Mackinaw City, MI is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Mackinaw City is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Mackinaw City, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
"This campground is located just out of town in Mackinaw City, MI."
"This lot (a premium lot) comes with a concrete patio with a round table with four chairs, two Adirondack chairs and a fire pit and a charcoal box grill."
$34 - $52 / night
"Nice family owned campground on Lake Huron. Very nice view of the Mackinac Bridge, very clean bathrooms and showers, perfect for families."
"Close to downtown Mackinaw City."
"We had site #16 right near the front, which meant we had some traffic noise and kids running to the adjacent playground, but the spacious lot size made up for it (and having 3 kids of our own, we didn't"
"Good sized sites, fairly level, friendly staff. Clean facilities and ample amenities. Only con was expensive to use clothes washing machines."
$28 - $42 / night
"Complete with electricity, indoor and outdoor string lights, two deck chairs, a heater, a queen sized bed, and an electric kettle with pour over coffee supplies, it was truly a treat!"
"Located up on a hill and there are some spots that overlook the lake and Mackinaw Island.
Close to town. Very clean and friendly staff."
$16 - $50 / night
"Huge campground in a wonderful location. They have everything here- huge playground, pool, beach, great store, lots to do. The view of the lake from our site was spectacular."
"Super well-stocked, clean, and genuinely fun to browse.
Our site was just steps away from Lake Huron, so we got to enjoy swimming right from camp, which was such a bonus."
$50 - $60 / night
"There is a beachfront on Lake Michigan with a view of the Mackinac Bridge. Cozy campground that is well maintained with clean Bathhouse."
"The campground is well maintained, everything functioned properly, and the staff are friendly. My only complaint is that the sites are VERY narrow, putting you right next to your neighbors."
"We had a great site on the lake, an end site with the shoreline in front of us. We had site #48 with water and electric and a great view. Big bath house and laundry room."
"Here’s a review for the campground:
I recently had the pleasure of staying at this wonderful campground next to Lake Huron, and I couldn’t be more impressed."
$20 / night
"I have stayed here twice now and love it. 17 sites (I think) with water and electric hookup. But a full field for rustic camping if the others are full. "
"well kept and quiet campground. the owner, Clem was super friendly and accommodating. campground seems a little desolate from the outside but if you want a good nights sleep, this is the place. :) right"
$26 - $48 / night
"We choose this campground for its close-ish proximity to St. Ignace and the Labor Day Bridge Walk."
"You are able to rent water equipment, play mini golf and swim around the lake. You are able to buy bagged ice ($2.50) and firewood about 6-7 pieces ($5.00) on site."
$26 / night
"This campground is exactly as it’s named; right on Lake Michigan."
"It was a last minute choice after a long day of driving and it was absolutely perfect. Sites are not super private but the sites on the lake side had a small walk to the gorgeous beach."
ScoutGood size lots with fire pit. Some full hookup and others with electric and water. Also WiFi available however seems not to work well. Cable tv, Laundry and bath house. At friendly with nearby trails.
GuideThis campground is located just out of town in Mackinaw City, MI. The location of the campground is within 5 minutes of downtown Mackinaw, within 1-2 miles of a beach and about 10-15 minute drive of St. Ignace. The campground pretty small and quiet. We camped in a small back in site with water and electric hook-ups. There is one bathroom and shower facility but it looks like they are building another. The bathroom was clean and constantly maintained. The staff was friendly, and helpful. They offer trash pick up each morning and ice delivery. There is a small campground store with some basic essentials. There is some construction going on, but we haven’t heard any equipment and the area is fenced off with a privacy fence so we haven’t seen the construction either. Overall this campground is very nice.
RangerOur site was $99.89 night.
We were in Site# 98. We had Full hook- up with a gravel pull-through.
We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site along with my jeep. The site was easy to level.
Our site was not shaded with limited trees (many were shaded though). This was a smaller lot with our neighbors fairly close.
This lot (a premium lot) comes with a concrete patio with a round table with four chairs, two Adirondack chairs and a fire pit and a charcoal box grill.
