Campers and dog at park store

Concessions Program

Learn how to open a concession business in a Washington State park.

Concessions

Concessionaires offer many goods and services that state parks could not, in most cases, provide. Concessions range from food service and campground stores to recreational equipment rentals, equestrian experiences, guided tours and glamping. These have a fixed site within the park, like a brick and mortar structure or mobile stand and may advertise within the park. 

State parks partners with a variety of small businesses through concession contracts to offer services that contribute to high quality experiences for park visitors. Most concession agreements last for five-years. The concession manager will work with you to determine an appropriate length.

State parks is always looking for quality concessionaires as well as entrepreneurs wishing to develop and grow their recreational business. To become a concessionaire with the Washington State Parks you have two options:

1. Respond to an opening for an existing park concession

These opportunities are generally made available to the public through a request for proposal (RFP) process. Find concession opportunities by signing up for WEBS (Washington Enterprise business Solutions (more details below).

2. Develop your own idea for a concession

Some of our most popular concessions have been ideas proposed by our own concessionaires. Do you have an exciting idea that aligns with our mission and may be popular with park visitors? We would like to hear from you! Contact the concessions manager for more details.

Concession vs. Commercial use

Not sure if what you want to do is considered a concession or commercial use? There are some similarities and differences. The concessions manager can help determine what is best for your activity.

State parks concessions have a fixed site within the park, whether it's a structure, a mobile stand or a designated area. They have frequent or daily interaction with park patrons and are allowed to advertise within the park.

Commercial-use providers use park property for their business activities. They don't have a fixed location within the park and charge customers a fee for service (business transactions take place off site or through a website). Advertising is not allowed within the park.

Please visit our Commercial Use Permit page or contact the concession manager for more information.

Other resources

To receive e-mail notices about available concession opportunities, sign up for WEBS (Washington Enterprise Business Solutions).  Registering for WEBS is free and takes 10-30 minutes.  

WEBS uses a commodity code system, meaning that you select certain codes that are of interest to you. When a bid opportunity is released with a matching commodity code to one you've chosen, the system will send you an email alert. The commodity code normally used for State park concessions is 961-15 (concessions, catering and vending). Other commodity codes may be used depending on the type of services required, so please check all that apply to your business. 

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Contact Us

Name Sarah Yearout
Department Concessions Manager
Email sarah.yearout@parks.wa.gov