Escape into nature and disconnect from daily life with glamping near Elberta. Glamping near Elberta, MI is a great way to go camping with the tastes of home. You're sure to find glamping for your Michigan camping excursion.
Pop open your lawn chair and relax by the crackling fire. Most sites have room for 4 folks, a camper or tent, a boat, a dog or two and a few kiddos :D We have a tiny cafe, a small playground, a fish station, warm showers and bike/kayak rentals! Hop on the Betsie Valley trail for a 3 mile adventure to ice cream, beaches, shops...so much! We are not a big concrete pad RV park, we are a nice small family owned campsite. We try and keep it quiet and calm (but still fun!) If you are looking for the far North Electric Forest, this is not the place. What we are is a great base-camp for all your awesome Northern Michigan adventures!
$33 - $85 / night
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html
Northern Exposure Campground staff takes pride in our state-of-the-art RV campground. Our goal is to provide a memorable experience to campers of all ages. We are a nonprofit organization that's committed to providing our guests with clean, safe, and updated camping facilities, fun family entertainment, and a helpful and friendly staff ready to answer all your questions and assist you during your stay. Welcome to Northern Exposure Campground, thanks for staying and helping us be the best RV camping destination in Northern Michigan!
$30 - $45 / night
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
$25 - $65 / night
Lake Michigan Campground is perched on the shores of Lake Michigan, 15 miles south of Manistee. The area creates an incredible setting with a scenic overlook of the lake and a sandy swimming beach. This family campground provides an array of hiking and biking trails, plus swimming, fishing and kayaking.
A hardwood forest gives way to a beautiful sandy beach at the shores of the lake with a playground for younger campers. Trout fishing in Lake Michigan is another big draw. Bird watchers delight in seeing unique species like the piping plover and prairie warbler. The Arrowhead Trail, a short loop trail created by Boy Scouts, forms a loop between the campground and the beach. A trailhead for the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area is also within the recreation area.
The recreation area sits on the eastern banks of Lake Michigan along Porter Creek, due north of Hamlin Lake. As the second largest of the five Great Lakes, Lake Michigan provides stunning views and limitless options for water recreation. It covers a whopping 22,400 square miles and ranks as the fifth largest lake in the world. The Huron-Manistee National Forests encompass nearly a million acres of public protected land. Nearly 6,000 acres is wetlands that extend over the northern portion of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
The nearby Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area has abundant trails for hiking and backpacking.
$40 - $115 / night
Big Rigs, RVs, Fifth Wheels, Pop-Up Trailers and Tents are welcomed to escape to Traverse City’s wooded retreat! With Cabin Rentals, wireless internet (please request this when making a reservation), spacious and shady sites, heated pool, a variety of activities, camp store and goodie shop, and clean bath houses, Timber Ridge has all of the bases covered.
$60 - $260 / night
Make Yourselves to home @ Camp Squid Off -The - Grid! Have you ever wanted 1 acre of tent camping space to yourself? How about a Yurt Glamping experience, or a night in one of our on-site Airstream trailer? You've found it, at Camp Squid Off The Grid!
Tent Sites - Feel free to walk around in the Squid Wood’s and bring your hammocks there’s plenty of trees to hang out in :) Camp Squid Off The Grid! has Freedom Camping! You're free to pitch your tent anywhere in the Squid Wood’s. Experience Camp Squid Off The Grid! how camping is truly meant to be.
Jolly Geen Yurt - Camp Squid Off The Grid enjoys Jolly Green, Nature’s Wonderland, a relaxing Cannabis Friendly retreat in the tranquil settings of 20 acres of Pine Tree Lane in Northwestern MI, Squid forest, bordered by a beautiful scenic farmers wheat field with trails throughout.
Our amenities include: A tour of our grounds, 24/7 coffee and drink access, and live entertainment when available.
$135 - $499 / night
Scout
Kendra and her team have created a unique glamping experience in northern Michigan. They have thoughtfully designed spaces that are comfortable and fun. There is so much to explore in the local area and Kendra and her team are extremely informative on what is happening in the area. Our kids loved exploring the woods and we had a blast at Crystal Lake. So happy with our stay at Camp Squid and looking forward to seeing its development.
Traveler
We had a chilly Memorial Day weekend but were very impressed with the campground. Great mix of activities for the kids. Big park but felt small, no problems with traffic and golf carts like we have experienced at other “resort” style campgrounds. All sites are full hookup and there are just enough cabins, cottages, and yurts for our non-camping family to tag along! Staff was very friendly.