It is an easy access to the campground from highway -(approximately 1 mile from highway).
There is free WiFi. They offer Cable TV and there are many channels.
There is not a community outdoor kitchen or community fire pit.
They sell wood for $7 a bundle.
They pickup your garbage at your site daily.
You are allowed to ride personal golf carts. They also allow you to rent regular bicycles and e-bikes. They do not provide golf cart rentals. There is really not a need to have a Golf cart because it is a smaller campground.
They do have a Swimming pool. There is a Playground. They also offer Gaga ball,horseshoe, and corn hole. There is a Reading lending library and board games to borrow.
They have a great general store. There is an electric car charging station. They sell propane.
There is not a snack bar/restaurant on site.
The streets are gravel so not great for riding bikes.
There are great places to ride bikes outside of campground. From the campground, there is a nature trail that you can take your bike that leads you to the. North Western State Trail.
They have cabins for rent and tent areas.
They have one shower house. The shower house has individual showers. Toilets with sinks are in a shared bathroom. These are kept very clean.
There is a laundry facility. It is a cash only facility. There are approximately 5 washers and 5 dryers. It is approximately $2.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry a load.
They have a fenced in dog park.
Bugs (mosquitoes/flies)did not seem to be an issue.
There were trails to hike off of the campground.
Some fun things to do outside of the campground are go to the beach (1 mile away); visit Mackinac Island (both major ferries will transport you for free - this KOA provides you information for Shepler’s Ferry). Both ferries offer packages that include horse drawn carriage rides, Fort Mackinac admission, Island Hotel Admission, Butterfly House admission, Mystery Town admission, and Parking options). There is a Jack Pine Lumberjack show.
TravelerWe decided to splurge on a yurt for our first camping trip of the summer. Well worth it! We stayed in"Kai" one of the newest yurts. It's at the end of what we came to call"the yurt village". Complete with electricity, indoor and outdoor string lights, two deck chairs, a heater, a queen sized bed, and an electric kettle with pour over coffee supplies, it was truly a treat! The bathroom and shower building is about.1 miles each way according to my fitness tracker, but it's doable. Downside: the firepit is small(about the size of a small charcoal grill) and shallow, so it's not really suitable for cooking. Bring a propane stove or some no-cook foods, or go enjoy some of the area restaurants! The site is still a diamond in the rough with cut downed wood and sawdust scattered about, and the ground is uneven. With time, though, it will probably turn out beautifully! We were there for three weeknights and rarely even heard other campers. A quiet and peaceful retreat.
LegendIf you've camped at a KOA before, then you know what you're getting here. Easy on, easy off I-75. It's close to the interstate, but the noise was never intrusive. Mostly because of the stiff wind blowing out of the North.
The sites are tight, particularly the inside pull throughs. The back in sites are more spacious, though that's relative. Site 7 is a very spacious back in site. 1-6 are by Trails End Road, but it isn't really that busy or noisy. I would get a back in site, especially if you can get away with 30 Amp service. 16-20F are back in sites with 50 Amp. There are some deluxe pull throughs with patio & grill on site. There are some extra long pull through sites.
There are the usual KOA amenities like a heated pool, playground, a game area & bike rental. There's a nice hiking trail in the back. It takes you to the bike trail, so back track back to the campground unless you want to walk on the bike trail/road.
What makes KOAs & this KOA special are the clean bathrooms & showers. It's always a pleasure to know that a shower will be KOA clean!
Staff was courteous & efficient. They delivered ice & wood to your site.
This is a good base camp for the area. I would stay again if in Mackinaw City!
LegendWe looked forward to our stay at this campground so close to Mackinaw City. We arrived just before 5 pm behind another camper. Walter was having difficulty handling both of our check-ins: he couldn’t find the other camper’s reservation (apparently not a one-off) and then his computer kept freezing while processing ours. The process to get both of us checked in took almost 30 minutes.
