Best Cabin Camping near Lakewood, OH

If you're looking for a quiet place to hang your pole for a weekend, this near-city escape is for you! Less than an hour from downtown Cleveland, and minutes from historic downtowns Wellington and Oberlin, Ohio, is a quiet, wooded retreat with all the amenities.

Fishing, canoeing, and kayaking (rentals and bait available too!) are offered on Findley Lake, as well as a small, uncrowded public beach. Have your own small, non-motorized craft? There is a designated kayak launch at the boat launch area. For day campers, there are numerous sites around this large state park for picnicking and events, bonfire pits and fishing inlets....and bring your frisbees because there is also an extensive frisbee golf course.

The campground consists of several "arms", roads that branch out from the main road, with a good deal of wooded area between for rear site privacy between them. Beware, the sites are close to these roads and quite shallow, but because each road dead ends in a cul de sac, traffic is very light, even when the campground is full, as when we visited. Tall, dense trees surround, deadening sound, which makes the campsites very quiet, and the curve of each "arm" also suggests a more intimate space than the actual site sq footage does. There is a tent only side, with no hookups or electric, where sites are slightly larger and deeper, tucked between treed areas, and the other half of the campground is with hookups, and nearer to the lake, although it is not visible, but accessible by short path. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table, pretty standard. There are openings into the wood behind the "arms" for kids to explore, but beware of poison oak, which is prevalent and can be found along the edge of where the campsites all meet the woods...it didn't creep into the woods much, but watch out anyway if you have an allergy. Our group was able to avoid it.

There is a clearing at the entrance to the campground with a large playground, camp store with pizza and ice, occasional vegetable dealers, farmers market style, set up with carts around outside there as well. And if you forgot anything, have no fear, town is only minutes away. Cabin rental is also available in this area. Pets are welcome leashed.

Overall, it's a spot worth spending some time at. Convenient family fun for all.

As a Dyrt Ranger, I have the opportunity to try out new and fun camp gear and in this case COFFEE! Which could not have been more well received for these quiet mornings by the lakeside. Admittedly, at first I had my reservations. I enjoy a good coffee and am a great lover of my french press. But also admittedly, I hate cleaning it out campside. Nature's Coffee Kettle allows me to forgo the part I hate and keep the pour over we all love. With a wide selection from Columbian, to darker or flavored roasts, and even hot cocoa and teas for those toasty nights, Nature's Coffee Kettle impressed me. It comes in it's own reusable kettle bag, although I felt that, when changing out the coffee packs (refill packs are sold) after the initial use, the coffee was not as potent as the first use...probably because once the water is poured through, the bag doesn't stick together as well, holding the coffee to steep as long. (Refer to video review) Regardless, I enjoyed the ease of use, quality of the coffee and pourability. I was able to make a kettle in the morning, screw the spout lid back on and take it with me to the lake later for refills. Later when we went across country for a trip, I was able to board the plane with it in my carry on, flat, hardly taking up any room, and so convenient for those hiking or packing trips. It was fantastic, and easy as pie...which goes great with coffee, coincidentally...

Relax, breath, and camp. Perfect spot.

This Campground is quiet, full of fun, for families or older people. Beautiful area.
Many pull through lots, with patios. 50. 30. Full hookup, (sewer and Electric) back in, pull through, tent sites, cabins, teepees. Swimming pool, private bathrooms and showers. Fishing lake, swimming lake, trails. Children play areas. Basketball, bad mitten/volleyball, Dog wash, dog parks (2), private fenced dog sites. (2)- pull through site. Golf cart rentals, and seasonal sites that are being updated, but all are decorated nicely, and kept up.
KOA is revamping some of this campground. Work in progress, but awesome stay.

Here's what's great about this campground situated at an easy drive from major cities like Columbus and Cleveland...its scenic, a fully loaded campground with bathhouses, parks, hiking paths, swimming resivoir with boat rental...we highly recommend renting a pontoon for the day and hanging out in the resivoir for swimming and lounging! It's both relaxing and nice to get away from the beach crowd!

Sites are generally larger than many state parks.

Remember that your Golden Buckeye card gets you half off on weekdays.

Disappointed to hear that two of the prime lakefront sites will have cabins built on them in the near future!

Beautiful area for a get away in Ohio. The beach is never too packed. You can take kayaks out and venture off around the shores.

Starting off, everyone from the employees to the other campers were super friendly! My boyfriend and I rented The Park Model Cabin which was sort of a half trailer with a full bathroom and full kitchen. The bed was the only detractor of our trip, as it was mostly springs. We brought our air mattress in for the second night and slept much better. The themed weekends throughout the season are fun and festive and there are a lot of activities to do and participate!

This 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.

Kelleys Island State Park is a small, family friendly campground with a beautiful beach. There are kayak rentals available, many nature trails, and fun things to do in the town as well. Be sure to check out the glacial grooves! You can bring your vehicle over on the ferry, or rent a golf cart when you get there.