ScoutStayed here for a few night whilst visiting friends at Crystal Lake. The Camp Squid team were at hand to solve and issues. Kendra, thd owner was super friendly and we loved the free coffee area in a morning. We stayed in 2 yurts and were comfortable in the summer. Kendra is planning to add further dwellings over the next year to make winter stays more possible. If we are ever in that area again, we for sure would stay here.
GuideThis is a very busy and large campground that is typically full in the summertime. It’s great for elementary and middle grade kids, with a ton of activities available. They have a pool, small lake/beach, jumping pillow, bike trails, dodgeball, etc. it’s right next to a dirt bike/atv trail. They have tc and tent fires along with yurts and all kinds of cabins. There is a nice mix of about 1/3 seasonal, rest short term. Definitely not a natural/rustic experience, but fun for active families. Also, it’s a good base fir exploring the traverse city area.
RangerIf you are looking for a camping getaway, this may not be the place for you. It is always bustling with action, but can be lots of fun! I would definitely say this is geared more towards children and families than an escape into nature. There is a camp store, turbo bikes, a variety of family activities, a pool, playground, bike park, equipment and rentals, laundry facility, cabins, cottages, and yurts for rent. This is also a pet friendly campground, so there are many dogs. Probably one of my favorite parts was dodgeball... and the multiple bike trails that connect to the VASA trail system.
GuideThis is a very large campground that is usually full during the summer. There is no shortage of activities here: a small pond/beach, pool, jumping pillow, dodgeball, bike trails, ATV trails, crafts, parades, etc. It's great for the active family, particularly those with elementary & middle school age kids. It can be rather loud at times. There are some seasonal sites, a small "village" of tiny houses, yurts, and a lot of RV/tent sites. The location is good, as it can be a good jumping off point to explore Traverse City and the surrounding area. This definitely isn't a campground for people who like quiet and solitude, but if this is your style of camping, it's a great place.
Legend
We visited Wild Cherry RV Resort on the recommendation of some friends and found the park to be nicely maintained, sites were well-spaced, and we LOVED the area. Our site was a pull-in that faced a large pond on a corner that overlooked a four-acre lake. We never had a neighbor on the site next to us during our stay and since we were on a large corner there was nobody on that side either so we never felt crowded. The park was very quiet and since our site was in the back of the park there was not much traffic.
The park is called a “resort” which is a little misleading because there are very few amenities. There is no swimming pool, no tennis courts, no shuffleboard, no fitness center, no playground, in fact there were not even bathrooms/showers (except for porta john and tent shower in the rustic camping section). There was a small club house and a driving range but that was pretty much it. You do get a free newspaper delivered to your site daily. It turned out that we didn’t care about the lack of amenities since we were so busy exploring and we don’t often use all the amenities that private parks offer anyway. The park is a mix of seasonal and transient people. Most of the seasonal people went to work during the day which made the park even quieter. And while they do have a lot of seasonal campers none of the sites were junked up. Sites are gravel with paved patios with the average lot being 45x70 (according to their brochure). There are nice grassy areas between sites that is very well-maintained. All sites have picnic tables but not all have fire pits (if you have your own you are allowed to use it).
The roads are very wide and there are not too many trees so maneuvering big-rigs is not a problem. The water, sewer, and electric were all placed appropriately in the site so no extended hoses were needed. There was no cable but sites are very open allowing for good satellite reception and we were able to get over a dozen antenna channels. Sites are either pull-in (which we had) or back-in. There are no pull-thrus. Set back in a wooded area are a scattering of rustic tent sites, rental cabins and yurts with potable water, grills, fire pits, and picnic tables. These sites are so tucked in a wooded area that I never noticed them until the last day I was in the park.
There is a lot of activities within a short drive of this park and we wished we would have stayed longer. The park is in a perfect location to explore the towns of Leland (and Fishtown), Lake Leelanau, Northport, and Sutton’s Bay. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the town of Glen Arbor are a 20 minute drive and Traverse City is about 45 minutes. All these towns are quaint coastal towns with shopping, galleries, good restaurants. The park is on the Leelanau Peninsula which is one of Michigan’s most well-known and revered wine region and there are three wineries within a couple of miles (one is just across the street from the entrance). That being said, there are nearly some 20 wineries within 15 – 20 minutes of the park. There are a few state parks and county preserves nearby that have hiking, scenic views of Lake Michigan and picturesque lighthouses.