The advertised group gathering gazebo seemed to have been taken over by the office; I saw no other covered gazebo. And the fire pit was horrible! It spewed toxic smoke the entire time we were checking in (I had to keep stepping outside). As Becky’s review mentioned, there was junk surrounding the “office” and close by area.
The RV sites did not have any separation/privacy between them. We had reserved a water/electric site but in the end, chose one of the tent sites that faced the lake. We didn’t even see a number indicating what site it was– it was mostly a large grassy area.
The mosquitos were horrible (I realize this is not the fault of the campground although the grass was a bit tall).
Although I’ve seen worse, the restrooms were just passable. The floor was wet. At least there was soap and paper towels. Did not use the shower so cannot comment on that.
The best part of this campground is the view of Lake Huron. As advertised, there is a (far-off) view of the Mackinaw Bridge from the beach, but you have to look through the wall of mosquitoes.
It’s my understanding this is a city-run campground and if that is correct, we expected better. In order for me to give this more than two stars, it would have to:
• cost less ($50 was way too much money to pay for this campground),
• have a more efficient check-in system, and
• be cleaned up of all the junk lying around.
If we would not have lost all our money, we would have ditched and looked elsewhere. We didn’t even cook in our van, opting instead to eat in town. We were up and out early the next morning.
TravelerWe decided to stay 5 days here after our original plan fell through. It’s a smaller secluded campground with larger sites. We arrived in the middle of the week so there were a variety of sites available. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. Be prepared to bring enough firewood and supplies as many of the shops nearby close early.
Pros: Little Brevort lake is a great spot for stargazing with good visibility and shooting stars. Large sites, close to Lake Michigan, quiet, secluded, great views, shaded sites, inexpensive, opportunity to listen to native wildlife.
Cons: Sites can be close together but not clustered. Bathrooms are stocked by DNR but were FULL of flies. No individual trash cans, dumpster only. We made the mistake of buying cheap trash bags that ripped on the way to the dumpster.
LegendMuch better option than the state park at Brimley.
It’s close to lots to do, but such a beautiful setting you’ll be fine spending the whole day here, too.
The sites are large and well shaded. The beach looks like an air conditioned Caribbean beach.
Facilities seem newer and well maintained.
Beach side sites are best, but with plenty of beach trails, I’d camp in any of these sites.
RangerTypical KOA! It was really nice, clean, and the people were helpful! The pool was great for swimming, and mackinaw city is a great place to walk around and explore! Also recommend visiting the Headlands Dark Sky Park about 10 mins away, awesome views of the stars over Lake Michigan 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you go glamping near Mackinac Island?
Yes, you can enjoy glamping experiences near Mackinac Island. While not on the island itself, the mainland areas surrounding Mackinac Island offer several glamping options. Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping provides glamping opportunities with stunning views of the island. In nearby St. Ignace, Tee Pee Campground offers accommodations with beautiful views of the Mackinac Bridge. Both locations provide convenient access to ferries that can take you to Mackinac Island for day trips, allowing you to enjoy upscale camping comforts while still experiencing the island's attractions.
What glamping options are available in Mackinaw City?
Mackinaw City offers several glamping options for those seeking comfort in nature. Mackinaw City / Mackinac Island KOA provides upscale camping experiences with amenities like a swimming pool and is conveniently located within 5 minutes of downtown Mackinaw City. The KOA features various accommodation options beyond traditional tent sites. Roberts Landing Campground is another option close to Mackinaw City with more comfortable camping facilities. These locations offer the perfect base for exploring area attractions while enjoying more luxurious outdoor accommodations.
Are there yurts available for glamping in Mackinaw City?
Yes, yurts are available for glamping in the Mackinaw City area. Tiki RV Park & Campground offers yurt accommodations that have been highly rated by visitors. Their yurts include amenities like electricity, indoor and outdoor string lights, a heater, a queen-sized bed, and a private deck with chairs. The park features what some visitors refer to as a "yurt village." For those willing to venture slightly further from Mackinaw City, Bay View in Hiawatha National Forest offers a beautiful setting with large, well-shaded sites that complement the glamping experience.
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