The Olympic Peninsula, WA

I spent last evening catching up with Judy, a family friend I have not seen for almost 20 years. She lives in a quiet part of Tacoma, and said there were no restrictions on parking my RV overnight next to her house. I showered at her place, did laundry and spent an peaceful night on the street. This morning I took a slow drive towards Port Angeles, the gateway to Olympic National Park, the goal for the long trip out of Maryland. I have never been in this part of the US, although I have visited Portland and Seattle before. The drive was scenic. I stopped at a Walmart in town, stocked up on groceries and water, and confirmed that overnight parking was not allowed at this Walmart.

I had time to stop by the ONP Visitor Center in Port Angeles. It was busy! Talked to the rangers, gathered brochures and information. I could not get a campsite in the NP, when I looked a few months back. So, I had to find someplace to boondock for the night.

Prior research for boondocking spots turned up the Elwha River Casino which allows free overnight parking for RVs. It was located in a rather secluded area, a little difficult to find. It was a little small but there was plenty of space for parking. I checked in with security inside the casino, filled up a form with the license no. of my RV, showed my ID, and was given a pass for the night since that was all I needed. The max is 3 nights I think. I really appreciated the free parking, and reciprocated by having drinks and snacks in their restaurant. The prices were reasonable; I had planned to have dinner there later, but once back in the RV, did not feel like getting out again. The staff were all very friendly. Too bad I forgot to take photos of the place!