Riv vs Off-Riv
Anderson Island has two overlapping but distinct sides: the Riviera Community Club and everywhere else. Here's what that means in practice.
Riviera
What the Riviera Actually Is
The Riviera Community Club (RCC) is a private community association that operates like a homeowners' association. It owns and maintains a network of amenities (lakes, parks, docks, a marina, a campground, a golf course, and a restaurant) for the use of its members and their guests.
It is not a city, a separate town, or a gated community. Public roads run through it, and you can drive through the Riviera as you would any other part of the island. What's restricted is access to specific amenities, not access to the land itself.
As a point of clarification: it is not the same thing as the Anderson Island Community Club, which is a separate organization - the public clubhouse maintained by American Legion Post 265.
It's not gated. You can drive through it. There's no guard.
It's not a city. It's a private property-owners association, not a unit of government.
It's not the Anderson Island Community Club. Two different organizations, similar names.
From "For the Fun Years" to Now
The Riviera grew out of vacation-home development in the early 1960s. A 32-lot subdivision called Surf and Sands Estates was platted around Lake Josephine, followed by additional land purchases and adjoining tracts. In 1966, Riviera Community Club Inc. acquired the larger holding and began promoting the area as a recreational and residential community. The original marketing tagline was "for the fun years."
It grew. By the early 2000s the Riviera comprised roughly 3,000 lots and about 800 homes, which is still the rough shape of it today. By 2020, a clear majority of the island's full-time residents lived inside the RCC's boundaries, even though the RCC covers only about 30 percent of the island's land area.
That's the key thing to understand. The Riviera doesn't cover most of the island geographically, but it does contain most of the island's homes.
The Riviera's original marketing called it a place "for the fun years," a slogan that, like much mid-century real-estate copy, has aged interestingly.
For the longer settler-era story of how the island got to this point, the History page covers the Coast Salish era, the Christensens, the Johnson Farm, and everything that came before 1966.
What's Different in Practice
For prospective buyers, the practical differences between owning inside the Riviera and owning elsewhere on the island come down to a handful of specifics.
What's Open to Everyone
Two RCC facilities are explicitly open to the public: the Lakeshore Restaurant and the Riviera Golf Course. RCC members and owners receive reduced golf fees, but anyone can play.
Restaurant-based events are typically public too. Monday-night trivia at the Lakeshore is "free to play, everyone welcome." Seasonal events at the restaurant are usually advertised the same way.
The annual Children's Fishing Derby at Pine Lake is a community-wide event open to all kids on the island, even though Pine Lake itself is an RCC amenity the rest of the year.
Everything else - lakes, beaches, marina, campground, docks, parks inside RCC boundaries, member-only events - is for members and their invited guests.
Open to all: Lakeshore Restaurant, Riviera Golf Course, advertised trivia and restaurant events, the annual Children's Fishing Derby.
Members and guests only: RCC lakes, beaches, parks, docks, marina, campground, member events, and member-only facilities.
When in doubt, check the RCC's facilities policy or call the restaurant before showing up.
What to Verify Before You Sign
Whether a property is inside or outside the Riviera has real consequences. Before making an offer, confirm a few things specifically:
Is the lot inside the RCC? The boundary isn't always obvious from a map. Ask your broker, or verify with RCC and Pierce County records directly.
What are the current dues? Improved and unimproved lots have different totals. The RCC publishes an annual fee schedule; get the current one.
Road access. Verify whether the road is paved or unimproved, whether it's a Pierce County road or a private drive, and whether any shared-easement maintenance obligations appear in the title.
Water service. Inside the Riviera, confirm the connection to Josephine Water and any pending capital assessments. Outside, get a current well report and water-quality test.
Both sides of the line are perfectly livable. The point is just that they involve different sets of obligations, and the right answer depends on your priorities.
Where to Next
Living Here
Wells, septic, propane, ferry-dependent everything. A plain look at what life on the island actually involves, inside or outside the Riviera.
Living HereGetting Here
The ferry sets the rhythm of island life. Schedule, fares, the no-reservations reality, and what to know before your first crossing.
Getting Here