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East Harbor State Park Campground is the largest in the Ohio State Park system. It offers Full Hookup, Electric, Non-electric and ADA sites. Pets are permitted at all sites. Other options include a Yurt (ADA), two Sherman Cabins (one ADA cabin), and Group Camping. Reservations are required and can be made online or by calling (866) 644-6727.
Located in Ohio on the sandy shores of Lake Erie awaits an enormous haven of fun, with tons of chances to recreate. Boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, and camping all attract flocks of visitors to East Harbor State Park.
Nature lovers will rejoice thanks to the dense population of waterfowl, shore birds, and other species of wildlife. Owing to the swampy, wetland climate, a host of migratory species regularly flock to the region. However, the land was not always this rich. It wasn’t until the draining of the Great Black Swamp that the land transformed into an agricultural oasis, producing regional varieties of fruits such as grapes and peaches.
Before European Settlement, East Harbor region was home to Native American tribes like the Ottawa and Wyandot Tribes. Stemming from the translation “trader”, the Ottawa tribe earned its title due to the geographic location of East Harbor. During the period of Westward Expansion, this park’s acreage was first the heart of popular trade routes for Native Americans.
As it developed, the region has long been valued for its recreational potential. In fact, Lake Erie is more similar (and exotic) to a tropical beach resort than you’d first think. This is due to the extensive range of plant and animal life, long sandy beaches, and the immense size of the lake itself. As a result of these factors, 1,831 acres were reserved and protected, to be known today as East Harbor State Park.
Camping at East Harbor is readily available with 352 electric sites. Furthermore, there are 160 non-electric sites available for a cheaper nightly rate. There are also an additional 51 full hook-up sites for those in Recreational Vehicles. Working Nomads and Van Dwellers will be grateful to find Wifi Available, however there is a small fee to use it.
Finally, there’s Dump Stations, Bathrooms, and Showers are routinely located throughout. For a more secure (and expensive) shelter option, there is one Yurt available for reservation. Book in advance, however, as it tends to be very competitive.
If you’ve got furry friends, you can take a breath of relief as pets are permitted on all sites. Moreover, Bike rentals are available as well as games and sporting equipment from the camp office/lodge. Get outside with your friends (any number of legs invited) and enjoy everything that East Harbor State Park has to offer.
Campground closed for renovations starting Nov 2019
Sandusky's Hidden Gem. Crystal Rock Campground has called Sandusky home for over 45 years and is just minutes from Cedar Point Amusement Park and the Lake Erie Islands, including: Marblehead, Port Clinton, Catawba, Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island! We offer a quiet place to stay with nearby access to a variety of area attractions. Beaches, Boating, Fishing, Roller Coasters (Cedar Point), Water Parks, Hiking, Kayaking, Water Sports, Foodies, Breweries and Wineries, and exploring Nature.
$32 - $1 / night
Lighthouse Point was voted one of the 9 most beautiful RV Campgrounds in the U.S. by Travel and Leisure Magazine. This relaxing space features full hook-up luxury RV sites plus 50 ultimate patio sites along with waterfront cottages, inland cabins and ten person deluxe cabins. Each tiny home features upgraded bedding, multiple televisions with cable, full linen services, mini-fridge, microwave, and private bathrooms. All accommodations include outdoor seating and a charcoal grill. Guests also enjoy property-wide wi-fi and a convenience store as well as laundry facilities, planned activities and an outdoor pool. Book online now or call us at 419-627-2106.
$150 - $500 / night
Camp Sandusky has offered great camping experiences for visitors to Sandusky, Ohio and Cedar Point for over 20 years. Just 6 miles to Cedar Point. Going to Cedar Point? Stay in an Amish cabin and relax around a campfire after your busy day. Bring your RV or tent and enjoy our level shady sites.
We have recently increased the size of some of our sites. We have also added air-conditioning to four of our pet-friendly cabins. We will also be having more planned activities including outings to local attractions.
