Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Empire, MI has a lot to offer. Empire is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Empire, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
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
$20 / 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
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
$27 - $90 / night
Camp staff very friendly and park is well maintained. Nice hiking trails nearby and a 20 minute drive to a whole lot of entertainment!
Our site was great, easily fit a 17 foot trailer and a tent. Trails down to the water were appreciated by our kids. Neighbors are pretty close all around but that didn't matter until our last night. Several new campers rolled in at 10pm and proceeded to throw an absolute rager of a party until 4am - on Labor Day weekend. So overall a great campground but I wish there had been enforcement of quiet time or some kind of consequence for such horrible camping manners.
The campsites are spacious and feature trails that lead directly to the Tippy Dam Backwater. There’s also convenient access for launching a boat on either the Manistee River or the backwaters side of the dam
This was a great campground, quiet and peaceful in the cherry orchard area of west Michigan, near Glen Arbor and Traverse City.
Our site, #20, had an improved gravel parking area for camper with a finished concrete pad with a picnic table.
Site, and whole campground was clean and well maintained. Our site was a full hookup but had one small issue where the drain dump was slightly uphill from the camper, so we had to work with the drain hose to empty tanks.
Only other negative is that there are no trees for the majority of sites for shade cover.
This was a good spot for a two night stay as it’s close to the Sleeping Bear National Dunes and also many local wineries.
Have fun!
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
I was disappointed in the campground after having high expectations from previous reviews. Sites were fine, good size and maybe could have been some planting between sites. My concern was that there was only one bathroom, for the entire campground. They were filthy, cleaned once daily which was considerably less than other campgrounds. There was a sanitary pad discarded behind a toilet for over 24 hours. Possibly this is the norm, and guests were more disgusting than usual. The scenic overlook deck was littered with toilet paper where someone had taken to using this area as their own restroom. The grass and trails weren't mowed and the park attendant said they were changing mowing services, I understand that. The water hose used to clean tanks had been cut off or fallen off, and when this was showed to a worker, they said they'd tell the manager. What day, no one knows because he got in his car and left for the night. The next day it was not fixed.
Which brings me to the point that while there were three people in the guard house, no one was really doing much. No one drove around checking on things, no one walked a common path to see discarded trash, etc. The on duty person left at 8PM. This is all a management issue, not the campground itself.
I have camped at local/municipally owned campgrounds in Michigan before and was very happy, and gladly went with this campground but was disappointed.
Large open spaces, partially shaded Nice breeze off the Lake Michigan Great sunsets
What an awesome campground.. not a bad spot here.. next time we come,we will not get one on the lake,the ones on the other side of the road.provide trees for hammocks and trees for emergency tarping situations.. great place
We stayed here for the first time over Labor Day weekend. The campground great with a lot of amenities for young and old alike. We will definitely be going back, and would recommend this campground to anyone.
The park is beginning to look its age. Stayed 4 nights while visiting the Traverse City area. Crowded with families making use of the last couple weeks before schools return. Rained well one night and our grass less site turned nasty. Good Verizon signal and has water available at several stations around each camping loop. Great location, however, to visit Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Cute little quiet rv park located in a cute little town. There's a party store and small grocery store within walking distance. There's a playground and a little public beach at the end of the property that seemed relatively quiet while we were here, There's also a boat launch and parking for your trailer if your camping right there at the park. Nice clean private restrooms with awesome showers that are good and hot!! About half the sites seem to be waterfront and are kind of close to one another but that didn't effect us much, the neighbors we had were nice, there are several up higher and I believe are the full hookup sites The host were very nice and accommodating! Definitely will be coming back here!
We stayed here in our little offroad teardrop camper which looked like David & Goliath when contrasted against the massive 5th wheels surrounding us. This did not prevent us from enjoying the lake, the park, the pool, bike riding, fly fishing, etc. It felt like endless things to do, whereas in most campgrounds the trouble is finding something to do. You can easily argue that the owners treat this as a true resort and the cleanliness, and friendliness clearly shows. Would 100% go back and probably will next year.
The Boardman river is only 10 minutes away and support incredible fly fishing.
Our family and I stayed in campsite B at Orchard Beach, it is a new rustic campsite and it is on top of a hill. It was clean and spacious. The bathroom is a pretty distant walk so prepare for that. But the bathrooms and showers are clean. You will need some good tent stakes as the ground is hard clay. We would absolutely stay again.
People are complaining that there is no beach access anymore at this campground. That's correct. Because of erosion you can no longer access the beach from the campground. But a short drive up the road leads to a wonderful local beach. A short drive south gets you into Manistee with a great river walk and restaurants and brew pubs. The best part about about this campground is the availability of sites because people no longer come because they can't waddle 100 yards and put their feet in the sand. The campground is quiet, clean, and right on the water with fabulous sunsets. If you love to camp, and aren't looking for a beach vacation, you will love this park!
Beautiful quiet campground without electricity. Off the beaten path. Lovely waterfront site.
We thought this would be a good place for our first trip in our new to us 5th wheel! We have a 28.6ft 5th wheel and had not problem getting in and parked! Management did an awesome job of spreading out guests until they were full! Lots of things for the kids, basketball, volly ball, a beach area, pond with fishing….. so much more. Very clean, very kind and helpful staff!
Just spent 5 nights at site 185 that borders along the north trail. Had an issue with noise one night but a ranger took care of it. Buildings were clean and staff was very nice.
Stayed 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.
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.
This campground is gorgeous. Water, woods and friendly workers. We eagerly look forward to staying here again! Simply beautiful!
Best place to relax for a week!
Beautiful location and beautiful views. Bring some water shoes to enjoy the rock beaches (I can sit out there for hours!) the vault toilets stay relatively clean and always stocked. Be warned, sites along the beach side get quite windy and there are lots of fearless small critters (chipmunks, squirrels, etc).
We Were last minute campers and they went above and beyond to accommodate our last minute arrival. The What an ice was very reasonably priced and plenty of it! Anything you could want you would find in their store And they offer a great recommendations for nearby attractions/events going on for the weekend and restaurants. We will be returning next year for sure!!
First time going there was amazing. Staff was friendly. Campground was quiet and everyone who was around us was super nice and friendly.
Great sites with electric and water. Dump on site, very clean bathrooms and helpful staff. The campground has great Elk Lake access and some sites have views of the lake. Well kept, ice and firewood for sale on site.
25 min south of Traverse city. Nice sites, some have patios and chairs with bonfires. Nice pool and friendly staff! Lots of kids though as they have a massive kids playground.
Definitely read the descriptions of campgrounds and do your research before staying here. We did and it paid off!! This park does not have a beach anymore and will bot ever probably. It was washed away by the waves and is inaccessible here. You must travel 4 miles away to Douglas park to use a beach. Anyway, we apparently had the best site in the entire campground. Site 53, was clean and beautifel for viewing the sunset and privacy. Our site faced east i to the woods as we didn't have neighbors on that side. We were also the highest campsite, so we could see everything in the end of the campground. Other sites are really jam packed ontop of each other, especially at the corner where 108, 52 and 54 are situated. We only stayed here to visit Ludington because that park was fully booked online but in person was half booked. Would not recommend if you enjoy activities outside of the campground.
Camping near Empire, Michigan, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, this area has something for you.
Camping near Empire, Michigan, offers a variety of experiences, from serene nature to family-friendly fun. Just be sure to check the specifics of each campground to find the best fit for your needs!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Empire, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Empire, MI is Betsie River Campsite with a 4.6-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Empire, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 glamping camping locations near Empire, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
