Hey, all.
HECK YEAH, RVerTV fans! I truly hope you’ve been enjoying all the newest videos as we’ve been hitting the backroads and exploring these incredible scenic spots together. Whether you’re watching from the comfort of your home or you're out there rolling down the highway yourself, it’s a blast having you along for the ride. I want to wish every single one of you a fantastic summer—get out there, soak up some of that fresh air, and enjoy the beauty of the season. Thanks for being part of the community, and we'll see you at the next stop!
~~~Russ
(Columbia River Road Trip): Hood River to Longview Washington
If you watched the video, you saw us roll out of Hood River and head straight up the hill to what might be one of the coolest spots on the planet: the WAAAM Museum. Man, seeing row after row of vintage planes, classic cars, and old motorcycles that actually still run was mind-blowing! I felt like a kid in a giant, gasoline-scented candy store.
After we finally dragged ourselves out of there, we hopped back on the road and followed the mighty Columbia River west, crossing right over into Washington. And how about that stop in Longview? Settling into County Line Park with the RV parked practically in the Columbia River was unbeatable. Sitting there watching those massive ocean-going cargo ships glide right past our setup was the absolute best way to finish off the video!
US 30 West: (Ferry Rides, River Towns) & the Astoria Bridge
Heck yeah!! Today we're rolling out from County Line Park along the mighty Columbia River, headed for one of Washington's best-kept secrets—the historic river town of Cathlamet!
We cruise through the old downtown, then cross over onto Puget Island, a little slice of farm country sitting right in the middle of the Columbia. From there, it's onto the Oscar B—the LAST ferry still running on the lower Columbia River! I drive the van right on board, and we float across to Westport, Oregon.
Then we head west on US Highway 30 into Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. We drive through the historic downtown, stop by the pier at the Columbia River Maritime Museum, check out the Lightship Columbia, and even catch a cruise ship in port!
We wrap it all up crossing the mighty Astoria-Megler Bridge—over 4 miles of steel stretching back across the Columbia into Washington.
Westport : (Washington's Tallest Lighthouse)
If you watched the video, you know our first stop was the Grays Harbor Lighthouse. Standing 107 feet tall, she’s the tallest lighthouse in Washington State and the third tallest on the entire West Coast! Architect Carl Leick considered her his masterpiece after she was first lit in 1898, and after climbing all 135 steps to the lantern room, I can confirm the view of the ocean, shoreline, and South Beach makes every step worth it. Here's the funny thing about her: when she was built, she was right on the water. But after the south jetty went in, the sand piled up, and the shoreline literally walked away from her! Now she's hanging out back in the trees, a good piece away from the surf.
From there, we headed over to the historic docks at Westhaven Cove and climbed the viewing tower at the marina. You could see for miles up there—the whole fishing fleet, the jetty, and the harbor spread right out.
We wrapped things up at the Westport Maritime Museum, and this place really blew me away. It's housed in the old 1939 Coast Guard station—a gorgeous, three-story Nantucket-style building with a watchtower and widow's walk that ran as Station Grays Harbor until 1972. Inside, it's packed with Coast Guard, fishing, and pioneer history. But the real showstopper on the grounds was the Destruction Island lens—an 18-foot, six-ton Fresnel lens built in France back in 1888 that lit up the coast for over seventy years. Seeing that monster in person was unbelievable!
(Ocean Shores Peninsula) — Washington Coast Road Trip
Since you’ve already been down the 350 steps into Walnut Canyon with us, you know exactly why that hike is such a trip. It’s one thing to hear about the Sinagua people, but actually walking face-to-face with those 700-year-old cliff dwellings is a whole different experience.
You saw how we navigated those canyon walls to get up close to the rooms and stonework that are still holding strong after all these centuries. Even if you've seen the footage, it’s hard to wrap your head around the scale of it—the trail really puts everything into perspective. It’s definitely one of those spots that demands a pause just to take it all in, and you know we couldn't resist doing it RVerTV style.
Forks Washington & The Museum Nobody Talks About!
Today we’re rolling north on Highway 101 right through the heart of the Olympic Peninsula, headed straight for the famous town of Forks, Washington!
