State Park Camping in Michigan
I’ve lived in Michigan for my entire life and have spent every summer camping with my family. I’ve camped at all different kinds of campgrounds and in a whole lot of different ways [car camping, tent camping, trailer, pop-up camper, cabin]. For the past couple of summers, my family has been camping at state parks in Michigan & I wanted to share a bit about my experience.
What’s it like?
Overall I would say this is a bit more luxurious type of camping. Most state parks in Michigan have electrical hookups at each site and bathrooms to use in the park. These sites can accommodate tents, truck campers, pop-up campers, trailers, and RVs. Along with your camping unit, you can keep two cars at your site. Which allows you to have everything you need right at your site. Some of the state parks also have extra things like picnic tables, fire rings, water hookups, and firewood.
Who would enjoy this?
In my opinion, state park camping is great for beginners! You have amenities available to you, like electricity and bathrooms but you still get a camping experience. You can drive right up to your site, so you don’t have to hike anywhere to find your camping spot. They are great for what I call beach camping. If you like to spend the day at the beach, you’ll love state park camping. You get the camping experience and the beach day all in one! Plus most of the state parks are close to a town, so if you happen to forget something you can pop into town to grab it.
What’s my favorite state park to camp at in Michigan?
My favorite state park that I’ve been to so far is Mears State Park located in Pentwater, MI. I love this one the most because they have a dog section on their beach. This means my golden retriever Oakleigh can come with me to the beach and swim in the lake! Most of the state beaches in Michigan do not allow dogs, so this is a huge convenience to be able to walk to the beach from my campsite with my dog instead of having to find somewhere further away that allows dogs! Pentwater also has a super cute shopping area that’s a quick walk from the campground. There are great little stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. My personal favorite is Green Isaacs. They have great coffee, create your own sodas, and breakfast snacks.
There are over 70 state parks to choose from in Michigan! You can make your reservation 6 months in advance & you definitely want to book ahead as the more popular ones fill up really quickly. You can browse through the state parks and book your reservation here. I have only been to a handful of the state parks in Michigan, but as I go to more I’ll be sure to update on any of my other favorite spots!
