Washington spot named on Time magazine’s ‘World’s Greatest Places’ list is local, Japanese-owned

BELLINGHAM – A popular Pacific Ocean coastal region in Washington is now home to one of the destinations named on the new Time’s 100 World’s Greatest Places list. The list includes dramatic, exotic locations around the planet, from Antarctica to Iceland to Australia and beyond.

Washington’s singular mention on the Time magazine list is Snow Peak Long Beach Campfield, on Long Beach Peninsula, just a 5-minute drive from the famed Long Beach boardwalk.

Pacific County Tourism officials, where Snow Peak is located, said they are not surprised by the inclusion in Time’s list. The hosted campsite destination fits into Long Beach’s scenery, offering visitors a chance to experience the area’s dramatic coastline, county officials said in an email to McClatchy.

County officials also noted that part of the area’s charm is the wide variety of outdoor activities, including kite flying and razor clam digging in the area’s beaches and forests.

Long Beach is a 2-plus-hour drive from Olympia, and close to a 3-hour drive from Tacoma.

How to book campsite at Snow Peak

The Long Beach location, which opened earlier this year, is first U.S. campground opened by Japanese outdoor equipment company Snow Peak, which also operates 13 locations in Japan and one in South Korea. In an email to McClatchy, Snow Peak’s U.S. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Noah Reis said that the company is encouraged by the success of the Long Beach location, but added that there aren’t any plans for additional U.S. locations.

“We’re thrilled the Long Beach Campfield was included on Time’s World’s Greatest Places list,” Reis said. “We spent several years designing and building the Campfield, and it’s an honor to share a reimagined camping experience that centers on comfort and connection with nature.”

Visitors can rent a traditional campsite, where guests set up their own tents, or book a “tent suite” that comes with a miniature kitchen and a dining table. Climate-controlled cabins, equipped with a queen bed and a living area, are also available. Campsites start at $40 a night, while tent suites start at $120 and cabins start at $130.

All visitors have access to the campsite’s Ofuro Spa for an additional fee, designed in the style of a traditional Japanese bathhouse. Guests can also stop by an on-site store for food, camping needs and Snow Peak outdoor gear.