First, we made a quick pit stop at beautiful Lake Quinault to take in that stunning glacier-carved lake surrounded by giant old-growth rainforest. Then it was on to Forks, where we stopped at the visitor center to gawk at some absolutely massive logs left over from the town’s glory days—seriously, these things make the RV look like a toy!
Next up was one of the wildest spots on the whole coast: John’s Beachcombing Museum. Talk about a hidden gem! Decades of weird and wonderful stuff washed up from the Pacific—glass floats, buoys, messages in bottles, and things you’d never guess came out of the ocean, all displayed like high art.
To top it all off, we rolled west to La Push, parked the rig right on the edge of the Pacific for the night, and took the eBike out for a sunset spin along the shore with the waves rolling in. You can’t beat that!
Fort Flagler WA — Historic Fort & (Amazing RV Camping)
If you caught today's video, you know we crossed TWO bridges and hopped right over Indian Island to get to one of the coolest hidden pieces of military history in the Pacific Northwest—Fort Flagler State Park on Marrowstone Island, Washington.
Most folks drive right on by without ever knowing it's there, but if you watched, you saw how this old fort was part of the famous "Triangle of Fire" back in the late 1800s. Along with Fort Worden and Fort Casey, it stood watch over Puget Sound to keep enemy ships from ever reaching Seattle.
In case you missed any of it, we checked out the old historic buildings and walked right inside those massive concrete gun batteries where you can practically hear the history ringing through the walls. Then we rolled through the Fort Flagler campground to check out the RV sites, and those views over Port Townsend Bay were out of this world!
If you haven't seen it yet—or just want to soak in those sights again—you better go hit play and check it out!
Port Townsend: (Lighthouses, Old Forts) & a Historic Downtown
Well, Heck Yeah!! If you tuned in to today’s video, you saw us exploring one of the absolute best-preserved seaport towns in America—historic Port Townsend, Washington!
If you watched, you got to see us roll into Fort Worden State Park, another legendary spot in the old "Triangle of Fire." We hit up the Point Wilson Lighthouse, walked right along the water, and checked out all those incredible old historic buildings. But the real jaw-dropper had to be the Commanding Officer’s Quarters Museum—that massive three-story home where the big boss lived with a whole servant staff back in the day, complete with views of the bay that were simply out of this world.
Then, because you know we gotta park in style, we scored the ultimate campsite at Point Hudson RV Park right on the water’s edge—seriously, waking up to a view like that should be illegal. We topped it all off strolling through historic downtown, taking in all those gorgeous Victorian-era buildings.
If you haven't seen it yet—or just want to make yourself jealous of that campsite all over again—go hit play and check it out!
Thanks, all.
~~~Russ
Check out my RVerTV webpage at: https://rvertv.tv/ to order our rated #1 Armchair Traveler series and HECK YEAH coffee mugs, t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, travel mugs, and hoodies.
49 comments
Tell us when you are in each area. It would help us plan our own visit to the areas. When were you along the canal? Looks like Aug, sept
Am watching your video Pipestone Minn., noticed you weren’t to far from Garretson S.D. There is a park where Jessie James supposedly jumped over a gorge after the robbery in Minnesota. Check it out.
After travelling to your wonderful country four times having unforgettable journeys and road trips I miss the experiences so much. Your fantastic videos have kept me in the loop now I cannot travel. Every week I am learning so much about US history, geography, customs and love of country. Thank you Russ.
Russ, will you tell us what month it is when you are recording a video? Sometimes it is helpful for viewers to know.
My late husband & I used to stay in Golden Valley, Az. during every Michigan winter. I’ve been to lots of places you visit and it brings back great memories! I really enjoyed the way you showed off our “Mighty Mac”! I was on that bridge during a blizzard after taking a ride on the “Snow Train”. They allowed us to be the last car to cross before they closed the bridge because of the storm. We had to stay on the inside lane with lights on and I have never been so terrified in my whole life! It’s pretty scary even on a nice day! You do an amazing job and I really enjoy watching all of your adventures! Thank you!