All-in-all we really liked this park and would definitely come back. We took advantage of their “Big-Rig Special” which gave a 25% discount if you booked 4 nights. Otherwise, the price per night was $69 which we found to be expensive for what you get. The biggest dings we give this park are for the high nightly price and the lack of amenities that should come in a “resort” with that high a price. This area is one of our favorites in Michigan and we easily could have spent a couple of weeks here enjoying the area.
LegendCampground Review:
Nestled in a private spot on the Leelanau Peninsula on the 45th north parallel and just a couple miles from Lake Leelanau (west) and Suttons Bay (east) beach, marina, and village is this quiet RV and tent campground.
While trees line the perimeter and are speckled throughout the campground, all of the RV sites are completely open to the sun, making it an RV parking lot with grass. Each RV site comes with water and electrical hook-ups and many with sewer hook-ups as well. While most RV campgrounds have centralized bathrooms with flush toilets, sinks, and showers, this one is lacking those amenities.
The tent camping area has 10 sites, is nestled in the trees, with a picnic table and fire ring at each site. In addition, there are 2 rustic cabins and 1 yurt nestled among the tent sites for those who aren’t interested in roughing it as much. There is a one pit toilet, a unique “tent shower,” and a central fresh water spigot for campers and those staying in the cabins.
There are 2 man-made ponds in the middle of the RV section of the campground, which sadly act more as mosquito breeding grounds than they do for water activities as they are quite small. There is also a new driving range above the campground for the golfers in the group.
The best part of this campground is its location. It is just a couple miles from either Suttons Bay and Lake Leelanau, and within walking/biking distance of 2 local wineries (Forty-Five North and Aurora), nice restaurants, and great backroads that are off the beaten path and away from nearly all traffic. The Forty-Five North Vineyard and Winery has a great walking/mountain biking trail in addition to a nice selection of very accessible wines, a great atmosphere, and super friendly staff! Hang out on their porch or play cornhole and bocce ball while you enjoy a glass of wine and a cheese plate.
Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I was able to test the Rapid & Backwoods sunglasses by Optic Nerve. After a day of cycling and wine tasting, we took our sea kayaks out to Suttons Bay and spent the day kayaking around the bay.
What I like most about these glasses:
· Lightweight (poly carbonate materials) but seem very durable.
· Great price for high quality glasses. I usually buy cheap glasses because I tend to lose them or break them, but these are well-worth the extra $10-15 for quality glasses.
· Polarized lenses with 100% UVA/UVB protection. Perfect for water sports such as sea kayaking, sailing, etc.
· Different shapes/lines work well for various sports or simply for everyday. I chose the Rapid sunglasses for use on the water and the Backwoods style for cycling/running.
· Lifetime warranty!
Some of the things I wish these glasses had:
· It would be great if these came with a protective case with the Optic Nerve logo.
Product Link:
https://www.opticnerve.com/collections/mens/products/rapid
https://www.opticnerve.com/collections/mens/products/backwoods
Product Video:
Traveler
Clean park with beautiful views of Lake Michigan. Unfortunately no access to beach because of erosion. Typical site sizes for Michigan State Park. Walk across the road for a 2 mile hike in the woods.
Guide
This campground easily has the best beach I have ever been to in Michigan.
It’s vast, has plenty of space and parking. The sand is always pure without straw or trash. There is a playground nearby and a very unique river running out to Lake Michigan. I witnessed a proposal the last time I was camping in the area. Family friendly, and serves great ice cream at its beach store.
Could use a few more volleyball courts but overall it’s fantastic.
Only major concern is the horse flies near the river running into Lake Michigan. The dunes nearby have hordes of flies that bite. Be warned! Haha.
ScoutLarge open spaces, partially shaded Nice breeze off the Lake Michigan Great sunsets
TravelerIt was amazing staying here! It was my first time camping in 10 years! I plan on staying again! So close to Lake Michigan
TravelerPretty standard Michigan State Park campground. Nice staff. Park maintenance is currently building a wood fence to keep folks away from steep bluff edge. Views of Lake Michigan fairly limited. If these were improved, this would be a much more popular park. I was very disappointed that their stairs to beach had been eroded near its base so you could no longer access beach but had to drive to one of two local beaches. I stayed one night and unfortunately had to camp next to a group who had a very barky, anxious large dog. Some folks need to leave their poorly trained dogs at home.
