie or the Issaquah areas. I've heard of some who for years commuted from Cle Elum over Snoqualmie Pass into Seattle! Yargh, especially in the winter pass snows.

But I think your best bet, as you are thinking about - is to come out to the area, to explore your options. There are some open campgrounds an hour or less from Kirkland where you can stay....but after Memorial Day until Labor Day, pickings might get slim. I am confident you will find something.

I was born and raised, and retired in 1999 in Seattle. It got too hectic and for many other reasons we left...and moved 80 miles north to Anacortes. If we pick a early middle of the day time to go into Seattle (rare for me), we can be there in 1.5 hours usually.

Good fortunes to you!

[FarFetched]

I don't know of a specific place, but there's now a walk-on fast ferry from Bremerton to Seattle that might open up Bremerton-area parks as a possibility.

[GoToasterGo]

Hi all,

Wanted to let everyone know that I did find a place. I'll be staying at Maple Grove in Everett. It's not the most ideal location but it will definitely work for a while.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

[icebox500]

Originally Posted by dmcgaugh

Your best and closest facility is likely going to be Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell. My dad full times there in a 5er. They do have a RV age restriction, but I think that may only apply to full-timers. If you can work it out logistically, I’d book a temp spot for as long as you can and get a conversation going with the management there when they can see your AS.

When my dad first moved in there he started nightly, then monthly, then went to full-time once something opened up.

That ^^ We lived in our Airstream for 4 months after selling our home in Seattle. There was no snobbery - on the contrary Seattle loves vintage and loves Airstreams. We wanted to stay at the Bothell place but it was too far north for our needs. We stayed, instead at Bryn Mawr just north of where they make 737 airplanes in Renton. It wasn’t nearly as nice as Bothell looks but it met our needs and management and all neighbors were very nice. Plus lots of eagles to look at on the lake.