Beach

Jellystone Park™ North Port Huron

67 Cabins

Jellystone Park at North Port Huron sits directly on the shoreline of Lake Huron in Carsonville, Michigan, delivering a Great Lakes lakefront camping experience anchored by the full Yogi Bear's Jellystone entertainment franchise. The park's position on M-25—the scenic lakeshore highway that traces the Michigan Thumb—puts guests within sight and sound of one of the Great Lakes, with a sandy swimming beach opening directly onto jellystone port huron's wide blue horizon. The Water Zone drives the daytime action: a multi-level splashpad, giant water slides, a floating water obstacle course, and jumping pillows keep kids occupied through the hottest Michigan summer days. The resort pool, an 18-hole miniature golf course, outdoor laser tag arena, and game room extend the activity options into the evening, and the Campfire Café serves pizza, burgers, and chicken tenders alongside homemade ice cream from the Camp Store. Paddle boat rentals offer a quieter way to explore the lake's edge, and golf cart rentals let guests move between the resort's sections with ease. Full hookup RV sites, tent sites, and rustic cabins with full kitchens and private bathrooms provide accommodation options at multiple price points. Lake Huron's shoreline at this stretch of the Michigan Thumb is characterized by clean sandy beaches, relatively calm water, and the wide open horizon that makes the Great Lakes feel genuinely oceanic. Carsonville is one of the quieter communities along the Lake Huron coast, which means the lakeshore around Jellystone Park North Port Huron retains a relaxed, uncrowded character that's harder to find at some of Michigan's more commercialized beach towns. The Thumb's agricultural interior—cherry orchards, bean fields, and small Victorian-era towns—provides a distinctly Midwestern backdrop just a few miles inland from the resort's beach. Port Huron, at the southern tip of the Thumb where Lake Huron drains into the St. Clair River, is about an hour south and anchors the region's commercial activity with waterfront dining, the Blue Water Bridge crossing to Sarnia, Ontario, and the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse—the oldest lighthouse in Michigan. Sanilac County's shoreline is dotted with small harbors, lighthouses, and public beach access points. The Sanilac Petroglyphs State Historic Site preserves ancient Native American carvings on exposed limestone, one of Michigan's most unusual and overlooked archaeological sites that provides a genuinely educational detour from a beach camping trip. Jellystone Park North Port Huron runs a full summer season from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with character events, foam parties, candy bar bingo, and dance parties structured around peak summer family camping weeks. Lake Huron's beach season aligns well with the resort calendar, and fishing and water recreation extend the appeal into the shoulder seasons for adult campers. Cabin reservations fill quickly for summer weekends, and the combination of Great Lakes beachfront access with the Jellystone entertainment package makes this one of the stronger all-in-one family camping experiences available on Michigan's eastern shoreline.