GuideNot much to do other than looking at the beautiful Lake Michigan. Rocking as well. Off of a busy road. Great campground for landing along a route.
Guideolder campground high above beach, couple camper cabins. beautiful views of lake michigan. can get to beach by stairs or short drive to beach without climbing stairs
ScoutCamp Ground was clean and friendly. Sites were pretty close together. Great view of Lake Michigan. No beach access. No WiFi or Cell service. No pool or store.
GuideHaving never been to Michigan before, this campground shows how beautiful the state is. The campground was lovely and beautiful. Other campers were respectful and even after leaving my IPhone in the restroom someone actually turned it in. You can ride bikes, you can kayak, you can walk some trails, float down a river, or go to Lake Michigan. Restrooms were nice. There are also sand dunes and a lighthouse within walking distance of campground. If it wasn’t so cold there in the winter, it would be my ideal place to live.
Scout
Quiet, large sites, like new bath house, 7th nite free, rate$35, good location for northwestern Michigan sites Water on all outside sites. interior sites share water hookups
Traveler
Nice campground, very close to Ludington and Lake Michigan Beaches. Well maintained and friendly staff too.
GuideThis is one of my favorite campgrounds! Full service with bathrooms, showers and camp store. You have easy access to Lake Hamlin and Lake Michigan for great swimming. Float down the creek to Lake Michigan or go hiking to the light house. There is so much to do here and it has easy access to Ludington for groceries or restaurants. It is a large campground and not a lot of privacy. We prefer the loop closest to Lake Hamlin. The walk in sites are also great for a backpacking light experience but they are truly walk-in by about 1 mile.
TravelerThis is one of my favorite State Parks’s in Michigan. Lots to see and do! Can’t wait to go back there!!
Guide
Spent 5 nights camping at this hidden gem. It was one of the best campgrounds I've stayed at in a long time. It was clean and spacious, with great access to Lake Michigan. The dunes were great for relaxing and offered speculator sunset and star gazing views. A few trailheads led right into the camp- one trail led right into Nordhouse Dunes, which was a beautiful area.
Although there were no showers, you can easily go for a swim in Lake Michigan or we found a small store a few miles away with a$5 shower room. There is a bathroom though.
While there was no cell service at the campground itself, it was located only a 15-25 min drive from downtown Ludington(south) and Manistee(north).
Already planning another trip back with some friends for the fall.
LegendThis is one of the best state campgrounds in michigan. There is lots of wildlife and 352 campsites at this campground. There are lots of things to do in the area like hiking and water sports.
ScoutA 30 Amp electric only, water & dump available site costs $30 a night plus an $8 reservation fee. But in addition to renting a campsite for $30 a night, we were charged $34 for the privilege of driving our camper to that site, and another $34 because we tow a car behind the camper. The total for 7 nights was $286 or roughly $41 each night. But one draw to this park is unavailable: the park is situated on a cliff, overlooking Lake Michigan, but the stairway down to the water level is closed and it appears to have been closed for some time. You can look “out” over the lake but cannot look “down” to where the waves presumably crash onto the shore, nor can you get near the water. And most campsites are perpendicular to the road, thus your neighbors are essentially plastered against your camper windows. Lakeshore Road that leads to the park has little traffic, which is fortunate, as you can hear it well. We will not visit Michigan State Parks again.
Scout
This campground is amazing! really close to Lake Michigan and docking available on Hamlin lake. We stayed with 20 family members for a week this year. Such a blast! It’s a popular and busy campground so plan early and schedule far in advance.
Scout
The Layout of the campground is great. Perfect to bring your pets. Nice pools and close enough to the state park to go tubing or a beach day at Lake Michigan. Everything is close so you are not missing anything.
Scout
I’ve been visiting Ludington State Park since I was a young kid. It’s always been one of my family’s favorite places to visit and camp. A couple years ago I had the pleasure of bringing my daughters to visit this special place. They absolutely loved it and it was even better than I remembered as a kid. We were lucky to score a spot in the Pines Campground up against the dunes. We could walk right from our campsite up the sandy hills to see Lake Michigan in the distance. We went paddle boarding and biking, hiking and swimming. There is just so much to do there. My only complaint is that the camp sites are pretty packed in and there is not much privacy at all. But Ludington has so much to offer, we can let that part go. Definitely a must see in Michigan!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Elberta, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Elberta, MI is Betsie River Campsite with a 4.6-star rating from 17 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 29 glamping camping locations near Elberta, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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