Best Tent Camping near Watervliet, MI

Close to beach of Lake Michigan. Walk in primitive tent site is what I stayed at. Many other sites available. Quiet at night. Great staff

Beautiful campground, organized set up. They don't try to see how many campsites they can pile on each other. The tent camping (where we stayed) had the largest campsite I've ever camped on for tents. You can choose between no shade, some shade, or deep woods. We LOVED the no shade. It had grass for our dog and beautiful star gazing. The cabins were in their own section. The RVS and campers circled around the bathroom house. All tent camping was south of the campground in their own little spot as well. All the extra space throughout the campground they used as walking trails. Very relaxing.

The nicest bathrooms and showers I have ever seen at a campground.

And the goats behind the entrance are very friendly!!

Very close to downtown South Haven!

We will definitely be back again. We may even do at least one annual trip a year.

this was amazing place to stay. the people were very friendly. everything was clean. and it was quiet and peaceful and the beach was absolutely beautiful. i haven’t gone tent camping before and i went here and it made me love it! i will definitely be going back!

Lot sizes do vary, pull through lots are a good size. If you like tent camping this place has a great tent/pop up only section on the river. Excellent dog run. Pool is dated but it actually is open. I tend to use this place to open up my TT or to close it Down for the season.

This campground is like a small wide open field. The staff was super friendly, and the grounds and bathhouse were very well kept and clean. There wasn’t much too it, the site included a picnic table and fire ring (like most do). We were in the tent sites.

The camping spots are in a park right off the main road, however they are tucked all the way around back offering surprisingly private camping.

There are 4 spots with electric, 3 of which are paved. There are also 4 tent sites. 2 water spigots shared by the 4 electric sites. No sewer. Picnic tables at each site.

The downtown area is a short walk and has some great dining options.

We have only stayed in the tent sites but love it. Our kids ride around the circle on their bikes, they love the train rides, its always fun to walk around the grounds and learn about the history. Nice short trip in to St. Joe or Benton Harbor. We got take and bake pizza from Silver Beach Pizza and cooked it over the fire. 

Bathrooms are clean, showers are warm. We enjoy this place.

This is a nice, family friendly campground. Lots of very friendly other campers, a heated pool, playground for the kids, nice size lots with fire pits, picnic tables, electric& water (including at tent sites). Pool has an ADA lift chair. 2 shower/bath houses, camp store, a real bear cave you can tour in (free), a creek that meanders through it. The resort sits on the St. Joseph river & this park has a boat ramp & dock for fishing. There is a gate that campers need a code to get into so it keeps out unwanted’s. Nice staff. Yolanda is a great manager. Security, a ‘honey wagon’. Laundry center. Quiet hours are 10p-8a. It’s near Buchanan Michigan and the RED BUD Motor Cross track. Very friendly people, always stopping and talking.

Campgrounds are small, 4 RV sites & 2 tent sites. Noise level is moderate to high - road noise & construction, and relatively loud water treatment. Water and electric available, no dumping. Trash and porta potty near by.

Registration is at the police department, and if it’s after hours you may have to call an off site officer to meet you with the phone provided. They do not allow seggs offenders or anyone with an active warrant. Police drove through 2-3 times per day. I had no issues & the park mostly to myself for 3 days.

This a great well run campground. Very clean. The people are great. I did a review in august before I got my pro membership about this site when I hammock camped. Loved the place. Branden,Nina and Chris were great to work with. The were discussing that they were going to be open weekends in September. I told them I would return then. September 24th my wife and came back and tent camped. We had a gorgeous fall weeken. As usual the place was in wonderful shape. It was great to see new friends Branden,Chrisand Nina via FaceTime and meet MaryJo..This place is close to the lake,town. Plenty to do in the area. If you’re close to south haven. This is the place to camp. We will be coming back next year..

This is our "home base" campground. It's familiar. We've been coming here for decades. Comfortable, and quiet(for the most part).

Caveat: no electric, no running water, no sewer/septic, no dump, no fill... Can run your generator(inverter type is best). Solar is a negative due to tree cover.

Vault toilets only, and pitcher pumps for water. There is a dumpster available in the busier parts of the season but this campground is open year round.

No playground. Just the beach and the trails.

Sites range from small tent sites to fairly large, but the "roads" inside the campground are tight so think twice before bringing the longer 5th wheels.

In short, if you want a quiet getaway from your usual then this is a great place to go. If you're expecting a pool, arcade, and dining hall... Look elsewhere.

We wanted to stay at Warren Dunes State Park, but I think this discovery was a better choice. A clean and friendly municipal campground on the St. Joseph River. The grounds are mostly open with little shade, but we had a tent site by the river and trees. What impressed me most was that they have a building specifically for cleaning fish, with scales, cutting boards and sinks. Another nice feature is the outdoor sink at the shower & restroom building for campers to wash dishes. As tent campers I wish more places had a set up like that. There’s a large stack of firewood, so it’s easy to get a bundle that’s good and dry. We did go to Warren Dunes for an afternoon. It’s busy and crowded. If you go to the beach, be aware there’s very little shade. North of there is Grand Mere State Park, which is better for hiking. In Berrien Springs, check out Zick’s specialty meats across the river from the camp.

Great campground. Better cared for than a State Park and better accommodations, too. Newish shower house with 6 uni-sex showers (all with their own locking doors). Water mechanisms on several made hot water a little tricky… test before you undress haha. If 5+ showers are in use, don't count on much hot water.

Very friendly operators and employees. Genuinely interested in how you're doing. Above average camp store and they even deliver your firewood order to your site for you ($7 for a 15"x15"ish bundle).

Beach access is easy and the beach is nice. On the cooler week we were there, would only see one or two other people out if any, but when school gets out mid-June, sounds like it gets busier. Our Monday-Friday stay saw us as the only tent campers which was great. Our kids enjoyed the playground and we made use of the grills by the picnic shelter a few times.

All tent sites (except for T12) are walk in (but most are only 100-300 feet).

Tent Sites 1, 2, 3, 11 and 12 as well as the group site are on their own away from the main loops. They are served by a flush toilet with running (cold) water. Or you can make the slightly longer walk to the shower house.

Tent 1 is 100 foot walk, small site, easily visible from T-2 and 3 as well as the group site.

Tent 2 is medium sized, across from T-3 and visible from T-1 and T-3. 

Tent 3 is large. Slightly overlooks the group site and can see T-1 and T-2.

Tent 4 is large, but almost totally isolated. It's surrounded by hills (although T-5 is on one of those hills so could overlook it. Long walk to bathroom.

Tent 5 overlooks 4 a little and is a medium sized site. Also long walk to bathroom.

Tent 6 is elevated above everything so overlooks T-5, T-7 and the RV loop. It's a huge site with nothing but nature around and above you. Long walk to bathroom.

Tent 7 shortest walk to car parking, but surrounded by other sites. Access to other sites runs through site as well.

Tent 8 and 9 are basically one large site with two tables and fire rings. Requires a walk up several flights of stairs, but puts you on top of a bluff that, without trees, would give you a view of the lake. They charge a premium for these sites.

Tent 11 is probably the longest walk… you walk past T-1,2,3, then up 70 steps to the top of a ridge. You cannot see or be seen and the picnic table is covered with a shelter. Not a ton of space, but a great site for a lite packer.

Tent 12 is a drive in site right next to the bathroom and the main drive into the campground.

We were pleasantly surprised and, outside of a cold shower or two, never disappointed in our stay.