from $50/night

Leisure Lake Cottage & RV Resort

Leisure Lake Cottage and RV Resort in Kingsville, Ontario, provides a lakefront family camping and cottage resort on Lake Erie's north shore in Essex County, positioned at the heart of Canada's southernmost wine and agricultural region where the lake's moderating climate produces the viticultural conditions that have made the surrounding Pelee Island and Lake Erie North Shore wine appellation Ontario's warmest and most distinctly Mediterranean-influenced wine country. Kingsville's position at the same latitude as northern California and the southern edges of France creates the seasonal climate that supports not only wine grapes but also the tomato greenhouses and agricultural diversity that distinguish Essex County from every other Ontario county in agricultural character and landscape. The resort's facility delivers complete cottage-resort camping for families and adult couples: a gated entrance, full hookup sites, cottage rentals, a beach on Lake Erie, an outdoor pool and splash pad, mini-golf, paddle boats, a game room, craft room, planned activities and entertainment, basketball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, volleyball, playground, pavilion, a general store, propane fills, laundry, showers, bathrooms, dump station, and Wi-Fi provide organized recreation for multi-day family vacation stays with the cottage alternative that makes the resort accessible to non-RV guests. The fishing on Lake Erie—one of the most productive walleye fisheries in the world—provides the adult outdoor recreation that supplements the resort's family activity programming. Point Pelee National Park, approximately 15 minutes west of Kingsville, is Canada's most famous bird migration concentration point—the southernmost tip of the Canadian mainland juts into Lake Erie in a funnel that concentrates spring and fall bird migrants in numbers that make Point Pelee one of North America's premier birding destinations, drawing ornithologists and amateur birders from across the continent each May when the warbler migration peaks in numbers that can produce 30 or more warbler species in a single morning walk through the park's Carolinian forest ecosystem. The park's beach and the boardwalk through the point's marsh habitat provide year-round natural area access beyond the migration spectacle. The Lake Erie North Shore wine appellation's wineries between Leamington and Amherstburg produce the most distinctly warm-climate Ontario wines—the region's heat accumulation and the lake's late-season thermal moderation allow the full ripening of cabernet franc, merlot, and the ice wine grapes that freeze reliably in the November cold snaps that Lake Erie's shoreline delivers after the growing season's exceptional warmth. Pelee Island Winery's mainland operation in Kingsville and the island winery accessible by ferry from Leamington represent the wine trail anchor experiences that make a Kingsville-area stay particularly rewarding for wine-oriented camping guests. Leisure Lake Cottage and RV Resort operates seasonally from spring through fall in Essex County's Great Lakes climate, with the summer season from late June through Labour Day delivering the resort's peak family activity and the Point Pelee beach's Lake Erie swimming conditions that the shallow lake's rapid warming makes available in July and August. The spring May Point Pelee birding migration is the region's most distinctive seasonal spectacle, drawing nature-focused guests in numbers that fill Essex County accommodation during the peak warbler weeks, and the fall harvest season's winery programming extends meaningful tourism visitation into October in one of Ontario's most underappreciated regional tourism corridors.

from $41/night

Sun Outdoors Kensington Valley

75 RV Sites

Sun Outdoors Kensington Valley in New Hudson, Michigan, offers 75 RV sites built around four on-site lakes, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 45 feet behind a gated entrance. Prime 50-amp full-hookup sites join standard 30 and 50-amp full-hookup and water-and-electric categories, with a beach, jumping pillow, and recreation center. Seventy-five sites span water-and-electric 30-amp, standard full-hookup 30-amp, standard full-hookup 50-amp, and prime full-hookup 50-amp categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted with site WiFi, sized to 45 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Confirm your tier before booking, as the water-and-electric categories do not carry sewer at the site. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. The property was formerly Haas Lake RV Resort. Four lakes give the property an immersive freshwater character uncommon this close to a major metro. A beach supports swimming, boating, and fishing, with a jumping pillow, arcade, recreation center, game room, sports courts, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, walking trails, a playground, pavilion, community fire pit, and dog park filling the grounds. Planned activities run through the season, and a golf course is nearby. Pets are welcome. New Hudson sits in rolling Oakland County countryside with metro Detroit's amenities close at hand. Summer is decisively the season in Michigan. Reserve well ahead for July and August weekends.

from $9/night

Walnut Hills Family Campground

81 RV Sites, 2 Cabins, 18 Tent Sites

Walnut Hills Family Campground in Durand, Michigan, offers 81 RV sites, two cabins, and 18 tent sites across 45 acres on the Shiawassee River, with 30 and 50-amp service. Beachfront and riverfront water-and-electric categories join a 50-amp full-hookup tier, alongside a water park, swimming lake, beach, and inflatable water toys. Eighty-one sites span full hookup 50-amp, water-and-electric 30-amp, water-and-electric 50-amp, water-and-electric beachfront 30-amp, and water-and-electric riverfront categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted, with fire pits and picnic tables. Read the category carefully — most tiers carry water and electric but not sewer, and the dump station covers the rest. The beachfront and riverfront categories are the ones to request. Two cabins and 18 tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, dump station, showers, firewood, and bike rentals handle the practical side. Two billing details: power is billed monthly based on usage, and the seasonal site season runs May 1 through October 20. A water park and swimming lake anchor the summer, with a beach, boat ramp, and kayak rentals opening the river for boating, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. An arcade, game room, ball field, sports courts, volleyball, basketball, gaga ball, horseshoes, inflatable water toys, golf cart rentals, walking trails, hiking, biking, a playground, pavilion, and dog park fill the rest, with live music and planned activities. The scenic river frontage in central Michigan is what brings families back year after year. Summer is the season. Reserve well ahead.

