Searching for the best camping near Lake Leelanau, MI? Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Lake Leelanau. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Lake Leelanau and user-submitted reviews.
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 RV camping destination is surrounded by cherry orchards, vineyards, and 30 acres of woods. Bike the TART Trail, shop villages, explore Manitou Island, Historic Leland, and Suttons Bay. Area was recently voted by USA Today as the "Most Beautiful Area in the USA" Northern Michigan and Leelanau County has long been known for Cherry orchards and fast becoming the Napa Valley of the North with 24 vineyards and tasting rooms.
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/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
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
Camp staff very friendly and park is well maintained. Nice hiking trails nearby and a 20 minute drive to a whole lot of entertainment!
The campground was well maintained. The sites had adequate privacy and space. I really enjoyed the trails through Cedar Forest along Lake Charlevoix. More unique experience than just hiking through the woods.
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
Great location, right on the lake and awesome views. Also very convenient to North country Trail to ride or run up and down the Lakeshore on a paved path! Very close to town to walk in and see the sites. Stayed by the water treatment plant and I wouldn’t recommend the West End as you could smell the treatments. Bathrooms were clean and convenient location. Spaces were extremely close together! Many people stayed for the whole summer. It seemed like.
I love this state park. It is located right on beautiful lake charlevoix. The campground doesn't have any road noise. The beach is long and sandy and there are lots of hiking and biking trails.
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.
This is a great campground South of Gaylord on Otsego Lake. I believe all sites have electric. The park is beautiful with a many sites having lake views. The playground is the classic old playground with swings and slides and some big tires to climb on. The water was mostly sand with some rocks. The campground has 4 cabins to rent right on the lake.
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.
Very nice campground, cement pads at each site. Nice staff. Close to Petoskey
I booked 3 campsites for 23 July, 2023 for four nights, leaving 27 July, 2023. My plans have changed and I would like to sell my spots for what I paid for them to someone else. Message me on Facebook if you are interested. Sue Bovenkerk Slager
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.
First off I made a mistake and thought I booked, but never did. So we showed up after closing expecting to find our names on late check in, but nope.
We sat at the gate for a min trying to find a place to go to when a staff member showed up on his scooter. He told us everything is closed but to call in the am and he’ll move some things around and get us in. I woke to a call in the am after I sent an email in the middle of the night to the staff member with a site ready for us.
The campground is very nice. Beautiful clubhouse, nice pool. Everything is well kept, safe, and beautiful.
It’s close to everything for exploring the area. We really loved it here!
General: Nestled in between Lake Michigan, a waste-water treatment plant and a hospital is Magnus Park, a public city park and campground. 77 sites, 36 with full hookups, and the remainder with electric hookups. There is also one cabin.
Site Quality/Facilities: The campground is laid out in typical RV park fashion with zero privacy between sites. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Although some of the sites have somewhat of a gravel or dirt driveway, mostly it seems like areas where the grass has just worn away. IMO, if you are not able to get Sites 3-16 or Sites A-C which face Lake Michigan, then the best sites would be the ones that back up to the trees. When we reserved many months ago, we were lucky to get one of two available sites, and ours did back up to the trees. Be aware that sites 61-68 back up directly to the hospital. Other than it being imposing and detracting from the feeling of camping, the only thing I found objectionable was more frequent loud sirens of ambulances arriving. On the other end of the campground, there are nine lettered sites (A-I) that are larger but are on a grassy area with no driveways or defined separation. These sites (as well as 18,19, 20, 22) are close to the wastewater treatment plant. When I walked by, I did not notice any offending odor, but other reviewers have said they did. I did, however, hear a humming noise emanating from the plant. By luck of the draw, the site NEXT to ours (51) flooded significantly with heavy rains overnight. Ours did not puddle up too badly.
Bathhouse: Was generally clean considering it is part of a public-use city park. Rarely did I see anyone in there as most of the campers were in RVs and on our second day, it rained so no one was at the beach. The showers were warm with somewhat wimpy but adequate water pressure. They were on the small side, however, and are only available to campers with a code to access (although there was one shower in the restroom that could be used by all).
Activities/Amenities: There is a centrally located playground. Easy access to the bike trail, however, it was closed just south of the campground due to erosion (north is not a problem and a short walk into the town of Petoskey). WiFi is available and you are given the access code upon check-in, although I did not use it so cannot comment on how reliable it was.
Our first thought upon arrival was “yikes, why in the world did we decide to stay here?!” but the proximity to the town of Petoskey (less than a mile walk), and views of Lake Michigan outweigh some of the negatives.
We had a view of the water when we sat by our firepit. Nice park, great beach. Campground store was closed as it was in mid-Sept. Clean and nice bathrooms and showers. Found other sites we would choose next year.
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.
Camping near Lake Leelanau, Michigan, offers a fantastic escape into nature with beautiful scenery and plenty of outdoor activities. Whether you're pitching a tent or parking your RV, there are several campgrounds that cater to different preferences and needs.
Camping near Lake Leelanau, Michigan, offers a mix of adventure and relaxation, making it a great spot for families, RVers, and nature lovers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Lake Leelanau, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Lake Leelanau, MI is Leelanau State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 35 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Lake Leelanau, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 26 glamping camping locations near Lake Leelanau, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