$23 - $105 / night
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
$36 - $45 / night
Campground Information Authorized Users - Open to the Public. Season - Open Spring to Fall Reservations - Accepted and recommended. Internet Access - Free WiFi is available. Mail Forwarding - Must use local General Delivery: (Your name), c/o General Delivery, 121 W. 2nd St., Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 Pet Information - Pets are not allowed in the lodging facilities. Pets ARE allowed in the RV Park with the usual leash and clean-up rules. However, pets are prohibited elsewhere on the installation, except for working dogs for law enforcement or the visually impaired. The only exception is pets are allowed during the National Matches. There is no pet run area. Campground Information - Lower rates are for military. Higher rates for the public. There are no refunds for any reason. Cottages will sleep up to 8 people. Big Rig Friendly? - Yes Amenities Dump, Sewer Water Electric Tent Area Showers Playground Beach Fishing Boating, Boat Rentals
Guide
We went to crystal rock campground for the first time over memorial day weekend. We knew it would be busy but we didn't know it would be bike week, so not only was the campground fully booked but it was fully booked with loud Harley's!
That didn't spoil our time, we just bought earplugs 😂
The amenities were so nice as we are used to really roughing it while camping. We joked that we were glamping as we took showers everyday, ordered pizza one night and even did a load of laundry!!
The owners and employees were so amazingly sweet and helpful. Tom went out of his way to make extra fun activities for the little kiddos. Our daughter really loved the sandbox, and the playground was great! We even did a little gem mining! The display for the bag contents were really need too. Our daughter wanted to stay forever!
Traveler
Well kept, quiet and fun. Bike rental was easy and did not cost too much. We had a tent site and the yurt site. Water was cold due to it being early June as expected.
RangerThis on a bay on the very western side of Lake Erie among a wildlife refuge and wilderness area. I came for the birding and wasn’t disappointed. Parts of this park are very built up as a resort feel but the nature center, shore swimming, and wilderness is still very nice. Unfortunately they allow hunting and trapping, it was disturbing. The campsites are pretty crowded but still ok. There’s a yurt and cabins too.
Ranger
The ferry ride it takes to access this state park island is well worth the time and fees! Fun beach side restaurants, dirt roads and pretty beaches. The state park has camping that can accommodate launching your boat if needed. They have showers, although they aren't always very clean. The campground has a beach and playground. You can also purchase wood. Yurts are available for rent. accommodates RV, tent and group camping, although tent spots can be cramped. But nothing beats a lake view spot! I recommend bringing or renting bikes to tour the island!
RangerThis state island campground is more than expected! worth the ferry travel, a paradise kept secret. We stumbled upon this island by accident along our travels after Labor Day and we totally fell in love. The water front camping, swimming, boating, kayaking, historic sites, attractions and facilities are superb. Everything you need and more than you expect. We traveled in with our 34’ trailer. The ferry cost was a bit high, around $200 round trip for us, truck and camper….but it was worth it!! The campground is immaculate, quiet during the week especially after Labor Day, the weekend brings a larger crowd. Walking trails, sites, boating and swimming all available from campground. Sandy shallow beach with beautiful view. Ice, firewood and a store conveniently located at campground. The campground is small and sites a bit tight but spaced accordingly and comfortable. Two waterfront cabins and two yurts available for rent as well. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the island overall. The glacial grooves, limestone crusher, north loop trail, beach and boat launch all withing walking distance. We rented bikes downtown to explore rest of island, including winery, cantina and local bars. Counting the days to go back.
Legend
General: This campground is huge with a mix of FHU (some back-in and some pull-through), electric hookup, no hookup, group sites, cabins, and one yurt. On a Monday night in June, many of the sites were occupied.
Site Quality: All camper pads were paved and appeared level. Some sites were a little close together but there was reasonable separation and there was plenty of foliage. Site H3 was a good one as it had no site next to it on one side.
Bath/Shower house: In our loop, the bathhouse was clean. It took a while for the water to get hot but once it did, it was very hot. The water pressure was very good. The only problem with the shower was that water leaked out onto the floor outside and there always appeared to be a lot of water, which could pose a slipping hazard.
Activities/Amenities: A camper store and nature center, game room, laundry, dump station and potable water, disc golf, hiking trails, multi-use trails, marina (for large boats, not kayaks or SUPS), basketball, volleyball, archery, fish cleaning station. I think I mentioned everything!
We enjoyed our two-night stay here, and if/when we return, we would consider taking a ferry to some of the smaller islands nearby.
RangerNice site on an island in Northern Ohio.