from $23/night

The Oaks Campground

The Oaks Campground in Munith, Michigan, delivers the classic southern Michigan lake camping experience — mature oak shade, a clear swimming lake with a sandy beach, and the wide-open natural character that vanishes quickly once you enter the urban footprint of Detroit, Ann Arbor, or Jackson. Tucked in Jackson County's rural southeast corner, the campground sits within easy reach of the region's three largest population centers, making it one of the more practically located weekend escapes for families across the metro area who want lake access without a five-hour drive north. RV sites, tent camping, and cabin accommodations give guests a range of options across the well-maintained grounds, and the swimming lake with its sandy beach functions as the campground's heart through the summer months. The beach is the gathering point from morning until late afternoon — sandy enough for sandcastle construction, shallow enough at the entry for young children, and clear enough that the bottom is visible well beyond wading depth. An Aquaglide floating water park was planned for addition to the lake, bringing inflatable slides and obstacle challenges to the swimming area and adding a competitive water play dimension to what is already a strong beach environment. The dog park, campground store, and recreational areas fill out the on-site amenity picture. Pets are welcome. The surrounding Jackson County landscape is quiet rural Michigan — old oak and hickory forest, farm fields, and the gently rolling glacial terrain that defines the southern Lower Peninsula's geography. Deer, wild turkey, and the occasional fox are regular presences around the campground perimeter, and the birding from a quiet camp chair along the lake shore in early morning is rewarding in a way that the region's proximity to large cities rarely suggests. Waterloo Recreation Area, one of Michigan's largest state recreation areas with over 200 lakes and extensive trail networks, is within easy range for guests who want to extend their outdoor activities beyond the campground. Ann Arbor's cultural and culinary scene — the University of Michigan's campus, the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, and a restaurant row consistently ranked among the best in Michigan — provides urban depth within a half-hour drive. The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn and Detroit's resurgent arts and food district are accessible for guests building a multi-day itinerary that combines lake camping with metropolitan day trips. Jackson's own Ella Sharp Museum and the cascading waterfall system at Cascades Falls Park add local options closer to camp. The Oaks Campground operates through the Michigan camping season from late spring through fall, with summer weekends filling quickly as families from Ann Arbor, Jackson, and the greater Detroit metro area claim their regular sites. The lake swimming and beach scene peak from late June through August, when water temperatures are ideal and the campground reaches its full social energy. Reserve early for holiday weekend stays, and ask about current water park availability when booking to confirm the lake attraction lineup for your specific dates.

