Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Watervliet, MI is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Watervliet is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Find the best campgrounds near Watervliet, MI. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
"Delivery service of food and firewood was great. Trash pickup was appreciated. WiFi reception was a welcomed surprise. Showers and bathrooms were clean."
"It has a splash pad a jump park and the pool. Sites are a little small, you are very close to your neighbors."
$60 - $120 / night
"It was small enough for our kids to ride bikes around alone and they frequented the park, which we could see from our site. Jumping pillow & mini golf were also a hit."
"They had a hot tub and heated pool. Mini golf and bikes you could rent. The store was nice and lots to offer and the prices were very reasonable. Showers close by."
$20 / night
"Tent sites are all in one cleared area that is a short walk from the parking spots. I had the place to myself as it was Labor Day Monday night. Showers and bathrooms were clean. Pool looked nice."
$20 - $30 / night
$75 - $145 / night
"This little campground is definitely off the beaten path. We kayaked there from Allegan and was treated to more wildlife viewing opportunities than we could ask for. "
"It also has great trails for walking. It had air mattresses made up with sheets and blankets, all the firewood provided, a grill full of charcoal. A great way to enjoy the outdoors!!!"
"Was in a pull behind . Everything was easy and calm . Kids loves it . No problems"
"It sits on Bair Lake and was great for swimming. The bathroom and showers were well maintained."
"Nice trails good hunting"
ScoutThis 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.
GuideAlthough this campground has great amenities, a pool, clean showers, and good sites/cabins, it is hard to book. If you know you are going to come to this area and camp, you need to book it a while in advance. I have used a pop-up and there was good space between campers. When I tent camped, we had a great spot near the cafe, the showers are amazing over there, they are more secluded. Our tent spot had electric, water, picnic table and fire ring. We camped on the grass and there is gravel to park your car. This campground is a perfect place to stay when visiting surrounding towns and going to the beach.
Don’t forget to go to Sherman’s!!
There was a forecast or rain, don’t mind the tarp
LegendThe campsites are located past the playground and shelter. Just keep driving down the road that looks like an alley. There is a wonderful place set up for just a few campers.
A couple sites are for tents only and the others are standard sites. There are a few trees by the sites but it’s mostly open area. Portable toilets are at the end of the camping area and in the playground area. The playground is a day use area for town so expect to meet some locals.
Driving just down the street takes you to the police station. This is where you register for the site. Town is around you and ready to explore. There are a few train tracks and industrial businesses which provide a bit of noise along with traffic. For us, the noise just slid right into the background.
This is a great place for a low price.
ScoutGreat 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.
LegendIf you like to camp in a parking lot, like Walmart or Cracker Barrel, you will love this lake side campground- it's a parking lot!
PROS
Toilet/shower facilities very clean
2 bars TMOBILE
Walking distance to Lake Michigan
Rangers strictly enforced beach closure each evening- lots of sirens.
CONS
Pricy state park camping at $53/night for full hook up
$8 Fee to make on-line reservations
Since out of state, we had to purchase a $39 Michigan State Park Permit in addition to paying for campsite
No senior or veteran discount
Campground is one big asphalt parking lot with painted lines to delineate each site. Absolutely no privacy from any other campsite.
Camping is slammed together as tow vehicles have to be parked next to camper/RV insufficient space to park in front of camper/RV
Must check-in before going to campground even with on-line reservation and payment in full
3pm check-in was strictly enforced--there was quite a line of RVs backed up at 230pm. Once registration opened it took us 20 minutes to register.
Needed plumbers tape to connect hose to site water faucet
Waist high weeds behind campsites
No shade and most of time too windy to deploy awning
No security gate closure overnight.
Anyone can drive through or walk in from the beach.
Lots of drive thrus by non campers
No campfire rings or lantern poles at campsites
Lots of campfire debris dumped behind campsites from those who bring their own fire pit and charcoal grills
Site 396 not level
No park WIFI
TravelerThis 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.
LegendWe 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.
GuideWe stayed in the semi modern sites, which was tents and no RVs nearby, which was good. That was about it. The Interstate was directly behind the sites, so the highway traffic noise took away from the feeling you want when camping, that off the grid feeling.
The site was clean, picnic table and fire ring. There was a water spigot close by too. We did some short hiking to sand dunes which was really cool. Nice paths lead to beautiful sunset over dunes.
Upon returning from the hike, we set up camp. That's when we found the ticks. We found probably 10 on our dog, several on us. The couple next to our site was struggling with ticks also, and they hadn't hiked, so makes me think they were from the campground. (We stayed ON the trail carefully while hiking). We've camped a lot and never dealt with this many ticks.
We actually ended up bailing due to how many were on us all. Spent the next 24 hours picking them off everyone in our family at home. Not good. We know it's a fact of life, but this place was infested. Bummer of a trip.
LegendI remember coming here when I was young but haven’t stayed here in decades. It was time to try it out again. We arrived around 5 or 6 and found lots of open sites on a Wednesday. They put us in a nicely wooded site with empty neighboring sites. We could see our neighbors and others walked by on the road so there were plenty of people in camp. There were water puddles in the road and some campsites. It rained during the night too. Our site is sandy with no grass which wasn’t as great with the wetness. However it’s camping at the dunes so it’s expected. The vault toilets are ok- one had standing water in the corner. Water is available a few sites down and a garbage bin is on the way out. We camped in the rustic loop- no electric or other hookups. There is a larger section with 2 loops that has these amenities. Showers are also located over there. It’s a longer walk or you can drive to the showers.
We tried hiking and found fallen trees blocking the path. There are other trails to choose from. Be sure to check out the beach and climb up the sand dunes.
This was a nice campground within a couple hours of Chicago.
Tent camping near Watervliet, Michigan offers a variety of experiences, from family-friendly amenities to serene natural settings, perfect for a weekend getaway.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Watervliet, MI is Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday with a 4.7-star rating from 17 reviews.
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