Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Fennville, MI

Clean 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!

I 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!

The 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.

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. 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.

This campground is great, it's only 25 minutes from Grand Haven beach. The sites are well treed and flat! Lots of the activities within the park, they have a small petting zoo, sky pad, playground. Several cottages in the park as well. Well be back.

Great 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.

Eden Springs Campground & RV Park in Benton Harbor, Michigan, run by camp manager Cindy, may well be one of our favorite small town parks! We are spending the month of August 2018 here and have found the venue quiet, well maintained, friendly and inexpensive ($375 for a month). I do not expect the prices to stay this low now that it has been “discovered”. They are working on adding an updated restroom, dog park and other facilities. The sites are large, level and spaced far apart from each other. We pulled in with a 42’ rig, pulling a 28’ hybrid trailer (total 70’) and easily pulled into our site without having to unhook. We had enough space to park a jeep in front of and and in back of the attached rig. The sites are designed so that no camper or RV faces a sewer connection. All of the hook ups are centrally located between two sites, with each rig having their driver side towards the hookups and their awning/entry sides facing the opposing side. Each site has a gravel space between them that could be traveled through, though campers all set up picnic tables, chairs and campfires there so practically there is no egress, thus privacy. This camp has the best WiFi of any camp we have ever stayed at. Some spots offer OTA TV and satellite reception. Ours did not as we chose to have a full tree canopy. Most of the sites offer Full Hookups with 30/50 amp service. The camp manager, Cindy, provides fire rings and picnic tables as requested, so, if you need either, just let her know when you call. The tables were clean and in good shape. The fire rings can be placed anywhere you want. As an aside, when a camper leaves, Cindy and her crew comes and removes the rings, cleaning up the residue so there is no mess left! The campground grass is cut routinely and “weed-whacked” as needed. Cindy has been one of the nicest hosts we have met on our travels. She is always pleasant, available as needed for emergencies and even delivered our mail one afternoon. She is a font of knowledge about the area and willing to share. Probably in keeping with her personality, the majority of the visitors here have been friendly, chatty and willing to help each other. The RV resort is about 10 minutes from St. Joseph, MI and multiple rural wineries in the area (a favorite pastime for my wife Audrey). St. Joseph’s is a small town located on Lake Michigan with excellent food, event venues and a lovely white sand beach. Be sure to stop at the Chocolate store in town & Silver Lake Pizza for a desert/dinner well worth the time. The town of Benton Harbor itself once was booming city/community, which has come into hard times, but we did not have any problems traveling around that area. This area also has a non-defunct amusement park attached to the campground which is being slowly renovated by a group of volunteers. They have restored several of the buildings, a fountain and a miniature train which takes visitors on a 1/4 mile ride on Saturday/Sunday. Additionally, the camp is home to it’s own 1800’s era baseball team which plays home and away games in the old bare handed style! Behind the camp is a now mostly abandoned religious enclave called the House of David which was started in the late 1800’s/ early 1900’s (Google it!). Some interesting architecture and several restored mansions for the 5 remaining members of the group. I recommend this park for someone wanting a quiet, clean stay.

This campground is our home away from home in the summer! It is beautiful & very relaxing especially during the weekdays when it's not as full. The bathrooms are clean & the rangers keep up with mowing & other chores to keep the grounds clean. When it gets crowded the wifi doesn't work great & some of the campers are not very respectful; they cut through lots & don't abide by the rules (no pets on beach & no bikes or skateboards on boardwalk). The rangers get after them when they see it. Gets frustrating because it ruins it for others who care about the park. The only other downfall is there isn't much beach because of the high water table. I wish they could dredge & bring in more sand. Otherwise it's our favorite place to be!

We have really enjoyed our late July stay at Hidden Ridge. The amenities are really nice. The place was kept clean, and the clientele was friendly. There is a pond for cat and release fishing, and a great slip and slide for the kids on a hot day. Lots of room for biking, and the Christmas in July decorations have been a lot of fun. Looking forward to booking again in the future.

Don’t discount this campground, we found it did not live up to the angsty hype of the sour reviewers on google and Campendium. We had a very enjoyable and safe stay at Camper’s Paradise in Grand Haven.

Yes, the staff are very strict on the 5 MPH speed limit. But if you respect this rule, you’ll have a perfectly fine stay. Those who have kids or pets will probably find they like the enforced speed limit so their kids can play about without imminent danger.

And yes, the campground is not a quiet, silent getaway. A quick look at a map can tell you it is close to a highway. However, the road noise is not obnoxious and quickly drowns out as background noise. Anyone in a trailer won’t notice it. It’s mostly primitive campers and light sleepers who may need ear plugs. The advantage to its urban location is its proximity to Grand Haven Beach and Rosy Mound, both bike riding distance.

Bathhouses, though old, have been recently re-tiled and are cleaned daily.

RV spots are dirt, and nicely shaded. A fire ring and picnic table are provided at each spot.

Don’t get scared from the bad reviews. This campground was a welcome rescue when our other reservation fell through. Yes, it’s an urban campground and yes, the staff are vigilant about their rules. But none of this prevents having a good time enjoying the outdoors in Grand Haven.

Not my favorite State Park but it has lots of memories. We camp here every year with my wife’s extended family and it works well because we get about 10 sites and they are all open to each other (lots of sites crammed into a small space as is typical of Michigan State Parks). The beach for the camp ground is nice but often time boaters (who are not staying at the State Park) will park their boats off shore and add to the crowded beach. Also there is no dog beach for people with dogs.

Located adjacent to Lake Michigan, this park has two loops. We stayed at the South loop because nothing else was available...

South loop is prettier with its rolling hills in the dunes: however, it has fewer flat areas for tents and some sites can be overwhelmed by water during heavy thunderstorms... we saw that one night... While we had no issues in site 94A, site 95 was flooded - all their bedding was wet!

North Loop is pretty flat- better for tents. Plus, BONUS: the local ice cream stand is adjacent to the property, meaning you can walk 10 feet from the campground to get ice cream!!!

Dog owners: (which means me!)... the campground allows dogs on leash on its beach. The other state park public areas don’t!

I loved how the beach access area has handicapped accessible overview areas (see my pictures). When I go back, I will definitely bring a chair down there in the morning to hang out, read a book, and embrace the magic of Lake Michigan!

Found a good spot that has lots of room. Dog friendly! I've been coming here since I was a kid. I recommend you stay at this place.

Grest family run campground. Friendly staff, nice sites, tent and RV. Dog friendly, kid friendly, quite relaxing fun tim.. cant wait to go back

While it’s frequently challenging to find spots on lakes or bodies of water in general– Van Buren has a short hike to get you to the beach. For those looking for seclusion... this is not your campsite. We had three tents in mid-October and we were within a sea of RVs. Sites are pretty close to each other but our neighbors were friendly. Remember not to move your firewood from out of state! We purchased a mix of firewood from the neighbors off-site and the check-in office. Our site had a nice picnic table and fire ring, however be prepared with your own grill grate or skewers. We had two dogs with us and well behaved dogs would fit in well here.

If you can get site 127, it will be worth it, corner and facing the pier and the lighthouse. It is very busy and mostly full of RV's and trailers. If you are in a tent, just know that you aren't going to have any privacy. Everyone is very friendly and a nice sense of community. The State park sits less than a mile from the main strip of Grand Haven, which is a very cute town with great restaurants, shops and candy stores. It also is a 10 min walk to the town dog beach where dogs can run wild and play in the water. The lake is beautiful with a great walk down the pier to the lighthouse. They have great facilities as well with large individual showers.