from $43/night

Driftwood Beach Resort

20 RV Sites, 3 Cabins, 10 Tent Sites, 2 Cottages, 2 Lodges

On the clear, spring-fed waters of Lakelet Lake in Wellington County, Ontario, Driftwood Beach Resort offers a genuine Canadian cottage-country camping experience in a region that sits within practical driving distance of the Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph population centers but feels thoroughly removed from the urban Ontario world in character and pace. Part of the Summerhill Resorts family, the resort anchors itself on Lakelet's exceptional water quality—a spring-fed lake with depths exceeding 40 feet and remarkable clarity that supports healthy populations of bass, perch, and trout—and a shoreline combination of sandy beaches and gravel-bottom shallows that makes it suitable for swimmers of every age and confidence level. For families and couples looking for the quintessential Ontario lake vacation without driving three hours north, Driftwood provides a compelling answer. The resort's waterfront character drives everything about the guest experience. Sandy beaches with the kind of firm, clean bottom that barefoot swimming requires provide the primary warm-weather gathering space, and the spring-fed water's exceptional clarity gives both swimmers and anglers exceptional visibility in the lake's shallower zones. Bass, yellow perch, and lake trout populate the deeper water, and the resort's dock and boat access infrastructure support anglers who want to work the lake methodically across multiple mornings. Hiking trails wind through the surrounding woodland for guests who want land-based exploration, and a wildlife viewing dimension—herons, ospreys, painted turtles, and the white-tailed deer that water at the lake margins in the evening—comes as standard with the waterfront setting. Modern resort facilities serve the practical needs of an extended stay, and organized activities and special events through the season create the kind of campground community programming that makes a week go quickly in the best possible way. Lakelet Lake's spring-fed character gives it a water temperature and clarity that distinguishes it from the more turbid lakes of southern Ontario's agricultural plains. The surrounding Wellington County landscape—gently rolling countryside, heritage stone farmhouses, and the modest forest cover of the Ontario uplands—provides a pastoral backdrop that is immediately and genuinely restful. The lake's relative modesty in size gives it an intimate quality; you can take it in from the beach and feel oriented to the whole body of water in a way that larger resort lakes don't allow. The Kitchener-Waterloo region, within manageable driving distance to the south, provides the urban infrastructure that supports a longer stay—grocery provisioning, the St. Jacobs farmers' market (one of the largest outdoor farmers' markets in Canada), and the cultural programming of the twin cities. Guelph and the University of Guelph campus add another cultural anchor in the region, and the Grand River Conservation Authority's trail system provides additional hiking and cycling access through the Waterloo Region countryside. Wellington County's heritage towns, local artisan producers, and pastoral cycling routes give guests with open days a rural Ontario itinerary worth following. Driftwood Beach Resort operates from May through October in alignment with the Ontario camping season, and summer weekends fill quickly with the Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph family market that values the resort's proximity and water quality. Waterfront sites book earliest, and reservations for the July and August peak period should be made as early in the season as possible. Fall offers a quieter alternative with the added appeal of Ontario's foliage season in the surrounding countryside. Reserve your lakeside site and let Lakelet Lake deliver the Ontario cottage experience that the southern lake regions have been providing for over a century.

from $26/night

Tawas River RV Park

100 RV Sites

Tawas River RV Park in Tawas City, Michigan, offers 100 RV sites along the Tawas River near Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 42 feet. Full-hookup back-in, water-and-electric back-in, and water-and-electric pull-through categories join a boat ramp, beach, library, and game room. One hundred sites run in back-in full hookup, water-and-electric back-in, and water-and-electric pull-through categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted on 30 and 50-amp, sized to 42 feet. Check which category you are booking — not every site carries sewer. A laundry, restrooms, showers, and RV storage handle the practical side. A boat ramp gives direct river access for boating, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing, with a beach on the property and a pond and lake nearby. A library, game room, walking trails, pavilion, and horseshoes fill the grounds, with planned activities through the season. Pets are welcome. The setting is what distinguishes it. Tawas City sits in Iosco County on the western shore of Saginaw Bay, and the park occupies the Tawas River's final miles before it reaches the bay — the riparian and estuarine transition that makes this one of Michigan's most productive areas for fishing and birding. Tawas Point State Park's lighthouse and the migratory bird traffic through the point are both close. Summer is decisively the season in northeast lower Michigan, with fall color and the fishing runs extending demand. Reserve well ahead for July and August.

