Open year round, Willapa Harbor Golf and RV Park in Raymond, Wash. offers a comfortable 20-site RV park and accompanying nine-hole golf course. Raymond lies on Hwy. 101, also called the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, which meanders through the Olympic Peninsula and down the Pacific Coast. The tranquil entrance to Raymond features steel sculptures of wildlife, American Indians, and loggers; a picturesque “Welcome” sign that reflects the local history.
Designed by Walter Fovargue, Willapa Harbor golf course opened in 1926. Featuring old growth hemlock and fir trees lining some of the fairways, the par 36 public course stretches to 3,004 yards. It’s a unique golf experience in a peaceful setting.
Willapa Harbor Golf and RV Park’s 20 sites include 10 that can accommodate larger rigs. The pet-friendly facility offers 30 amp electrical, showers, walking trails, a rec room, and free Wi-Fi. The community fire pit is also a great gathering spot for guests.
In addition to the bucolic setting offered at Willapa Harbor Golf Course and RV Park, visitors can enjoy a couple of unique museums in the area as well. Walking into the Northwest Carriage Museum is like taking a step back in time. The Northwest Carriage Museum is home to many magnificently restored 19th century horse-drawn vehicles. With more than 50 carriages available for viewing, a few of the highlights include the star attraction: The Shelburne Landau carriage, which was used in the movie classic “Gone With the Wind.” Also on display is an 1871 mail buggy with its original canvas bag, and the holiday themed Coachman’s Sleigh, and many others.
Another unique and educational museum in Raymond is the Willapa Seaport Museum. This maritime museum is devoted to sharing stories of the sea through photographs, paintings, drawings, ship models, and extensive paraphernalia employed in working, sailing, and navigating ships. Willapa Seaport Museum is literally wall-to-wall with nautical bric-a-brac: Figureheads, ship wheels, whale bones, souvenirs from exotic lands, scrimshaw, old telegraph radios, and lots of piratical booty.
Here are a few more interesting tidbits about this small town of 3,000 residents: Raymond was the city where the grunge band Nirvana played their first gig, on March 7, 1987. Both the Raymond Post Office and Raymond Theater are listed on the National Historical Register.
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Rick Stedman is an avid golfer, RVer, and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Rick writes a golf column, “The RV Golfer,” which is published every month in rvlife.com. He can be reached at rstedman@gmail.com.
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