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Allendale-West Grand Rapids KOA welcomes pets with fenced dog runs and dedicated exercise trails. The campground offers spacious wooded tent sites and RV spaces, both accommodating dogs throughout the property. Two separate dog runs provide safe off-leash play areas for pets of various sizes, while walking trails surrounding the property give owners and dogs space to exercise together. Bathrooms remain consistently clean, and the family-friendly environment includes goats to visit, playgrounds, and a jump pad for children. ['The staff maintains a welcoming atmosphere for pets and their owners, with many campers specifically noting the pet amenities as a highlight of their stay.'] Most tent sites feature shade from pine trees, keeping pets comfortable during warmer months.
Pet owners should note that standard leash rules apply throughout common areas of the campground. The wooded setting provides natural shade for dog walks during summer camping trips, while the camp store stocks basic pet supplies for emergency needs. Multiple reviewers mention the campground's quiet atmosphere makes it suitable for pets that may be sensitive to noise or crowds. Chapel in the Pines Campground and Bazan Baldwin Oaks Family Campground also welcome pets, with each maintaining clean facilities and spacious sites. Proper waste disposal stations are available throughout the grounds. For dog-friendly campgrounds near Allendale with easy beach access, this location is a practical base: Lake Michigan's dog-friendly beaches at Grand Haven are approximately 25 minutes away, where dogs can enjoy supervised water access during designated hours.
"Unfortunately, a red flag was flying on our visit, so we only waded at the water's edge- but - still cool to lay out on the sugar-like sand and walk its 3 mile length!"
"July 16-20, site 290 Site is Michigan dirt/sand and not level on the back side. No grass, very dry. Bring a rug. 30 and 20 amp worked fine. Mostly shade with a bit of sun."
from $43 - $53 / night
Check Availability"Pets are welcome here with two fenced dog runs and trails to keep the owners exercised. I love this place and have made it a regular stop."
"Here’s an enhanced review for the Allendale KOA: I recently stayed at the Allendale KOA and had an exceptional experience."
"We were right on the canal side and only 300ft away from Lake Michigan. Grand Haven State Parks has upgraded facilities so bathrooms and showering is actually pleasant."
"We are here for Lake Michigan. The sunrises and sunsets, the water, the beach and the waves. Nothing like waking up and walking to the beach, easy back and forth for lunch/dinner and snacks."
from $48 - $53 / night
Check Availability"What we liked: We loved that fact that this campground was so close to water and the nice paved path for walking and hiking trails in the main part of the campground. "
"The Lake Macatawa campground is across the street from a small beach on the Macatawa Lake. This is a wooded campground. The sites are pretty tight as is usual for a Michigan State Park."
from $48 - $120 / night
Check Availability"Nice and secluded yet close to town and easy access to the highway"
"Lots of greenery to walk my dog. As a bonus, they have river cruises that leave directly from the office."
from $45 - $85 / night
Check Availability"Campsites are easy to get into with plenty of room to get situated. Close to town and fairly short drive to Lake Michigan."
"Searching for a 1 night space on the michigan lake we had to look more around and find this wonderful campground. Just 10 minutes away to downtown Holland and only 20 minutes away of the beach."
from $48 - $52 / night
Check Availability"We love this as an easy getaway close to home. I wouldn’t call it a beautiful campground... but it is clean, and has a ton to do for kids!"
"Great trees surrounding the property. Tons of kids - great activities for them! Campground is clean, and staff friendly."
"Just steps from Lake Michigan. Literally walk down some steps, and you’re at the beach. Clean bathhouse too, with plenty of hot water."
"Clean, shady campground with easy access to Lake Michigan beach. We stayed at site 50A right across from the steps down to the beach."
from $48 - $100 / night
Check Availability"The sites are decent size and it’s close to restaurants and shops."
from $50 / night
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TravelerDefinitely the best camp ground in West Michigan! Clean sites, friendly staff, and many amenities. Camp store, laundry, showers and bathrooms, huge pool, hot tub, pickle ball courts, kids play ground, bikes, scooters, and kayaks for rent (with a kayak launch) and boat slips on the water. They have access to a dog park as well. Home away from home!
ScoutVery nice campground, Clean and well maintained and friendly office staff. Nice wooded trail (about 3/4 mile loop around the pond) for walking the pooches. There is a nice sized fenced dog park with potable water right there. Great little playground and bounce house for the kiddos.