from $55/night

Sun Retreats Geneva on the Lake

80 RV Sites, 6 Cottages, 1 House

At 4710 Lake Road East in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio—the oldest summer resort community on Lake Erie's Ohio shoreline, established as a vacation destination in 1869 when Cleveland industrialists discovered the lake breezes that Geneva-on-the-Lake's North Shore position generates, on 110 beautifully landscaped acres directly across from Lake Erie in the Ashtabula County wine country—Sun Retreats Geneva on the Lake, formerly Indian Creek RV Camping Resort, provides full hookup pull-through RV sites accommodating rigs to 75 feet, cottage rentals, three playgrounds, heated pools, stocked catch-and-release fishing lakes, 18-hole miniature golf, an on-site restaurant and lounge, a gas station with diesel and LP service, and the complete resort infrastructure that 110 acres and a Lake Erie position support at the premier size in the Ohio Great Lakes camping market. The Lake Erie proximity, the 18-hole miniature golf, the on-site restaurant, and the 110-acre scale define what differentiates Sun Retreats Geneva from a standard Ashtabula County campground. Full hookup pull-through RV sites with 30 and 50-amp electric, water, and sewer connections on grassy or gravel pads accommodating up to 75 feet with slide-outs, plus picnic tables and fire pits, serve the core RV market in configurations scaled for the largest modern coaches. Cottage rentals provide the fully appointed lodging alternative for guests without RVs. Heated swimming pools provide aquatic recreation through the Lake Erie shoreline's cooler late spring and early fall temperatures when an unheated pool would be unusable. Stocked catch-and-release fishing lakes provide the immediate angling access without requiring a Lake Erie charter or a walleye license. Three large playgrounds distribute the family recreation infrastructure across the 110-acre property. Miniature golf's 18-hole course, bocce, volleyball, horseshoes, and a climate-controlled pavilion provide the organized recreation calendar. A grassy off-leash dog park with benches and disposal stations serves the traveling pet population. An on-site restaurant and lounge—The Loft—provides full dining service. An on-site gas station with regular, diesel, and LP service handles the fuel and propane need. A grocery store, ATM, coin laundries, and soft-serve ice cream and concession stand complete the self-sufficient resort infrastructure that a 110-acre property sustains. Geneva-on-the-Lake's position on Lake Erie's Ohio shoreline places the resort in the Lake Erie Wine Country—the appellations stretching from Euclid east to the Pennsylvania state line that produce Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Cabernet Franc in the lake-effect growing climate that Ashtabula County's moderating influence on temperature extremes makes viable. More than 30 wineries along the Lake Erie Grape Trail provide the wine touring infrastructure that the campground's position at the heart of the appellation makes the most accessible wine country in Ohio. The Historic Ashtabula Harbor—a working commercial fishing port and the historic maritime community that the deep-water port at the Ashtabula River's mouth created in the 19th century—provides the covered bridge touring that Ashtabula County's 17 historic covered bridges (the most in any Ohio county) makes the dominant heritage tourism activity in the region. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland—45 minutes west via State Route 2 along the Lake Erie shore—provides the cultural day trip that converts a weekend Geneva-on-the-Lake camping trip into the complete northeast Ohio cultural tourism itinerary. Sun Retreats Geneva on the Lake is open seasonally through the Lake Erie vacation calendar. Summer from Memorial Day through Labor Day fills the 110 acres with the family camping and extended-stay population that the lake breezes and the winery access draw. Reserve early for summer weekends, book the miniature golf round for the evening, and let Lake Erie's Ohio shore earn the century-plus resort reputation that Geneva-on-the-Lake has been building since 1869.

from $63/night

Silent Valley Cottage & RV Resort

9 RV Sites, 2 Cabins, 18 Tent Sites

Silent Valley Cottage and RV Resort in West Grey, Ontario, encompasses 400 forested acres of Grey County countryside — a family-oriented Canadian resort community operating from Victoria Day through Thanksgiving in a natural setting of mature hardwood and conifer forest, natural ponds, and a large sandy beach that gives guests the recreational depth of a private waterfront property without the cost or logistics of cottage ownership. West Grey's position in the rolling drumlin and lake terrain of Ontario's south Georgian Bay country, just 15 minutes from the communities of Mount Forest, Neustadt, and Durham, places Silent Valley within practical service access while preserving the country-setting character that the resort's identity specifically delivers. The resort's overnight sites span the range of camping preference from full-service RV sites to tent spaces, and the sandy beach serves as the social and recreational hub around which the campground's community life organizes through the Ontario summer season. The natural setting of mature trees surrounding the pond and beach provides the woodland character that Grey County's mixed forest landscape makes consistent in this part of southern Ontario, and the resort's 400-acre footprint gives guests room to move through natural terrain rather than feeling compressed into a tightly arranged site layout. Pets are welcome throughout. Silent Valley's planned activity and special event calendar is a significant part of what distinguishes the resort as a family camping destination rather than simply a site-and-hookup provider. The annual beach party barbecue is one of the summer season's social anchors, and the Halloween in August event — with trick-or-treating through the resort and a haunted trail experience — has become one of the most anticipated dates on the seasonal calendar for returning families who specifically plan their summer visit around it. The scheduled event programming reflects a genuine investment in the community character that keeps multi-generational families returning to the same resort across decades. Grey County's surrounding landscape provides the regional context that guests with exploration inclinations can access from a Silent Valley base — the Owen Sound waterfront on Georgian Bay, the Bruce Peninsula's Niagara Escarpment hiking and Georgian Bay shoreline, the Kolapore Uplands and Blue Mountains ski and trail terrain near Collingwood, and the agricultural and heritage character of Grey County's historic communities all sit within practical day-trip range. The Saugeen River system flowing through the county provides fishing for brown trout, rainbow trout, and chinook salmon in their fall run — a salmon run in inland Ontario rivers that surprises visitors unfamiliar with the Great Lakes tributary fishery. Silent Valley Cottage and RV Resort is open from Victoria Day weekend in late May through Canadian Thanksgiving in mid-October — the full Ontario outdoor season during which Grey County's weather provides reliable camping conditions and the resort's activities and events calendar operates at full capacity. The Ontario August long weekend and Labour Day weekend are the resort's highest-demand booking periods, when the beach recreation and event programming are simultaneously at peak and family bookings fill well ahead of the dates. Reserve sites for any holiday weekend as early as possible; returning families claim their preferred sites from one season to the next.

