I guess camping is not for everyone. I used to camp much more than I have been lately, which is not at all. But for me, one of the good things about camping, besides being out in nature, is also the return part. I mean, you spend a weekend (sometimes more) with little comfort, no showers or toilets, lots of bugs, and then you finally come back home, back to all these things that you usually take for granted. And it feels “refreshing” and new again – sort of.
Silver Lake – The Resort in Southern Washington (in between Olympia, Portland and Mount St. Helens), however, is not that wild. It has cabins, a motel, camp grounds, toilets, and warm showers, so you actually don’t feel that much into the wilderness, and it stands by a main road which makes it a bit of a turn off, but that’s good for beginners and people reluctant to camp even for a night.
The Resort
It’s not a big resort, but there is space for tents and RVs. If you opt for a cabin, they are pretty cool. When I was there, I did camp, but I got to spend big part of a night inside a cabin drinking and playing poker. It has a small kitchen/living room, a bathroom with shower, a bedroom, and heating. Perfect for winter time. But I was more impressed with the waterfront motel – the rooms are spacey, the living room has a couch that converts into a bed, the kitchen is equipped and the bathroom has a bathtub. Not wild at all, but very, very relaxing. I think you can fit 4 people in there, and for the price of around $100 a night, it’s quite cheap. But the best is the view, because all rooms have windows and balconies to the lake. You could fish from the window…except that you can’t.
Silver Lake Resort
In terms of activities, Silver Lake is the place for the fishing aficionados – that’s what drives most people there – but you can also go jet-skiing, or motor-boating if you bring your own. Honestly I felt I wanted to become a fishing aficionado, because that’s what Silver Lake’s atmosphere does to you – the lake, the boats, the wilderness, the fish, and later the fish in the barbecue by the lake. There is also a pontoon that you can rent to go for a ride around the lake. A friend told me there used to be a biker’s bar in the other side of the lake, perfect to take the boat, get drunk and come back. It is closed now, but you can also reach it by car. Although, driving a boat or a car while inebriated – not advised. So, bring your own drinks to the camp, set up a camp fire, roast some marshmallows and have some fun.
Bite My Bass
If none of these are your cup of tea, you can just lie back there or swim (not sure about this one – water looked kind of dirty and cold, but it had rained a bit while I was there) because it is pretty quiet. Just a couple of ducks quacking around (during the summer).
Due to the proximity to other nice places, Silver Lake Resort is ideal as a pit stop to go to either Mount St. Helens, Olympia, Portland, Astoria. Forgot to mention, you need a car (or someone with one) to get there, I don’t think buses stop around there.
Silver Lake Resort
3201 Spirit Lake Hwy
Silver Lake, WA 98645, USA
Phone: +1 (360) 274-6141
Website: http://www.silverlake-resort.com
Email: contact@silverlake-resort.com
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