Best RV Parks & Resorts near Isle Royale National Park

Grand Portage Lodge and Casino is not what I imagine as a place to pitch a tent, but right next to the marina is an RV park and a bunch of spots for tents. I'm not a gambler so this is not normally a destination for me, but it is the best place to camp to make it to the Ferry by 6:30 a.m. the next morning to be transported to a paradise in Isle Royale National Park.

The nice thing about the campground is that you sit on a hill and look out at lake superior. There is a large gas station next to the marina where you can make phone calls at a pay phone (There is no cell service) and get some last minute treats before you head out on the boat.

This is the place to stay if you are going to Isle Royale National Park from Minnesota.

Most sites have a view of the water, but this campground has a very specific purpose to this area, and it's not for long term camping. I mean, you can, but there isn't much glamour here.

The good part... They have electric, the bathroom is close, you can take a shower and even do laundry! In the summer, my husband says it's fun to people watch here (he's stayed before), but this time of year, it's quieter. The slips and dock are right in front as well as the camp office. The casino is an easy walk, and since you are so close to the border, you can exchange your money as well (Canadian to USD and vice versa).

We didn't know in advance, but paying for the campground allows you free use of the pool inside the casino!

Now, the ugly party.. The price. It was about $45 for an electric site. I think tents were about $20. While it did come with the amenities mentioned above, there is no privacy at any of the sites. The back row sits against the trees, but that's as good as it gets.

Bottom line, it's a good stopping spot near the border where you can plug in and swim, but not great if you want privacy or upscale.

I'd stay here again, but probably opt for a tent site to save some money if I could make do off the grid.

We really liked this campground mostly for its location and beautiful beach on Lake Superior. It has a long driveway that is gravel and all of the campground loops are also gravel or sand so it can be a little dusty. The lake shore sites have beautiful, full views of the lake but just know that many sites will be a tight fit for larger rigs. We have a 26' travel trailer and stayed in the newer loop a little ways away from the beach. It didn't bother us as it was easier to park and a very short walk to enjoy the beautiful sunsets this campground is all about.

This was a last-minute stop for us because we didn't want to stay at the campground we had originally intended. I found it here on The Dyrt, but bypassed it for another campground option. However, when we drove past the roadside sign, my husband said he wanted to check it out. And we're so glad we did!

When we pulled in, we were told to use the telephone to call the host and they would come and help us out. So when we did, somebody drove up and gave us our choice of spots. The campground was almost empty, so we had anything we wanted, and majority of the options were on the lake!

some of the spots are closer together so there's not a lot of privacy, but the side of the campground we were on had lots of buffers between the sites in the form of pine trees. each site had a gorgeous campfire ring made out of stones pulled off of the beach. It's a red Rock Beach! The bathroom was in a little house, but it had its own shower and looked like something from a log cabin. Not at all like a campground bathroom! there was another shower house at the opposite end of the campground which had similar decor. There was also dump station and fresh water easily available. not to mention the laundry house! Two washers, two dryers, and a sink for scrubbing plus all of the laundry soap and dryer sheets you needed. It was just payment on the honor system to use them. Very reasonable!

there was no electric hook-up at the site we were in, but we didn't need one. However, they were available.

Great little find in Michigan!

We have been here five days and it has been great. We have what I consider the best site in the park (#12). We have a great view of the harbor and the lake. The sites are really spaced out. The grounds are not manicured (the grass under our picnic table is knee high). However, I was able to overlook that because of the peace and tranquillity and the great view. Last night we cooked some locally caught fish over a wood fire and today we were able to go to Isle Royale. The dock is five minutes away. I will be sad to leave tomorrow, but we will be back.

There was literally nowhere to camp in the area. The hotels were full too. And this was in the middle of the week! We stayed in a tent site right next to the marina. There was goose poop everywhere. It’s supposed to be first come first serve and the rules seem to change, a lot. The view was great, it was fun to watch the fisherman and be so close to the water. The shower was pretty clean and I did a load of laundry as well. I wouldn’t make this a destination and I was grateful to get the spot I got. they gave me a Wi-Fi password but it didn’t work.