Scout
Both tent camping and RV/Trailer camping. A few Yurts to rent also which are somewhat isolated from the other camping areas. Reservations can be made exactly 6 months in advance and only a few sites are kept open for walk ins anymore. The sites along the cliff overlooking the lake have fabulous views but are ONLY for tents and one should NOT camp there with small kids.
The RV camp sites and many of the other camp sites are inland from the cliff and while wooded are generally very close together and most do NOT have a lake view. The ONLY quiet areas in the campgrounds on the weekends are the cliff tent areas since it is a party island and the young people camping in the interior areas seem to never go to bed.
The Park has a rocky beach (shoes NECESSARY) which is actually a nice swimming area if you aren't looking for sand under your feet or blanket. That beach is the only free public place to swim on the island (some hotels do have pools). That beach area is a great area though to launch a kayak or sailboard to use in the cove. There is also a regular boat ramp for larger boats or jet skis. NO overnight boat tie ups at this state park dock (some at the downtown state park, but those are hard to snag)
The town is about 1.5 miles down the road and easy to get to via bicycle or island taxi - vehicle parking very limited if you try to drive into town. and the town has numerous bars and restaurants with lots of live entertainment on the weekends.
The town is definitely a"party" location on the weekends during the summer months. and there is a very pretty and active harbor there, usually with 100 to 200 boats including some in the 40 to 50 foot range in the harbor on the weekends.
The slow ferry to the island (Miller) is the car ferry and it has free parking if you can leave your vehicle behind on the mainland and transport your stuff to the campgrounds via a bike trailer or some other way (about a mile+ from the ferry dock to the state park). If you do take your vehicle over note that the wait time to bring it back on a Sunday while usually 2 to 3 hours can also be up to 6 hours from when you get in line (beware the Miller ferry stops running about 8pm, ie: near sunset). Usually little or no wait time when bringing a vehicle or RV back mid week.
Pick when you want to go depending upon how much you enjoy noise and partying. Mid week during the summer season is the best time for those who aren't into 24 hour partying and weren't able to snag a cliff side camp site. Kelly's Island is quieter and has a nice natural sand beach, so better for weekend trips if going with a family, or if you definitely need a sand beach. If bands, noise, drinking, and people watching are your desire, well this is the place to go on a summer weekend (ala Key West party atmosphere)
Guidethis is probably my favorite park in Ohio . it’s always clean people are so friendly and the lake is just beautiful !
TravelerA great campground in Ohio. So clean and so many things to do. Campsites are close together but they do honor quiet hours. Great trail around the lake and a fun and challenging disc golf course.
ScoutBy far my favorite state park. Sites are large and private. Bathrooms are always clean pathways are kept up and make for a great mid day or early morning stroll. This is Ohio's gem!
Guide
This was a good overnight stop on a cold windy night through Ohio. Front desk people were extremely friendly and helpful. Bathrooms were very clean and hot shower. We would stop again as a pass-through Campground. Level sites.
ScoutOne of the premier state parks in the state of Ohio, on the shores of Lake Erie. Plenty of things for the kids, and fishing, boating, and hiking here. It can get busy in the summer but well worth the trip, make reservation for the weekends in the summer and enjoy what the area has to offer.
Ranger
Van Buren State Park is very easy to access from I-75. It has tons of trails and a pond. There are a few places to car camp or RV camp nearby. I love getting out of town and visiting Van Buren State Park, and I have lots of good memories. It gets 4 stars because I now live in Montana and Montana camping outshines Ohio, but I can't bash on Van Buren State Park at all.
ScoutGreat location with many shoreline sites facing west with some of the best sunsets to be seen. Easy access for canoeists and kayakers, gentle shoreline, office is just a short walk away. Ferry accommodate paddlers if you are not up for the trip from the mainland. The island appears to be primarily rock, I couldn’t find a spot to get a tent stake in more than 1-2 centimeters. Bathrooms and showers are average.
Put-in-Bay may be Ohio’s Key West but this state park is a mile+ from party central but it was quiet, particularly after-dark. Seasonal law-enforcement stay here too. If you walk into town you need to keep an eye out for golf carts needing to slow-down.
I hope to return.
GuideMaumee Bay State Park. Ohio.
Let me state: Awesome park
Full hook ups, 50,30,20.
