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.
$33 - $85 / night
"All sites have electric. They have lots of little cute cabins through the park as well. They have a small simple playground that my kids loved! Super close to Lake Michigan and the river."
"Location is close to so many great towns and attractions: Glen Arbor/Sleeping Bear Dunes, many Lake Michigan beaches, kayaking/canoeing/tubing river trips, great fishing if that's your thing."
"Family friendly, there is fishing and canoeing, fire pits and swimming in the lake. They have a camp for horses too."
"Turtle Lake is a perfect mix of campers! Very family friendly, but spaced out well enough for privacy. They have a nice beach area and areas to fish. All sites provide a good amount of shade."
"Campground has lake access on silver lake, very nice. Rented a pontoon boat from an outside company and spent the day on the beautiful lake. Staff is friendly and helpful."
"Was able to check in early...because campers had checked out early and they had time to check the site...very clean...close to all the great sites around Traverse City...the only thing was where our site"
$27 - $90 / night
"Typical rustic camper, so camping close to others is not my typical cup of tea, but I messed up my rustic campsite reservation by week and managed to get the last open spot for the weekend in the main"
"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."
$60 - $260 / night
"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."
"Staff was all Great. Had a well stocked camp store."
$135 - $499 / night
"Kendra and her team have created a unique glamping experience in northern Michigan. They have thoughtfully designed spaces that are comfortable and fun."
"Stayed here for a few night whilst visiting friends at Crystal Lake. The Camp Squid team were at hand to solve and issues."
"All sites have picnic tables but not all have fire pits (if you have your own you are allowed to use it). "
"Each RV site comes with water and electrical hook-ups and many with sewer hook-ups as well."
$20 / night
"Close to town Fire pits No hook up at the tent sites"
"Our campsite was feet away from Lake Michigan- practically on the shoreline! Going to bed and waking up to the lapping of the waves is something you can’t miss here."
$10 / night
"This campground has been around a long time and is well known by motorcyclists in Michigan. It's located behind their motorcycle repair shop. "
"This KOA is just south of Traverse City and very centrally located to all that makes this area so awesome! Wineries, Sleep Bear Dunes, golf courses, and of course downtown Traverse City."
"Nice pool and friendly staff! Lots of kids though as they have a massive kids playground."
RangerWe were directed here after learning the state park was closed. I was hesitant about this campground at first, but it was an excellent stay! The staff were absolutely wonderful. We came on bicycles and they let us stay only one night even though the typical minimum stay is 2 nights. The manager even gave us a few dollar discount for our site.
It was a particularly difficult day of biking and I was in a bad mood when we arrived, but after securing a site and talking to the manager, I was smiling and laughing the rest of the night. The employees are kind folks who care about the quality of your stay.
They have a big camp shop, excellent ice cream, flush toilets, free showers, and coin laundry! Wifi throughout the campground allowed us to watch tv from inside our tent. There was an electric hook up at our site with a drinking water spout too!
The tent sites are right off the river with docks to fish from and launch your boat from. One of the wonderful things about this campground was that because it is privately owned, it was very reasonably priced. It was significantly cheaper than the state parks. Of course, you are trading off beach access for price, but with a Lake Michigan beach under three miles away, it is worth it. Overall, it was a lovely stay and by far my favorite campground in Michigan for the price.
RangerThis is not my normal kind of camping but I will pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this place. Sites are close together. All sites have electric. They have lots of little cute cabins through the park as well. They have a small simple playground that my kids loved! Super close to Lake Michigan and the river. We had fun exploring the area. Bathrooms were clean and had hot water. I loved that we could buy a good breakfast right on site at the little cafe they have. The campground had an old fashioned feel if that makes sense. Very quiet and does not seem to attract the party crowd. I thought rates were very reasonable. We took a day trip to Empire and the Point Bestie Lighthouse.
TravelerThis campground is perfect for campers of most experience and age levels. If you are looking for rugged, wilderness / secluded camping its probably not your place but for everyone else it's a hidden gem.
Nice spots both on the river show and across the road. Easy water access for very little children and non-motorized boats / Kayaks, etc. Nicely equipped playground and evening activities at the Camp Store/Office on special weekends.
This campground has the cleanest restroom/shower facilities of any campground I have been too. Also the staff is very friendly and helpful.
One tip, fire pits do not have grill tops attached and the pit opening is pretty wide.
TravelerI've been there several times. This campground has been around a long time and is well known by motorcyclists in Michigan. It's located behind their motorcycle repair shop. It's not a fancy campground, but it is a bargain at $10. The northern loop has electric outlets. The southern loop is rustic camping (groups usually camp there). Restrooms, showers and a pavilion. Pay the $10 at their shop. If the shop is closed either someone will come around or you can settle up in the morning. Firewood available on site. Village is 1.5 miles away to get supplies.
TravelerLove the park per my first review on lot 145.
Lot 188 area very tight with campfires and neighbors septic connection near your vehicles. The hookups and fire pit layouts don’t make sense….we didn’t have a fire thought it was too close to neighbors trailer.
GuideThis KOA is just south of Traverse City and very centrally located to all that makes this area so awesome! Wineries, Sleep Bear Dunes, golf courses, and of course downtown Traverse City. This campground is very well laid out and easy to maneuver any size rig. The front part of the campground is very well shaded, however, many sites are only a few feet away from M37, which can get noisy from the traffic. The back half of the campground is a little more open, but most sites are still partially shaded. The owners and staff are very friendly and accommodating. Fire wood and ice are available and they will deliver right to your site. As the caption says, great family campground. If you have kids, this is the place for you! With that being said, here is why I gave a four star rating.....we were asked promptly at 10pm to turn our music off, which wasn’t loud at all. Beyond our campsite it could not be heard at all. They have what they call a strict 10pm-8am quiet hours. At 7am there were at least 8-10 kids riding bikes and scooters all over the campground and nothing was said. I appreciate a them having policies and creating a place for families to make memories, but please enforce those policies for everyone. Oh, and one last thing....they are very pet friendly! I have never seen a campground with so many dogs! Ours had a blast!
GuideGreat 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.
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.
ScoutThey pack you in. It didn't feel like camping. Yes, there are sites with fire pits, but it felt like the designers said, 'let's see just how many people can we fit into this space.' Restroom facilities were nice. The stairs going to the beach gave been closed for a while with the closest beach access is not within walking distance, unless walking a few miles is your thing.
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 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Empire, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 28 glamping camping locations near Empire, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