LegendHolland State Park is popular for its expansive sandy beach along Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa where swimming, sun bathing, fishing, and boating are popular activities. Holland SP has two campgrounds – the Lake Macatawa Unit and the Beach Campground (which is where we stayed and the focus of this review). The Beach Campground is essentially a parking lot as the sites, patios and roads are paved with little grass among them. It is nestled between dunes which adds to the scenic value and blocks the strong winds coming off of Lake Michigan. The Lake Unit campground is much larger (211 campsites) than the Beach Campground and has more of a state park feel with trees, grass, and fire pits.
Site description:
The Beach Campground has 98 RV sites of which 31 are 50 amp full hook-up and two camper cabins. Some sites towards the northern section of the park have great views of Lake Michigan but be warned that strong winds can come off the lake and really shake your RV. When we were there in early May the winds were very strong with blowing sand which made us really glad we were not near the water.
Campsites are plenty wide to fit your RV with slide outs and car next to it without feeling cramped. Utilities are at the very back of the site so you may need an extension for your sewer hose. All sites were level. Every site has a picnic table. There are no fire pits at individual sites but community ones are located near the beach and you are permitted to use your own fire pit if you have one.
We were able to get nearly two dozen television stations with our antenna and had no problem locking into a satellite with our roof-mounted dish. Verizon phone and hotspot worked well.
So is this park big rig-friendly? In general, yes. Our site was certainly long (and wide) enough to fit our RV and the tow car next to it. However, we did have the back five feet overhanging the sand at the back of the site. This was no problem for us because our stabilizing jacks are in between our back tires. We were also there at a time when the park was fairly empty so backing in and pulling out was no problem. The sites are all set at an angle to the main road which makes backing easier.
Campground amenities:
By far the beach is the biggest draw to the campground. The wide beach lures sunbathers out in warm weather and is popular for a walk at sunset. There is a playground, picnic area, community fire pits, dump station, boat launch and concession stand. There is one restroom/shower house that was very clean but no laundry facilities.
What we liked:
We loved that fact that this campground was so close to water and the nice paved path for walking and hiking trails in the main part of the campground. Within 50 yards from our site we could be walking along Lake Macatawa or along the sandy shores of Lake Michigan. The beach is wide and expansive and is the place to be for awesome sunsets. When we were there the beach was not crowded because it was cold and windy but it would be a great place to enjoy a good book under an umbrella. Definitely liked the fact that this was a full hook-up state park with level sites.
What we didn’t like:
The park is essentially a parking lot with little grass and trees. What really surprised us was how many cars drove through the campground that were not staying there. There apparently are no restrictions on who drives through the park so many day-use visitors came by just for a look resulting in unnecessary traffic.
Be advised there is a “no alcohol” policy in the park and campground and you have to sign a piece of paper saying you will abide by that rule. The rule states that “Possessing or consuming alcohol is prohibited in all areas of the park throughout the entire year” even inside your RV.
In order to enter the state park you must have a Michigan Recreation Passport which costs $32 for an annual non-resident OR you have to pay $11/day to enter the park even if you are camped there.
Pet:
There are plenty of places to walk dogs here and access points to water if your dog likes to swim. Unfortunately, they are not allowed on the beach but there is a long walking path and within the main part of the park are miles of hiking trails and a nice overlook. This park does not have an unleashed dog park; however, there is one within five miles at the fairgrounds.
ScoutClean and nice little park with a cool "trading post" with nice merchandise, snacks and food. They have a dog park and trails on the property with a longer bike trail that runs alongside the campground. They had a band one night and an ice cream truck come through the next. Would recommend!
GuideI grew up coming here and they had expanded a lot on it in the last few years. You will never be bored and it is a true resort feeling, you will forget your camping! They have themed weekends filled with activities for both adults and children and have a pool, pizza and ice cream, jumping pillow, clubhouse, fishing, playground, dog park, and so much more!
ScoutThe staff is very friendly and helpful. There are activities for young and old and everyone in between. The showers are clean and spacious. They have campsites to meet everyone's desires. Pets are welcome here with two fenced dog runs and trails to keep the owners exercised. I love this place and have made it a regular stop.
TravelerThis is a great little camp ground right on Lake Michigan. Pretty open so not a ton of privacy but a nice set up to meet new friends. The campground sits above the lake so be ready to trek up and and down a large set of stairs but the beach and views are worth it! Water, outhouses, ice and firewood available. No showers. Pet and family friendly.
