We just had a phenomenal dinner at the lodge. What a high end buffet gem at the edge of the park…read more Thanks to Michelle and Bara for excellent service and all the travel tips and Ren for setting up our reservation.

We had a family reunion here this summer, and was so pleased with this place. There were about 50…read moreadults and children total. We rented three houses: Cottage 11, Preece Cottage, and Seale House. Each had their own kitchen. Preece Cottage: The largest of the 3 that we rented. There are 3 floors of bedrooms plus a loft. The kids all loved sleeping and hanging out in the loft. Plus side to this house, it's large and accommodates a large number of people. Downside: it accommodates a large number of people. That house was always busy. Beautiful view from the bedroom balconies, though. For parking for this house, our family used the small parking lot next to the house. Seale House: My immediate small family was assigned to the Seale House, and I am so grateful. There are 3 bedrooms downstairs each with their own separate entrance from the outside as well as a closet room that we used as a 4th room. Two of the rooms downstairs had their own bathroom inside the room. The third room (which we were assigned) did not have its own bathroom, but there was wan directly across the hall which was pretty much our own bathroom since everyone else had their own bathrooms. There is a 4th bathroom upstairs that the "bedroom" upstairs used as their bathroom. For parking there is room for about 2 to 3 cars right next to the house, and we parked a 4th car lower (but next to the exterior entrances to the bedrooms). Cottage 11: Smaller of the 3 houses. Close to the water and water activities launch site, but the least favorite set up of the 3 houses for me. I believe they parked up in the lot across from Preece. Activities: There are scheduled activities both in the AM and PM that you can sign up for. Each day is different, so check the calendar for the week. The AM activities usually cost money, but I think all the PM activities were free. We did "zip lining" one morning. It's great for beginners and those wary of heights, but if you are looking for more of a thrill, this is not it. WildPlay (which many of the family did prior to Strathcona) sounded much more thrilling. For this zip lining course, one has to walk across a balance beam and then a tight rope to get to the platform to zip line, and it's just the one line. Other family members did the rope course the next day which looked more fun. Water activities was worth the money. You can rent a canoe (small or large), kayak, paddle board, etc for the whole day (or by the hour). We would rent one or two of each and rotate use throughout the day. I recommend the canoe or kayak and paddling to the smaller islands to explore swim holes, and just the islands. Pack a picnic lunch. We definitely got our money's worth from the rentals. There's also a swimming area and a sand volleyball court. Hiking: There are trails on the property, but most of the family also drove to some of the nearby waterfalls. The favorite was Myra falls (about a 40 minute drive out). The pictures of especially lower Myra Falls was absolutely gorgeous. I wish I had gone to Myra Falls instead of the zip lining. Dining: There is a restaurant onsite, but we never ate there. We purchased breakfast and lunch items from Costco on the way to the lodge, and for dinner, we had prepared stuff ahead of time and had one large group dinner each night. Dinner was held at Seale House one night. Another night we had a BBQ by the pit. The first night we arranged ahead of time for the Salmon dinner. Because of fire warning, they could not cook the salmon over the fire pit as usual. Instead, they baked it in the oven ahead of time. NOT recommended. I think it would've been better cooked in the fire pit. Overall, this was one of the most relaxing vacations I've had. Lodging was great. Scenery was BEAUTIFUL. Weather was perfect (we went last week of July). Plenty of activities (water activities on site, hiking trails on site, and waterfalls nearby). Free WiFi only at the main lodge. No cellphone coverage. If you need to go to the store for something more than what they sell at the general store at the main lodge, you need to go into one of the next towns, which is about 30-40 minute drive either direction. Highly recommend, and would definitely go back!

You know when people say that Disneyland is their favorite place on earth? Well, screw Disneyland…read morebecause this is my happiest place on earth! I attended Canoe Island as a kid for 7 straight summers. Those were the happiest times of my life. I was able to go back as an adult for a Yoga Weekend two years ago and the magic has not been lost. If you love the outdoors, fresh air, and a true unique experience, then you must experience Canoe Island! Sigh...I wish I was there right now! Send your kids there or spend an adult weekend enjoying yoga or cooking tasty cuisine. I promise, you won't be disappointed!

