The views are stupendous and the camping is sure to be more than comfortable at the new RV hotspot on Whidbey Island.
After nearly two years, renovations to Cliffside RV Park on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island are complete and the park will be open for business May 1 for military retirees, active duty and other eligible personnel.
But those interested had better hurry and make reservations, because even though the park will hold three times more recreational vehicles than it used to, the spots are going fast.
“We have gone from 20 RV sites and seven tent sites to 60 RV sites and 10 tent sites,” said Dave Meyers, Outdoor Recreation Program
Manager for NAS Whidbey’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation department.
Nestled along the cliffs overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the newly renovated park is split into two sections. The south end, which has 34 RV sites, a pavilion with a fireplace, an outdoor community fire pit and a bath house with restrooms, showers and washer and dryer facilities, is complete and will be the first part of the park to open.
The north end of the park has 26 RV spots, two smaller pavilions, a mirror-image bath house and the yurts. That side will open a couple of weeks later. Tent sites are located on the extreme south end of the park. They feature a separate parking area and are within easy walking distance of the south side bath house.
“The tent sites were worked into the existing landscape,” explained Lt. Eric Hower, construction manager and representative for the public works contracting officer. “The new parking lot for the 10 tent sites can be accessed from what is known as the beach access road.”
Folks with recreational vehicles will find 40-foot concrete pads with power pedestals featuring 30 and 50 amp power hookups, plus water and sewer. WiFi access is in the development stage.
“There is one designated parking space for each pad as well,” said Hower.
Renovations bring state of the art equipment along
The bath houses will be a pleasant surprise for anyone who was used to the old facility, which was built in 1972 and wasn’t heated. The new facilities are built on a geo-thermal loop, meaning they’re energy efficient and are heated and cooled to match the season.
The six yurts on the north end of the park are set back from the RV sites and are set in amongst the tall trees. For anyone unfamiliar with the term, yurts are round, semi-permanent tents, based loosely on the dwellings used by nomadic tribes in Central Asia.
These yurts are 16 feet in diameter and are constructed with lattice-work wooden sides, bent-wood roofs, covered with vinylized canvas.
“The idea of cabins was brought up,” Meyers said. “But we decided to go with yurts. They’ve been used a lot in the West and they’ve stood the test of time and hold up to the elements well. These are designed to withstand 100-miles-per-hour-plus winds.”
Each yurt will be equipped with electric power and will be able to sleep six. They will be furnished with a queen bed with twin bunk, a futon and a small table. There will be no cooking allowed inside, but each yurt will have a fire pit and a picnic table.
“The yurts provides an opportunity for people without an RV or a tent to stay here,” said Wayne Short, MWR Installation Program Manager for NAS Whidbey Island. “Eventually one yurt will also be ADA compliant as well.”
Cost for the newly renovated park was $3.9 million.
“The project was funded through non-appropriated funds,” said Short. “There were zero tax dollars spent. And 100 percent of the profits from the park will go back into MWR to fund other programs.”
The cost to stay at Cliffside RV is reasonable. During peak season, RV sites and yurts cost $25 per night. The cost is $20 during the off season. Tent sites are $15 a night year round. The park will be open year-round. People are allowed to stay up to 30 days, but must vacate for two weeks before being allowed to return.
Your room is ready
To make a reservation at Cliffside RV Park on NAS Whidbey Island, call 1.877.NAVY.BED or go to www.navylifepnw.com for information.
