Best Tent Camping near Twin Lake, MI

We had a wonderful time at Holland State Park. We stayed for 5 nights. You must book early for the summer because sites fill up fast! We tent camped and stayed along Lake Macatawa. I would not recommend tent camping at Lake Michigan due to it is very sandy and not many trees. The bathrooms and showers were clean. The park also does very nice nature programs with the kids. We learned about the sand and did sand art. The campground is very nice for biking and is very close to Lake Michigan with little shops along the way.

The area is very nice in the summer due to the low humidity and nice beaches to go swimming or boating. We will stay here again!

This campground had a beautiful white sand Lake Michigan beach with turquoise water and very few people swimming. They let you have fires on the beach as well, but they don’t sell firewood. The tent sites were all quite open, but under a nice canopy of shade. You can hear the lake but you can’t see it. The bathrooms were clean and the showers were 25 cents for 5 minutes.

The tent sites did not have electricity and had a soft dirt base that would have been trouble in rain. We didn’t get rain, we spent the majority of our time there at the beach and it’s a 90 minutes drive to Sleeping Bear Dunes which are spectacular.

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.

We went in March so the weather was cold but doable. 20 degrees at night but with electricity hookups we put a space heater in our tent. Campsites are nice no running water at that time of year & only primitive outhouses. Great beaches the sand was so soft & the dunes are perfect.

Campsite is located 2 miles from downtown Pentwater, adorable small town on the water. Mears state park is 2 miles from the campground as well, Lake Michigan beaches. The playground on the beach is perfect for younger kids. There is a pavilion that serves hot food and ice cream ( hot food ends at 5pm/ ice cream till sunset.) Our kids loved walking in town and heading to the beach.

With that said, there is plenty to do at the campground . Outdoor pool, AJs (putt- putt golf, arcade, playground, go-karts) extra fee for AJs but reasonable priced, basketball court, volleyball court, small baseball diamond, tennis table, general store, shower house by pool ( very clean), private bonfire pits ( most campsites).

Seasonal’s were very friendly and helpful with local things to do. RV camp, Tent camp, or tent cabin.

Dump station available, firewood for sale, ice for sale, general store has several camping items, 15 minutes away is meijer in ludington. 2 minutes away gas station 2 minutes to Lake Michigan beaches 2 minutes to Pentwater downtown shopping

My husband and I have been going to Newaygo State Park for over 20 years. We started out tent camping and now have a pop camper. The thing we love most about this campground is the spacious site and that it is truly rustic with vault toilets and hand pumped water. Our kids also love this campground. They get to explore by themselves and there is plenty for them to do and keep busy. There is a playground, hiking trails, swimming area, geocaching, fishing, kayaking but the best part is the disc golf course. We spend a lot of time playing on the disc golf course. Have fun and just enjoy the outdoors.

A United Methodist Campground now open to the public instead of just for church camp, this is a nice location for families to enjoy some downtime, with access to Lake Michigan and plenty of activities available to pass the the time.

The sites vary in size but several can accommodate very large rigs. The whole place feels tucked away into the woods but you're only about a 10-minute drive from downtown Pentwater.

Short hike over the dunes (via stairway) takes you to Lake Michigan. (They have a great viewing platform for sunsets!)

Campground is getting regular updates each year, including a new 2-spot dump station (2 years ago), and new water and electric (50 amp) hookups at the sites continually being added.

They offer everything from RV and tent sites to platform tents and cabins. They have a great staff that cares about visitors enjoying their time there.

Cellular signals can vary greatly within the camp, but we found signals for Verizon and Google Fi (T-Mobile/Sprint) with decent service.

This campground is peaceful. Nice sites, even a place for rustic camping. Rustic camping you hike up the road, no cars are allowed to sites. Perfect!!! Full hook ups, 3 50 amp sites. Others are 30 amp.
Tent camping has platforms, so your tent is off the ground. Cabins are available for rent.
There is a playground, for the young ones. Rental of bikes, tubing, row boats and canoes are right at the campground. Beach access across street.
The campground is the older type, but the quiet, and professional care you get is awesome!!! This place is a must visit campground. Family feeling here. Vet friendly. Bathroom house is cleaned perfectly every day. Always clean. Day excursions, to see are, sand dunes, ludington, etc. then after the fun, come back to a peaceful evening, beside the fire. Each site has a fire ring.
Peaceful!!!
Just FYI. No drinking of alcohol is allowed. Perfect for my family, but just FYI.
Camp peacefully!!!