from $7/night

Spring Valley Cottage & RV Resort

Spring Valley Cottage & RV Resort is a well-established seasonal resort in Mount Forest, Ontario, operating from May through October across a lushly treed property with four lakes, two heated saltwater pools, and more than 250 full-service sites. The spring valley resort setting—wooded terrain, sandy beaches, and spring-fed lakes—creates the kind of natural Ontario camping environment that has made this property a generational destination for families returning year after year to the same sites among the same trees. The resort's recreation infrastructure matches its substantial footprint: two heated saltwater pools, four lakes with a sandy beach, paddleboat rentals, and catch-and-release fishing for bass and pike provide abundant water-based activity throughout the summer season. On land, guests enjoy sports courts, an arcade hall, mini golf, giant outdoor chess and checkers boards, horseshoe pits, a baseball diamond, a recreation hall, and an outdoor playground. Organized children's events and planned activities run through the season, giving families a structured option alongside the unstructured pleasures of lake swimming and afternoon fishing. Sites include 30-amp hookups, water, and fire pits, with the dump station handling end-of-stay logistics for self-contained rigs. Mount Forest sits in Wellington County, a gently rolling agricultural region of southwestern Ontario where the Grand River watershed supports some of the province's most productive farmland and finest trout streams. Spring Valley's tree canopy and four on-site lakes give it the character of a Muskoka resort at a more accessible distance from Ontario's southern population centers, and the spring-fed water sources maintain the clarity that makes swimming and fishing genuinely enjoyable throughout the season. The resort's long operating history—and the repeat-visitor culture it has cultivated—gives the property a settled, community feel that newer resorts tend to lack. The broader Wellington County area offers a quiet, pastoral Ontario touring experience anchored by the region's historic county towns, local farmers markets, and conservation area trails. Elora Gorge Conservation Area, about an hour southeast, is one of Ontario's most spectacular natural landmarks—a 30-meter limestone gorge carved by the Grand River that supports tubing, rock climbing, and trail hiking through dramatic karst terrain. The University of Guelph's Arboretum and the Royal City's downtown provide a full urban day trip roughly 90 minutes south. Bruce Peninsula and Sauble Beach are within a half-day's drive for campers wanting to extend their Ontario road trip toward Georgian Bay and the crystal waters of Lake Huron's eastern shore. Spring Valley Cottage & RV Resort operates on the traditional May-to-October Ontario seasonal calendar, with July and August bringing the heaviest demand as families prioritize lake swimming and the full activity calendar. Seasonal site holders fill a significant portion of the resort's inventory, so overnight and short-stay visitors should book well in advance for summer weekends. The resort's combination of four lakes, saltwater pools, and comprehensive family programming makes it one of the stronger all-ages camping destinations in southwestern Ontario for travelers who want genuine waterfront access without the premium pricing of the more famous cottage country regions to the north.

