Boating

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

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

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

Alice Springs RV Park & Resort

140 RV Sites, 10 Cabins

Alice Springs RV Park & Resort in Ionia, Michigan, offers 140 RV sites and 10 cabins on a private five-acre lake, with 30 and 50-amp full hookups, ADA-accessible sites, and rigs accepted to 60 feet. Deluxe concrete and deluxe concrete waterfront categories sit alongside standard full-hookup sites, with an outdoor pool, hot tub, and pickleball courts. One hundred forty sites run in 30-amp full-hookup, 30/50-amp full-hookup, 30/50-amp deluxe concrete, and 30/50-amp deluxe concrete waterfront configurations — every site is full hookup with sewer, water, and electric, sized to 60 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Accessible sites are available. Ten cabins serve guests without a rig. Note that tents are not permitted on the sites. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side, with WiFi throughout. Visitors are welcome but capped in number — call the office to confirm. The private five-acre lake is the anchor, supporting kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, and swimming without leaving the property. An outdoor pool and hot tub, pickleball courts, sports courts, basketball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, and corn hole fill the grounds, with golf cart rentals, a playground, pavilion, and dog park besides. The dark rural sky makes for good stargazing. Pets are welcome. Ionia sits in west-central Michigan, in orchard and farm country with day-trip range to Grand Rapids, the Lake Michigan shoreline, and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum — all within about 40 miles. Summer lake season drives demand. Reserve ahead for warm-weather weekends.

from $57/night

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

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

Camp Deer Trails

29 RV Sites, 8 Cabins, 7 Tent Sites

On the shores of Long Lake in Clare County, Michigan, Camp Deer Trails spreads across 140 wooded acres encompassing three distinct beach areas, a network of nature trails, and accommodation options from RV sites to log cabin rentals—all within the quiet inland lake country of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, at a latitude that marks the traditional boundary between the state's agricultural south and its pine-forested north. Harrison, the Clare County seat, sits at the geographic center of the Lower Peninsula's tourism corridor between Houghton Lake—Michigan's largest inland lake—and the commercial resort activity of Mount Pleasant, giving Long Lake and the surrounding area a more secluded character than the higher-profile destinations nearby. The 140-acre property ensures that the lakefront never feels crowded regardless of occupancy. RV sites, rustic campsites, and ten cabin rentals with a variety of configurations accommodate the full range of camping preferences, with cabins providing both basic shelter options and more fully furnished retreats for guests who prefer comfort over tent sleeping. Three separate beach areas on Long Lake—an all-sports lake with swimming, fishing, boating, and water skiing—distribute the water activity across the property's generous shoreline and prevent the crowding that single-beach campgrounds encounter during peak summer weekends. Outdoor hot-water showers, regularly maintained restrooms, and the indoor lodge's ceremony and event infrastructure make Camp Deer Trails a year-round community gathering place for family reunions, weddings, and organized group camping that goes well beyond the typical campground use case. Long Lake's all-sports designation supports the full spectrum of water recreation—fishing for bass, pike, and panfish in the clear inland lake, kayaking and canoeing along the wooded shoreline, swimming from the sandy beaches, and motorized boating from the on-property launch area. Archery, geocaching, nature study programs, and backcountry camping trails on the 140-acre property extend the outdoor activity menu well into the surrounding woodland terrain away from the lakeshore. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the trail network during the winter season give the property a year-round outdoor identity that makes it substantially more than a summer-only camping destination. Harrison's surrounding Clare County landscape is defined by the inland lakes and river systems of the central Lower Peninsula—a terrain shaped by glacial action into a geography of kettle lakes, river moraines, and upland pine and hardwood forests that support one of Michigan's most active outdoor recreation economies. Houghton Lake, the state's largest inland lake, lies about 20 miles north and provides an enormous fishing and water sports destination drawing boaters and anglers from across the Midwest during the summer season. The Muskegon and Cedar Rivers both have headwater origins in the Clare County region, providing canoe and kayak routing through the central Lower Peninsula's most scenic river country. The warm-season camping program at Camp Deer Trails centers on the summer months of June through August, when Long Lake's swimming beaches and the cabin rental program operate at peak demand. Spring and fall offer fishing conditions that surpass the summer months—bass and pike activity on Long Lake peaks in the cooler water of May and September-October, and the fall foliage across Clare County's hardwood uplands in late September and October rivals anything in Michigan's better-known northern resort communities. Reserve cabin accommodations and lakeview sites well in advance for July and August, and consider mid-week options during peak summer season for more relaxed availability and quieter beach conditions throughout the day.