GuideGreat family campground - Paired with the area offers many options!
With mostly modern sites situated in hardwoods, pines, or a mixture, we stayed in the hardwoods area; however, my kids would have enjoyed the pines better for it appeared to have hammock hanging at almost every site. Well-maintained and clean restrooms had soda vending machines.
Children's play area with equipment and activity field, where several kites were hoisted high into the air, were great. Gillette Visitor Center in the State Park area about 1/4 mile away offers Explorer and interpretive programs Tuesday through Saturday, with topics ranging from nature history/preservation to information on wildlife. We enjoyed the spider and bear presentations most, but maybe that is because I have all boys! The campground beach, only a 5 - 10 minute walk from any site, was awesome! While there wasn't a lifeguard, I appreciated the "flag system" advising how safe the water is each day. Unfortunately, a red flag was flying on our visit, so we only waded at the water's edge- but - still cool to lay out on the sugar-like sand and walk its 3 mile length! I do regret not making it back to the beach for sunset as our camping neighbors RAVED about it the following morning!
My favorite part of this campground was the trails. In addition to several trails within the campground (the one along the creek was especially loved!), many more can be accessed in the state park, which contains over ten miles of trails in its 1,200 acres. Trails to dunes, beach, and other parks as well as dune preserve: all well-marked and vary in difficulty, weaving through pine and hardwood forests nestled among dunes. Plus, the adjoining North Ottawa Dune Preserve offers an additional ten miles of trails! OMG - what a phenomenal place for a walk in the woods or trail running! One of our walks was up a 5-story staircase near the nature center, leading to an observation platform with expansive views of majestic dunes and Lake Michigan. I was impressed that a portion was barrier-free.
Some family ventured into nearby towns of Muskegon, Spring Lake, and Grand Haven to experience what they had to offer: shops, museums, World War II boats, piers to walk, and several craft breweries - all 15 minutes away! Our dogs enjoyed the visit to the unleashed dog park at Coast Guard Park that is a ten-minute drive or a five-mile walk through the trails.
Logistics to note: Campground sells ice - $2/7# bag and wood/$5.50 a bundle. We quickly realized that residences outside the park sold it at $5 for larger bundles. Area grocery stores include a Meijer superstore and Leppinks grocery. We preferred Leppinks for the quick trip and Meijer for items beyond groceries, such as that forgotten bathing suit or a propane tank for the grill. While we don't have a big rig, I did notice the backup of campers at the two campground dump stations Sunday before 1pm checkout. Being a state park, Hoffmaster requires vehicles have a recreation passport to enter ($11/year -residents and $32/year -non-residents or a daily rate of $9). No alcoholic beverages between April 15 and Labor Day.
I talked to a ranger about coming back later this year, and he told me it is best to book months ahead for weekends because they fill up at the beginning of summer; however, cancellations are not uncommon, so watch the DNR site for openings. Weekdays usually have availability, especially the first half of the summer. He added that a great time to visit would be the weekend before Halloween as they encourage people to decorate their sites, wear costumes, and participate in trick or treating on Saturday night.
ScoutThis is always my go to campground! All natural camping with plenty of nice people! One word of advise is to bring your own tp though lol they seem to always run out on Sunday mornings lol but are back up and running by mid afternoon. No showers and just outhouses but that's REAL camping right!!!? No power motor lake but there is another lake close by that is. We take the canoe with a trolling motor and hit that as well. Pet friendly. They have horse campsites and trails. Walking trails around the lake that offer nature at it's purest! I have been coming to this lake to camp for over 40 years and I hope I have 40 more years left!!!
Allendale, Michigan sits at approximately 640 feet above sea level with a humid continental climate characterized by warm summers and cold, snowy winters. The area features a mix of open farmland and wooded terrain with several watersheds flowing toward Lake Michigan. Camping options range from riverside settings to lake-adjacent parks, with many offering seasonal activities tailored to Michigan's distinct four seasons.
Explore local lakes: P.J. Hoffmaster State Park Campground offers access to beautiful beach areas with a flag system indicating water safety conditions. "The campground beach, only a 5 - 10 minute walk from any site, was awesome! While there wasn't a lifeguard, I appreciated the 'flag system' advising how safe the water is each day," notes reviewer Shelly B.
Visit nearby towns: Make time to explore the surrounding communities during your stay. "Some family ventured into nearby towns of Muskegon, Spring Lake, and Grand Haven to experience what they had to offer: shops, museums, World War II boats, piers to walk, and several craft breweries - all 15 minutes away!" shares a visitor to Hoffmaster State Park.