This was my first time ever tent camping! Normally I am a car camping person, but I decided to give a good old tent a try. I loved it!! This campground was absolutely amazing for me and my 2 best friends. As 3 women sleeping in a tent in the woods, we felt very very safe. The staff does drive by checks on everyone throughout the day and this not only helped us develop a relationship with the staff but also made us feel very safe. The campground was very well taken care of and clean. My friends and I enjoyed renting kayaks from the campground and paddling along bass lake. The staff was really the best part. Everyone we met was so happy, helpful, and really made our stay amazing. They would even bring your firewood to your campsite for you! The campsite store was so helpful and had everything we needed! Thank you to to the staff for making our trip calm and safe. We will definitely be back soon! I also highly recommend checking out Pentwater!

Ludington State Park is a state gem. From spacious camping spaces and super clean amenities to water activities and trails galore this place jas it all. For every age there are daily park activities the entire family can enjoy. Learn about Lake Michigan or how to identify poison ivy out on the trails. Ludington State Park is also a great place to enjoy the famous Lake Michigan Sand Dunes. Skylime trail showcases the very best of the park shoreline all the way back to town. Oh did I mention the lighthouse. Hike or bike there you can climb to the top and see for miles. Staying at the campground? There are three very different ones to choose from. Each with shower/bathroom facilities cleaned twice daily with lost of hot water. Don't have a camper you can tent camp at any spot or hike in to go rustic. Don't have any gear? They offer small cabins in each camp area for those who can't rough it too much. Oops we need toothpaste...don't worry the park store is in walking distance from all campsites for all your camping needs. From Bugspray and hotdogs to firewood and raingear they have you covered. Oh last but not least amazing sunsets every clear night. From water the land Ludington has it all. It's right in out home state and we love it.

Ludington State Park is comprised of 5,300 acres of scenic sand dunes, sandy beaches, the iconic Big Sable Point Lighthouse, wetlands, marshlands and forests. It is situated between Hamlin Lake and Lake Michigan with several miles of beautiful shoreline along both lakes. A one-mile stretch of the Big Sable River runs through the park and provides excellent opportunities for fishing, paddling and tubing. The park has more than 21 miles of marked hiking trails through dunes, forests and wetlands. For the more adventurous paddlers, the park’s 4-mile canoe trail through Hamlin Lake and its bordering marshlands, provides a challenging trip. A boat launch is available for access to the 5,000-acre Hamlin Lake.

The park is home to three modern campgrounds, including Pines, Cedar and Beechwood, with a combined total of 360 campsites and three mini cabins. The Cedar Campground includes eight tent-only sites that are located on a separate loop. These tent sites do not have electricity, but are within walking distance of the restrooms and showers.

The iconic Big Sable Point Lighthouse is open for tours May through October and is maintained by the non-profit Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association. In addition, volunteer lighthouse keepers come to stay for two weeks and help staff the visitor center and gift shop. A fee is required to climb to the top of the lighthouse.

The Allendale KOA is a perfect spot for GR residents looking to have a nice camping getaway without having to drive out too far. The owner and his family are wonderful, and they’ve got a decent shop set up for anything you need while there.

Office hours have a split between open times so the family can have dinner together, but we had no issue checking in late while they were temporarily closed(I’d just recommend calling ahead so they’re aware).

We do not have kids, but we noticed a ton of activities for them so parents will love this place!

Tent sites are perfectly spacious and it’s a nice wooded area to just sit and look at the stars at night. Firewood is available for purchase at a reasonable price.

My singular complaint (and it isn’t even a huge gripe) is the bathrooms. The women’s stalls have no locks on them (not a huge deal as they aren’t typically busy), and the toilet paper is so thin it tears as soon as you grab a piece. I assume this is likely to keep it septic friendly, but I definitely recommend bringing some wipes and a trash bag instead for your own comfort.

Overall we love it here and plan on being frequent visitors!

I stayed in a friend's camper with my son for several nights in late September. The campground is very nice! The sites were large enough that it could hold a large camper and two vehicles easily.  Some of the sites are a little uneven (the camper needed wood blocks underneath it so that the wheels weren't off the ground after leveling.

There are nice firepits and the firewood is cheap! 8 large pieces for $6, a wheelbarrow full of tinder for another $6. Bring a hatchet or axe because the wood pieces are huge!

There is a large beach with playground equipment, kayak and boat rentals (although those were closed due to COVID.

Modern bathrooms with showers, but honestly I never needed to use them (we had the trailer).

There are a few downsides:

1. Because it's so close to Grand Rapids and some other cities, it typically is full on the weekends. Booking a site can be troublesome. Our friends booked the site from Tuesday through Monday and it was totally full on Friday and Saturday night.

2. The lake is effectively a plate, so don't expect to do much fishing from shore. The water is incredibly shallow. (But that makes for a very nice beach!)

Overall, I wouldn't tent camp here simply because of the crowds on the weekend, but I'm glad I went. If you have a trailer and like the camping community, you would like this. If you're looking to get away from people for a while, keep looking. This isn't for you.