from $25/night

Camp Sabroske

2 RV Sites, 2 Cabins, 2 Tent Sites

Camp Sabroske in Oak Harbor, Ohio, anchors its identity in the ecological wealth of the Lake Erie western basin — one of the most significant migratory bird corridors in North America and a destination that draws serious birders from across the continent every spring to witness one of the continent's great natural spectacles. Open from April 1 through November 1, the campground provides RV sites, unlimited tent camping, and cabin rentals in a location that places guests within minutes of the birding hotspots, wildlife refuges, and Lake Erie shoreline that define this corner of Ottawa County. Thirty-one RV spaces with electricity and water connections accommodate a range of rig sizes across the campground's grounds, and tent camping with no set site limit gives the property flexibility during peak birding season when demand spikes dramatically across the Oak Harbor area. An in-ground pool, paddle boats, walking trails, and fishing ponds create an on-site activity calendar that sustains guests on non-birding days or those traveling for recreation rather than wildlife viewing. Cabin rentals provide comfortable solid-wall accommodations for guests who want to be close to the marsh and refuge access points without sleeping under canvas. Pets are welcome throughout. Camp Sabroske's position in Ottawa County puts it at the center of the Lake Erie Birding Trail, one of the most productive spring migration corridors in the eastern United States. The proximity to both Lake Erie's shoreline and the surrounding freshwater marsh system creates a landscape mosaic that funnels migrating warblers, shorebirds, and raptors through the area in concentrations that regularly stun experienced birders who travel here annually and still find the numbers remarkable. Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, just a few miles from camp, is the premier destination for the spring warbler migration — a week or two window each May when dozens of warbler species rest in the lakeside scrub at densities that put birds eye-level and arm's length from the boardwalk, creating photographic opportunities unavailable practically anywhere else in North America. The Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, adjacent to Magee Marsh, extends the birding access across thousands of additional acres of managed wetland and grassland habitat. For guests interested in Lake Erie's cultural history, the Erie Islands — including Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island with its Perry's Victory Monument and historic downtown — are accessible by ferry from Port Clinton, just 20 minutes from camp. Camp Sabroske is open April 1 through November 1, a seasonal window that captures the peak spring warbler migration in early May and the full summer and early fall recreation season on the Lake Erie shore. The warbler migration window in the first three weeks of May is the most competitive booking period by far — accommodations across Ottawa County fill weeks ahead for the Biggest Week in American Birding festival that anchors this annual event. Reserve early for any May stay, and plan arrivals on weekdays if possible for the most uncrowded Magee Marsh boardwalk experience during the peak migration window.

from $20/night

Harbor Cove RV Resort

155 RV Sites

Harbor Cove RV Resort in Coldwater, Michigan, offers 155 full-hookup RV sites on 2,000 feet of shoreline, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 45 feet behind a gated entrance. A waterfront back-in category joins standard back-in and pull-through tiers, with a private boat launch, boat docks, pontoon and kayak rentals, and a banquet facility. One hundred fifty-five sites run in back-in, pull-thru, and waterfront back-in categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 45 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. The waterfront category is the one to request. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, showers, firewood, and boat storage handle the practical side. A 2,000-square-foot banquet facility with on-site catering sits on the property, and the resort operates as a wedding venue. A private boat launch, boat docks, boat rentals, and kayak rentals open the water for boating, paddle boats, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and swimming, with a beach on site. A recreation center, sports courts, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, corn hole, a pond, playground, pavilion, and community fire pit fill the rest, with planned activities through the season and a golf course, water park, and wine tasting nearby. The lake access is what distinguishes it: Branch County's glacial topography left a chain of seven interconnected lakes reachable by boat from the resort's own launch. Summer lake season drives demand. Reserve well ahead for June through August.