Take river cruises: Steamboat Park Campground offers unique river excursions directly from the property. "As a bonus, they have river cruises that leave directly from the office. These two hours cruises offer drinks and feature live music from local bands for only $16 per person," explains reviewer Kara W.
Enjoy seasonal events: Fall camping brings special activities at many campgrounds. A ranger at Hoffmaster State Park recommended "the weekend before Halloween as they encourage people to decorate their sites, wear costumes, and participate in trick or treating on Saturday night."
Swimming opportunities: Woodchip Campground maintains clean swimming facilities popular with families. "The bathrooms and pool were taken care of. Loved the food trucks and a bonus was the Outlet mall in Byron Center," writes camper Lora C.
Fishing access: Several campgrounds offer fishing opportunities for anglers. At Steamboat Park Campground, visitors appreciate "sites right on the river" where fishing is available, though one camper notes "it's mostly catfish."
Recreation facilities: Beach Campground at Holland State Park provides extensive recreation options. "The wide beach lures sunbathers out in warm weather and is popular for a walk at sunset," according to a reviewer, with another noting that "Holland State Park is popular for its expansive sandy beach along Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa where swimming, sun bathing, fishing, and boating are popular activities."
Diverse terrain: Many campgrounds in the area feature a mix of landscapes. "Trails to dunes, beach, and other parks as well as dune preserve: all well-marked and vary in difficulty, weaving through pine and hardwood forests nestled among dunes," describes a visitor to Hoffmaster State Park.
Reservation timing: Popular campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. "He told me it is best to book months ahead for weekends because they fill up at the beginning of summer; however, cancellations are not uncommon, so watch the DNR site for openings," advises a visitor about Hoffmaster State Park.
Alcohol policies vary: Grand Haven State Park Campground has different rules than other parks. "Quite time is 11 pm so great for couples to make a late night romantic stroll down the pier or beach," notes Sallie M., while a reviewer at another park mentions "No alcohol campground also, so everyone had nice tumblers walking around."
Early arrival fees: Some campgrounds charge for early check-in. A camper at Allendale-West Grand Rapids KOA warns, "Make sure you do not arrive before 2:00PM, as they require a $10 early registration fee. if you decide not to pay, you'll be directed to overflow parking where you can loiter until 2:00."
Recreational passports: State parks require entry permits. "Being a state park, Hoffmaster requires vehicles have a recreation passport to enter ($11/year -residents and $32/year -non-residents or a daily rate of $9)."
Playground access: Select sites near play areas for convenience. At Woodchip Campground, "There are campsites in a circle around the playground, so you can sit at your site and watch the kids play," notes Andrea B.
Special activities: Chapel in the Pines Campground offers a community atmosphere perfect for families. "Such friendly staff with a very strong sense of community among the campground. Lots of seasonals but they are so welcoming and kind to campers. Very clean swimming area, good fishing, clean bathrooms and showers!" shares Nicole C.
Educational programs: Nature centers provide learning opportunities. "Gillette Visitor Center in the State Park area about 1/4 mile away offers Explorer and interpretive programs Tuesday through Saturday, with topics ranging from nature history/preservation to information on wildlife," explains a visitor to Hoffmaster State Park.
Family-friendly amenities: Many campgrounds cater specifically to children. "The activities are super fun and the pool is a nice size for the kids. My nephew loves the goats more than anything!" says Lisa P. about Allendale-West Grand Rapids KOA.
Site selection: Consider view and location carefully when booking. "If you can get site 127, it will be worth it, corner and facing the pier and the lighthouse," recommends Kristen B. about Grand Haven State Park.
Campground layout: Bazan Baldwin Oaks Family Campground offers comfortable sites for larger vehicles. "The sites are decent size and it's close to restaurants and shops," notes Cheyanne P., adding that it's a "No frills camping option close to everything."
Full hook-up availability: Many campgrounds offer complete services. Dutch Treat Camping & Recreation features "sites are level with full hookups 50 amp. Owners are very accommodating to your needs," according to James P.
Dump station timing: Plan for potential congestion at busy times. "I did notice the backup of campers at the two campground dump stations Sunday before 1pm checkout," warns a Hoffmaster State Park visitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Allendale, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Allendale, MI is Hoffmaster State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 56 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Allendale, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 128 dog-friendly camping locations near Allendale, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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