Sewer. Water. Handicap sites too!!!
Dump station, with rinse down hose if needed.
Large sites, private by trees. Gives each on your own yard. All Back of sites are fields. No one behind.
Quiet. Beautiful.
Lodge on site, cabins too
Store, pool at lodge, game room at lodge.
Bathrooms, showers houses. Clean and kept up. Each area has one.
Roads are set up with a circle at the end. Drive down them loop around then drive out. Angled driveways, easy to get trailer in. Or back in A and C class easy in and out too.
Lakes, beach, canoe, kayak, bikes, hiking, boardwalk, wild life preserve, birders Haven, a scenic hill to climb.
More pictures to come.
They also have Hosts that stay here, and get free camping for helping parks out.
Quiet times are observed.
Perfection!!!! Wish all campgrounds had this layout.
GuideThis park is huge. There is so much to do here, we didn’t leave the park at all! Just a short walk or bike ride to Lake Erie via a paved path. I highly recommend taking a bike, as there are so many trails and paths to ride throughout the park. The marshy swamp area was neat to see, there were several frog species, snakes, and we even saw a muskrat. The park is very educational, they have a nature center where you can learn about the local flora and fauna. There was a doe and her fawn that we saw almost daily in the park, as well as other deer. A resort is adjacent to the park that has many amenities if you prefer not to camp. There are several ponds throughout the park and lots of green space.
While we were there we had the pleasure of viewing the nested piping plovers that haven’t nested in Ohio for 83 years. 4 chicks remained on the beach during our stay, prepping for the flight south. Several volunteer ornithologist kept a watchful eye on the chicks for safety and didn’t mind educating us on the little creatures.
The campsites are nicely sized and vary in privacy. All equipped with a picnic table and fire pit. Some sites had a concrete pad under the table but there didn’t appear to be many, just a handful of what appeared to be newer sites.
The park held social events, such as an ice cream social and coffee and pastries several mornings.
The camp store was impressive, stocking a variety of perishables and even refrigerated items such as lunch meat, cheese, etc.
Very impressive park, we will be back and extend our stay.
LegendGeneral: Large state park with 256 campsites, all with electric (20-30-50 amp) hookups. Sites 1-11 and 21-29 have full hookups (water, sewer, electric). Also, there are a lodge and cabins. The park is very well maintained. This park is close to Toledo and within spitting distance of several refineries although you’d never know it!
Site Quality: All sites are very generous in size and appear to be spaced with a decent amount of space apart with foliage providing varying levels of privacy. Some have beautiful trees that in peak fall color would be stunning. All camper pads are paved and long enough to accommodate large RVs. Some have concrete pads for picnic tables, although the sites in our loop did not. A wooden picnic table and fire ring complete each site.
Restroom/Shower house: Very clean, however, bathhouses are shared between two loops. Each bathhouse only has two shower stalls, which may necessitate a wait when the campground is full. A hook and a small bench but nowhere to put soap/shampoo in the shower. Good warm water.
Activities/Amenities: So much to do! Several lakes are good for fishing or boating. Many trails, some grassy and some paved are good for walking, running, and biking. A beautiful and extensive boardwalk constructed by the Ohio Civilian Conservation Corps is available only for foot traffic. Bike rentals are available. A small camp store. Laundry facilities. Donuts and muffins on the weekends. Several playgrounds. Bird houses and feeders are located throughout the park and especially in the spring, you can hear many varieties of birds chirping (however, you will also experience the by-products of so many birds!). Excellent cell service (Verizon). There is also a dump station.
There was a warning that due to the proximity to an urban area campers, bikes, etc. should be locked up but I didn't feel that vibe.
We enjoyed two stays at this campground, once in September and once in May. Even though this large campground was full when we were there on a weekend in September, we did not feel overcrowded. There were many empty campsites when we were there during the week in May (the week before Memorial Day); we very much enjoyed our stay both times!
RangerI’m sitting here waiting for a flight after about 9 weeks of living in hotels. Fugured it would be a good time to write this review I’ve been holding off on. Anyway, let’s get started.
Campground Review
My buddy Stone and I didn’t really have plans for Memorial Day Weekend like everyone else, so naturally we had to make some. We decided to stay a little closer and avoid flying because that gets expensive over holiday weekends… instead we opted to go camping at Crystal Rock Campground for its proximity to Cedar Point Amusement Park! Seriously only took us like 30 min to get from camp to park.
