Best Cabin Camping near Thompsonville, MI

Campground Review: This very popular campground is a few miles from downtown Traverse City, on the edge of Grand Traverse East Bay, Lake Michigan and fills up very quickly during the summer months. It is open year-round though and the fall is gorgeous in Michigan. As a city-based campground, it has many amenities and makes for a great alternative to paying much higher prices for the hotels, motels, and B&B’s in the area. This is a nicely wooded campground, and though the sites are spacious, they are rather close to each other, so not much privacy. But, given that this campground provides direct access to the TART Bike Trail (which can use to get to Traverse City, the Leelanau Wine Trail, or many other points north) and there is a safe, over-the-road walking bridge that takes you to the beach on the bay, we didn’t spend much time IN the campground itself. The various sites accommodate everything from small tents to large RV’s and all come with electricity. There are even two small camping cabins available for rent. The immaculately clean bathrooms and showers are free to campers. Firewood and ice are available onsite by the office. The only major drawbacks are that you can hear the road (which is pretty busy most days) and there are railroad tracks next to the campground (though we never heard a train and were told that it was infrequent).

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loWrZLOItQc

Product Review: As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get gear to review from time to time. On this excursion, we took the Saris Freedom SuperClamp 2-Bike Rack for a test spin while camping and wine tasting via the Leelanau Bike Path, which is accessible from Traverse City State Park in Traverse City, MI. We were in the market for another bike rack and had researched various racks just before this one arrived. We think this is a pretty good option for the price point.

What I like about this rack:

1. It secures to the vehicle trailer hitch via a threaded bolt rather than a pin; this holds the rack securely and minimizes swaying of the bikes as we go down the road. A locking attachment to this bolt discourages theft of the entire rack.

1. The bikes are held securely by clamping to the wheels and don’t contact the frame. Our previous bike rack was a hanging rack which did some damage to the paint job on our frames --NOT an issue with this rack.
2. The rack is very easy to use, simple to set up, and holds the bikes securely.
3. It comes with a lifetime warranty. When our first rack arrived, one of the plastic wheel cups was cracked, but one quick call to the company and we had a whole new rack within a few days. Nice!

Room for improvement:

1. The integrated locking cables stow away within the frame of the rack, which is cool; but they aren’t long enough to thread through the high-clearance frame of my husband’s mountain bike – so we can only lock down his back wheel not the frame. The cable will accommodate most traditional bike frames, but they aren’t thick enough to really secure the bikes for anything longer than a run into the grocery store anyway, so we’re adding another lock when necessary.
2. The straps which secure the wheels are a little awkward to use, both securing and releasing. You have to use two hands to do this, and reaching the straps for the bike closest to the vehicle is a bit tricky.
3. When the bikes are off the rack and it is folded into its storage configuration, we have no problem opening the tailgate of our truck; but, with both bikes on the rack, getting into the back of the truck is difficult. If you have a hatchback, make sure the bikes are the last thing you load up!

Product Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpgajt1V1Yc

Product Link: https://www.saris.com/product/superclamp-2

If you are looking for a camping getaway, this may not be the place for you. It is always bustling with action, but can be lots of fun! I would definitely say this is geared more towards children and families than an escape into nature. 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. This is also a pet friendly campground, so there are many dogs. Probably one of my favorite parts was dodgeball... and the multiple bike trails that connect to the VASA trail system.

This gem of a state park is phenomenal. Camped here in cabins three times over two winters. Cabins with bunks (will sleep 5 total), mini fridge, electricity and heat. Outside pit toilet. Hiking trails are some of the best. Beautiful lighthouse, dunes, beach, inland lake (Hamlin Lake), river and Lake Michigan. Very quiet and snow-covered in winter. Gets very busy in summer. So many activities for all ages. Kayak rentals in summer. Great fishing. Guided snowshoe tours and lamp light snowshoe hikes in winter are awesome. Camp store. Several playgrounds. Beautiful new beach house.

There is really a lot to do here. They also have small cabins! It's a beautiful area with diverse scenery with a dam and fishing area, and also further down stream canoeing! Also a great picnic area to just relax and get away from the world.

Came up here for my anniversary getaway with my fiancé, booked for two nights and the second day had an emergency come up and had to leave! I let Jamie know and without asking or expecting, she refunded me and wished me luck with our situation. The cabin was cute and cozy, I slept like a baby, definitely going to come here again. Thank you so much Jamie!