Bayfront Resort at Cross View

39 RV Sites, 10 Cottages

Directly across Sandusky Bay from Cedar Point Amusement Park in Erie County, Ohio, Bayfront Resort at Cross View offers what may be the single most uniquely positioned RV and cottage resort on the Great Lakes—a bayfront property with direct water views of one of the world's premier amusement parks, boat ramp access to the Lake Erie island ferry corridors, and a resort experience that works equally well for roller-coaster families and fishing-focused lake travelers who want neither the price nor the density of the Cedar Point hotels. Thirty-nine RV sites and ten fully equipped bay-view cottages in the shadow of the Millennium Force and the Top Thrill Dragster's silhouette constitute a camping proposition with genuine uniqueness. RV sites with full hookup service—water, sewer, and electric—provide the standard full-service infrastructure, while the ten cottages represent the resort's most distinctive accommodation option. Sleeping up to six adults, each cottage includes a bedroom, bunk beds, a sleeping loft, full kitchen, in-unit laundry, and a full bath—a genuinely complete family accommodation with the Cedar Point skyline as its backdrop. A heated swimming pool, modern bathhouses with full shower facilities, and laundry accommodate RV guests, and a boat ramp gives water-access guests the ability to launch onto the bay without a marina stop. A dog park, picnic areas, and catch-and-release fishing round out the property's practical amenity profile. A community fire pit provides the evening gathering space that campground guests consistently identify as their preferred social dimension. Sandusky Bay's position as an arm of Lake Erie—protected by Cedar Point Peninsula on the north and the Marblehead Peninsula to the northeast—creates a relatively sheltered water environment excellent for kayaking, fishing, and small-boat cruising. The bay's western basin productivity for walleye, perch, and bass is well-established, and the access the boat ramp provides to the broader Lake Erie island corridor—Kelleys Island, South Bass Island (Put-in-Bay), and Middle Bass Island—extends the fishing and day-excursion options considerably. Ferry service to Put-in-Bay, the Lake Erie island community famous for its summer social energy and Lake Erie geology, departs from nearby ferry terminals. Cedar Point operates within literal sight of the campground, and its status as one of the top three amusement parks in the world—with seventeen roller coasters and a record collection that has defined the competitive coaster industry for decades—is the primary day-trip draw for most guests. The park's proximity, combined with the campground's lower nightly rate relative to Cedar Point's own campground and the resort hotels, makes Bayfront a practical and cost-effective base for multi-day park visits. The Sandusky waterfront's downtown dining, charter fishing operations, and ferry terminals provide additional options for guests who want days off from the park. Bayfront Resort at Cross View is open seasonally in alignment with the Cedar Point operating season, which typically runs from early May through early November. Summer holiday weekends book very quickly, and Cedar Point-specific events—HalloWeekends in fall, Coastermania for enthusiasts—create additional demand spikes around specific dates. Reserve early for summer and fall weekends, pack the sunscreen and the coaster enthusiasm, and wake up to one of the most distinctive campground views anywhere on the Great Lakes.

Camp Sandusky

68 RV Sites, 92 Cabins, 38 Tent Sites

Camp Sandusky in Sandusky, Ohio, offers 68 RV sites, 92 cabins, and 38 tent sites six miles from Cedar Point, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service, ADA-accessible sites, and rigs accepted to 60 feet behind a gated entrance. Categories run from 30-amp electric-and-water back-ins to 50/30-amp full hookups, with fiber WiFi throughout. Sixty-eight sites span 30-amp electric-and-water back-in, 30-amp electric-water-and-sewer back-in, 50/30-amp full-hookup back-in, and pull-through categories, sized to 60 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Accessible sites are available. Ninety-two cabins carry a large share of the inventory, with 38 tent sites besides. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, firewood, and on-site dining handle the practical side. The park is cannabis friendly. Note there is no shuttle to Cedar Point, though local taxi services will take a family to the park. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with sports courts, volleyball, basketball, gaga ball, corn hole, gem mining, a playground, and a pavilion filling the mature shaded grounds. Biking and birding run from the area, with a lake, water park, amusement park, golf course, and wineries nearby. Pets are welcome. The park keeps nightly rates deliberately reasonable while investing in fiber WiFi and clean facilities, which is what brings guests back year after year. Cedar Point season drives everything here. Reserve well ahead for summer weekends.

from $39/night