My daughter is in her 4th year here, having started going to a 2 week session in the 5th Grade…read more She love Canoe and everything about it. Wonderful counselors, great sessions, amazing food ( and french cooking lessons), gorgeous setting, and all the while effortlessly (so it seems) improving her french. Thanks Canoe!

My experience at Camp Orkila is from the 1970s. Not sure of…read moreour particulars as to how we got there other than it was either through Y-Indian Guides (which despite being a really great experience between fathers and sons has likely died as the whole gender confusion thing we got going on struck a political nerve somewhere), or through the school system. This camp provided a common experience that I have had positively reinforced over the years with business associates, sports club members, through area social activities and many other events with people who were local to the Seattle area as children. It was a bit rough and we came home a bit hungry and smelling like campfire. This was the best way possible for us as kids from the pavement of greater Seattle to begin to understand Puget Sound, native populations and history and the rich forests that were everywhere past the edge of a parking lot. So, it is with some sadness that I read how some reviews here seem to miss the points that really made this place a valuable and safe learning environment for me and my peers. I was split up from my friend group and bunked with kids I didn't know. I hated it I also badly needed to have that experience despite it's ommission from the brochure. I think, and deeply, that those times allowed for fewer expectations which in turned allowed for a more broad perspective as to our control or lack of it, our marriage to nature It would become of immeasurable value in the kids who would grow up to be the stewards of the PNW. I understand the change of time as much as I understand how some qualities should not and don't change with time. Camp Orkila delivered both. Not like in the myriad of camp pamplets I see now, but in ways even the Camp did not necessarily include as part of the spiel. Thanks Camp Orkila. Kindly written by one of the thousands of wet, fascinated campers wearing bell bottom jeans in the 1970s.

My daughter went to camp with 7 other close friends. All parents wrote the girls names in our…read moreroommate request forms and were under the impression that the girls would be spending their time at camp together. This did not happen! My daughter was put in a different UNIT with two of her friends while the other 5 were in the same cabin/unit. One of the three separated girls was successful to switch with another girl and join the larger group's cabin, leaving only two girls in one unit separated from the other 6 friends. My daughter and her friend attempted multiple times to join their friends' cabins/unit by contacting their Unit's Director who stated that they would look into the issue. After several days of not hearing back, the girls reached out to the Unit Director of their friends' unit, and were promptly made aware that despite being told that they could've potentially switched with two other girls from their friends' unit, that there was no space left in the unit. I understand that potentially there were other complications, but it felt that this issue was handled in a sloppy manner, considering that the issue could've been solved from the beginning had all the girls been put in the same unit (which would've made much more sense, considering that the girls are all the same age and had requested to be put with each other). To say the least, this significantly impacted the experience that my daughter and her friend had at camp. The two girls expected to be moved the first four days at camp and that did not happen. This was a VERY expensive camp and I feel cheated since the group of girls went together and DID NOT spend quality time at camp together. The injustice was heightened by the fact that one of the girls was switched while the other two did not have this chance. What is the purpose of the roommate form, if not for groups of campers to be put together? I sent a note complaining about this with no response so far. I will not be sending my daughter there again and would not recommend to anyone.

A wonderful experience indeed! They offer one hour trail rides for $60…read more We reserved as a group of 6, we signed the waivers, and then we had to drive to another area 5 minutes away, where all the horses were. They had all the horses ready for us upon arrival. Andy, our guide, checked our experience with riding horses, and then paired us each with the appropriate horse. I got the tallest horse, Sonia. This was my first time riding a horse so at first I was a little uneasy. Andy eased us into it so that we all got comfortable with our horses. He then lead us on an hour and a half trail, bringing us to different terrains, and having us going at different speeds. He was also nice enough to stop at one point and take pictures for all of us. Beautiful scenery, and it was very relaxing. We went at different paces at different stretches of the ride, so it gave us a full on experience. A very pleasant ride, it was my first time, and it was very enjoyable!