Somerset Beach Campground and Retreat Center

146 RV Sites, 4 Cabins

Somerset Beach Campground and Retreat Center in Somerset Center, Michigan, offers 146 RV sites and four cabins across 226 acres on a private lake, with 30-amp electric service and rigs accepted to 50 feet, open all year. A zip line, indoor climbing wall, disc golf course, and on-site fishing guides have served guests here since 1982. One hundred forty-six back-in sites carry 30-amp electric service, sized to 50 feet, with site WiFi — note these are electric only, with no water or sewer at the sites, so plan tank capacity and use the dump station. Four cabins round out the lodging. Restrooms, showers, and RV storage handle the practical side. The recreation range is genuinely unusual for a Michigan campground. A private lake with a beach and boat docks supports swimming, boating, paddle boats, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing, with on-site fishing guides available. A zip line, indoor climbing wall, disc golf course, tennis, basketball, volleyball, gaga ball, shuffleboard, ping pong, and horseshoes fill the grounds, with miles of hiking trails across the 226 acres, a recreation center, craft room, playground, and pavilion besides. Skiing is nearby. The property also operates as a retreat center and wedding venue. Pets are welcome. Directions from Ann Arbor and Detroit: take I-94 west to exit 142 (Hudson), south on US-127 about 15 miles, right onto US-12, then about four miles west. Summer is the peak. Reserve ahead, and plan around the electric-only sites.

from $26/night

Northern Sites Campground

1 RV Site

Along the Cedar River in Gladwin County's quiet inland lake country, Northern Sites Campground in Beaverton, Michigan provides a river and sandy beach camping experience in the heart of Michigan's Lower Peninsula—a region of wooded uplands, small lakes, and snowmobile trails that has served outdoor enthusiasts from the Midwest's industrial cities for generations. The campground's twin sandy swimming beaches on the Cedar River, tubing access from River Road to the campground, and kayaking on one of the Lower Peninsula's most enjoyable inland rivers give Northern Sites its primary recreational identity as a water-activity destination in a setting that keeps the natural character of Gladwin County's forested terrain front and center. Sites with 30 and 50-amp electrical service accommodate RVs of various sizes, with some sites including water hookups alongside the electric service and access to three on-property drinking water stations. Two distinct sandy beach areas along the Cedar River provide separate spaces for swimming, tubing, kayaking, and bank fishing, and the river's clear, gentle flow supports a tubing route from the River Road Trailhead to the campground that families return for each summer. A well-stocked general store, clean bathhouse with showers, and a small playground serve the practical and recreational support needs of a camping community that values the riverfront setting above resort-style amenities, and a nearby splash park provides an additional water play option for children. The Cedar River's run through Gladwin County provides one of Michigan's most accessible inland tubing and kayaking experiences—a float of moderate length through shaded hardwood bottomland with a gentle current appropriate for all ages. ORV trails on the surrounding state land provide mountain biking and off-road riding access in the upland terrain above the river valley for guests who want land-based exploration to complement the morning on the water. The campground's river position also makes it excellent territory for shore fishing—smallmouth bass, rock bass, and panfish inhabit the shaded pools and riffles throughout the campground's river frontage. The Gladwin County lakes district surrounding Beaverton encompasses dozens of small glacial lakes within a short drive, providing additional fishing, boating, and swimming options for guests who want variety beyond the Cedar River. Sanford Lake, a few miles west in Midland County, represents one of the region's most productive bass fishing destinations, and the surrounding agricultural and forest character of the central Lower Peninsula gives the Beaverton area a genuine north-woods feel that rewards guests who want Michigan without the resort pricing of Traverse City and Petoskey. The town of Beaverton's small-town infrastructure—hardware stores, diners, and farm supply shops—provides the practical services extended-stay campers need. Northern Michigan's warm-season camping aligns with the tubing, swimming, and fishing seasons from late May through early September, with July and August delivering the warmest river temperatures and the most active family camping traffic on the Cedar River. Fall brings excellent fishing conditions and the spectacular Michigan hardwood foliage that the surrounding Gladwin County uplands display in full color from late September through mid-October. Snowmobile access on the regional trail network makes the Beaverton area a viable winter destination for Michigan's enthusiastic snowmobile touring community, extending the campground's useful season beyond the typical Midwest camping window into the snowy months.