The campground was $30/night for a tent site with no electric hookups. I understand it was Memorial Day Weekend and just happened to be Ohio Bike Week (I think) but we were packed in like sardines! Their were tent sites right next to RV sites which From what I’ve seen isn’t usually the norm. There are about 120 or so sites in the lower section of the camp all sharing one bathroom. The men’s restroom had 5 or so showers, one urinal, and one toilet. A sign on the door indicates it’s closed from 12-1 (if I remember correctly) for cleaning. I don’t know about you, but I think that one urinal and one toilet is not enough to adequately service 120 campsites. Especially at capacity, which they were when I was there. Our site literally butted right next to three other sites and it just felt very cramped. We were also the furthest from the bathroom you could be, which was quite a hike to do dishes. For these reasons, I give it a 3 out of 5.
I do imagine it would get more stars had I chosen a less busy weekend. It did have a “game room” closer to the checkin as well as a playground. I didn’t use those, but they did look nice.
Product Review
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. On this trip to the Crystal Rock, I tested out the Howler Brothers Aransas Shirt in Voltage Print that I got through Roanline. I give this shirt a 5/5. I’m actually wearing it right now. Here are some of my thoughts on this rad shirt:
So I got this shirt through Roanline and their packaging was super cool. I forgot to snag a pic of that but trust me. They even had a handwritten note in there that made it feel nice and personal.
Guide
RV site is paved with electric hookup and water hook up on site. Waste dump on RV site as well. Very clean and maintained.
GuideGreat place to stay!! Everything is black topped. Sites are very long, water hydrants are boxed in with stone. So, if it drips a little it won't get muddy. Sewer hook up is flush to the ground with a manhole cover over it. Won't drive over it & break it. Fire ring & picnic tables on every site. Beach & fishing pier with in walking distance. All sites are angled & very easy to back into. No pull thru sites here, but trust me Super easy to back into. Only 40 sites, so not terribly big. Campground is on a military training ground, so there are discounts for active military.
TravelerStaff/owner are so kind and accommodating. I can’t say enough about them. I had reservations at a different campground, but once I got there had to leave, I called crystal rock and the lady was so so kind, got me a site and gave me directions .Bathroom/shower house very clean. Lots of family activities. I stayed in a tent site and had ample space. Close proximity to cedar point and other attractions. I absolutely love this place and am so glad I called. Can’t wait to go back!
GuideThis campground was family friendly, dog friendly, and very clean. About 30 minutes from cedar point. Our only complaint and the reason we’re docking a star is because our site was right next to a giant generator that seems to run 24/7 and sites seemed a little tight. Otherwise we enjoyed this campground very much.
GuideNice campground, lots of sites, old style putt-putt but fun for kids. Well kept up and the staff were very nice to interact with. Close to some of the local attractions and sites. We plan to schedule future trips to Crystal Rock.
ScoutThe good - The staff was very friendly and helpful. The price - we were just staying the night as we were traveling so the price for a primitive tent site was far better than a hotel or Airbnb
The not so good- Bugs were persistent but the smoke from the fire seemed to keep them at bay. The bathrooms were pretty far (compared to other campsites) from the tent area.
The bad -
NOISE!!!! If you are looking for a quiet getaway go somewhere else. The campground is right on a heavily traveled roadway and seemed to be on a major ATV trail as well. The ATV’s were racing up and down the trail as well as just sitting and reving their engines.
Around 8pm someone started shooting a gun VERY CLOSE to the campground. This continued for quite some time. At around 5am some hunting dogs that I assume live on the adjoining property began incessantly howling to the point we packed up and left immediately.
Overall - we weren’t camping for an extended time so this was ok for the price and our purpose. Given the same circumstances, we would not stay here again and would gladly pay more for a reduction in the noise.
LegendNice campground. Tight sites but doable. Kid friendly and in a good location. Very friendly staff/owner.
TravelerEveryone in the office is so polite and courteous, the grounds, office, bathrooms, and showers are spotless, tons of amenities and close to the highway but far enough away for a little hideaway of awesomeness. One of our families favorite campgrounds.
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