We were here over July 4 in mini cabin. We had been back country camping before that so were happy to have a cabin for a couple nights. Mini cabin is at tip of park with nice view of lake Michigan sunsets. Cabin had mini fridge, coffee pot, ceiling fan, and I think a heater for winter. 2 sets of sturdy bunk beds. Camp sites were packed with RVs and tents. I don't think I've ever seen a more crowded camp ground. Many campers brought their own bikes, kayaks, boats so there must be lake access nearby but definitely not from this park. Beach inaccessible due to high lake waters. Outhouse was clean and well maintained. Showers a short walk away.

older campground high above beach, couple camper cabins. beautiful views of lake michigan. can get to beach by stairs or short drive to beach without climbing stairs

Ludington offers sand dunes and several miles of beaches along Lake Michigan with many trails and forested areas. Most camp lots are large and sandy with electric and water hookups. There are also mini cabins for rent if you are not into tent camping. Very well maintained park considering how popular it is.

Great site for first time campers or when you want to just get away quickly without having to take lots of equipment and supplies. Nice little camp store and pizza restaurant on site. Great playground, evening activities. Nice mix of electric hook up, R.V. and tent sites. Boat rentals, etc. Great place for a group of families to come camp together. Staff at the campground are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.

Great cabin for winter camping. Electricity, heat, microwave, mini fridge. 2 sets of bunks, sleeps 5. Table with chairs. Wonderful hiking.

Mostly seasonal campers. Has a small lake with fishing. There is an indoor pool & game room. There are activities all the time. Bingo every weekend. Some open sites & some in the trees. I think they are adding a few cabins.

Winter camped in Pines Mini Cabin. Bunk beds with one a double- sleeps 5 total. Heat, electricity, mini fridge, microwave, table and 4 chairs. Well built and very clean. Outside fire pit and BBQ grill for summer. Awesome trails for hiking, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. Lots of phenomenal snow this year!

This campground feels like campgrounds should! It is a small, family-run place. The sites are a little small and close together, and with fewer trees than I prefer. But everything else about it makes it on my list to return annually! 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. The camp store and little outdoor cafe are great and serve a delicious breakfast. Bathrooms were clean and had great ventilation (important when camping during a pandemic like this summer). They have several cute cabins and vintage campers sprinkled among the campsites that are available for rent, and a nice bike path runs right in front of the campground. The campground is very family-friendly.

We had a chilly Memorial Day weekend but were very impressed with the campground. Great mix of activities for the kids. Big park but felt small, no problems with traffic and golf carts like we have experienced at other “resort” style campgrounds. All sites are full hookup and there are just enough cabins, cottages, and yurts for our non-camping family to tag along! Staff was very friendly.

I hate camping, but this campground I’ll go to. Water and electric hook up at all the sites, cabins available, their own little lake and boat launch, there’s Kid’s EVERYWHERE! 🥰 Its absolutely perfect for the entire camping spectrum. Nice clean bathrooms, a nice little store and restaurant right there and another little store right on the main road. First fish caught by my son at this campsite and we WILL BE BACK!

This campground is huge! 300+ sites, pet friendly, sites for all shapes and sizes. Open year round, with heated cabins. It's a great location, just across from Traverse Bay with just across the road. With that being said, one downside is that road, a VERY busy main drag through Traverse City. Very loud. There is s bridge walk over said busy road to beach access. The campground was very busy and bustling with families. Only 30 minutes from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The location of this campground is great and it's best feature in my opinion! This park is just two miles to downtown Traverse City (one of Michigan’s most popular resort towns), a quarter mile from a pretty beach and the beautiful blue waters of Lake Michigan, and it sits along the TART Trail which is a 10.5-mile bicycle trail running through the city.

While the park is small at just 47 acres, it holds pretty many campsites – approximately 350 (and two cabins). Campsites are set among tall pine trees so there is a bit of shade but that also means that they are sandy with little grass. Roads are paved and narrow if you are trying to maneuver with a large (40+ RV) and you may have difficulty backing into your site with the numerous trees lining the road. All sites are back-in with electric. Sites and patios are sandy with varying degrees of levelness. There is a dump station and water spigots are scattered throughout the campground. Picnic tables and fire pits are at each site. Sites are $31/night ($49/night for the cabins) and reserveable online.

This park is right on US-31/M-72 which means there is easy access in and out but it can be noisy if your campsite is close to the road. Expect the campground to be very busy on weekends and in the summer and tightly packed.

Amenities include: picnic area, beach, fishing, hiking/bicycling trail, three bathhouses, playground area, camp store, pet walk (no off-leash dog park).

Outside of the park there is a lot to do in Traverse City. Early July is the ever-popular Cherry Festival which lasts for a week. But you better book your campsite early if you want to enjoy all the festivities (which happen to be close to the park). The summer farmers market is great and held every Wednesday and Saturday. Early in the season, asparagus is plentiful and locally-grown asparagus is the best you will ever have being super sweet, tender, and inexpensive. For beer drinkers, consider paddling the beer trail that takes you from Boardman Lake to Lake Michigan and past numerous breweries where you pull over for a pint. If it's ice cream you want, you have come to the right place. There are multiple creameries with Moomer's being our favorite and for some reason eating it right at the farm stand was the best.