My family has camped at West Branch for years, and it makes for a great, quick getaway. Summers can be very crowded, it's always best after the kids go back to school and it cools off a bit. Great swimming, and Nelson Ledges is not to be missed!

West Branch is one of the best-known family campgrounds in NE Ohio. And it's not hard to understand why. Full amenities, clean facilities, and a nice lake round out the picture of a great place to get some family R&R.

Here's what you can expect:

1. It's Busy. 

Like, really busy. Be sure to book early as spots fill up often. Sites are fairly close to each other, but most people seem respectful of space and limits. 

2. It's Accessible.

West Branch is a quick drive from Akron, Canton, Cleveland, and Youngstown - hence the draw. if you live anywhere close, there's no reason NOT to check this place out!  

3. It's Fun (but a bit loud) 

If you're looking for quiet, West Branch might not be the place for you. Since the lake has not real HP limits, you'll hear boats motoring quite a bit throughout the day. 

4. It's got everything :) 

Seriously. There's nothing else you could want. Hiking trails, swimming, a fully stocked office for the essentials you forgot. 

Quick tip: Bring swimsuits. There are plenty of places to swim in the well-kept beaches or off a boat. West Branch is a great family getaway for summer swimming!

We’ve tent camped here several yrs. Haven’t Back our camper in yet but we re waiting for an opening . It’s booked up for a reason . Shower houses are nice and flow hot water when needed. Grounds are clean and well maintained. Beach is small yet clean and nice . Sites are shaded and nice size . Some larger than others. We fished w little luck around boat ramp and shoreline around there . Overall great family get away .

Findley State Park was our family's getaway! Living in Northeast Ohio, you have the "benefits" of a big city, yet you are within a half hour of solitude and good trails.

While there are several fantastic places to camp within an hour of Cleveland...FSP was our "go-to!" It didn't take us long to pack it all up and head out for a quick weekend, weekday or overnight stay.

We have camped at Findley State Park in every season, and each season holds it own beauty. Fall color change is brilliant with its yellow, orange and reds! Winter brings great (yet sporadic) snowfalls...where we have Xcountry skiied and tented (only pit latrines are open at that time). Summer is pleasant and affords dips in the swimming area. Fishing is superb...and wildlife is abundant.

The trail system is very well maintained and marked. It makes for great daily hikes and enjoyable trail-riding. They do offer a challenging mountainbike trail...but be forewarned...it is not for the beginner.

Peak times and holidays are super busy...and wall-to-wall campers and people. Weekdays are usually sparse...and shoulder season weekdays you'll have the park to yourself.

What I enjoyed most was the flat water paddling. Here, even if it was busy, you can escape the crowds and enjoy nature. If you get the itch to go, check out: http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/findley for all the details.

Beautiful scenery. Located right on the water, with beautiful views of Lake Erie. Well maintained campground, although the bathrooms had limited number of toilets. I usually had to wait to get a stall. You can rent a golf cart, but I took my bicycle and everything was a short ride away. It’s a very quiet island; especially during the week, which is when I went. If you want more shopping and nightlife, consider Put-in-Bay. But Kelley’s Island is a perfect quiet getaway.

Jellystone Akron-Canton was a nice place. My mom wanted to go there because she thought the kids would like it more with all the activities. It was my family with 3 kids aged 11-13, my sister's family with kids aged 5-15, my parents, my adult daughter and her 3yo son, and my brother. You are only permitted one tent per site or there's an additional $15/night charge. They did not charge us for our additional tent which we decided to pop for the kids after night one.As a camper you get a wristband. The wristband gets you access to the mini golf and pool. This campground has a really nice mini golf course! It's free for campers but the public can come and pay to play. Crowds weren't an issue at the mini golf while we were there. The pool was busy. Many poolgoers were public payers. The pool hours were only 11a-7p. It would be nice if they would close the pool to the public a few hours of the day to allow campers exclusive access. There are lifeguards and hourly swimmer breaks. The pool seemed clean.

They have an activity barn where you can make diff crafts (a fee for the nicer ones of course). Our kids did a few of the included crafts and seemed to enjoy them. It would be helpful if the craft options were made more clear, with costs and an example of the finished product.

There were daily activity offerings (rides around the park on a wagon, a firetruck ride, yogi bear visits, food truck Fridays, bingo, daily flag raising, scavenger hunts, etc. - check their website https://akroncantonjellystone.com for schedules. I HIGHLY recommend you download the CampersApp (park code YOGIAC) if you decide to stay here -or any park that utilizes it- because it gives you reminders and updates of what's going on, weather, pay per use services (firewood, ice, etc). It is easy to lose track of time and miss something you wanted to do and this App helps you remember. I think our kids would've been just as happy at a state park because they've been raised to appreciate the outdoors but could see how this could be a draw for kids still learning that and needing constant entertainment. Our kids did enjoy many of the offerings here 🙂.

We only tried the nachos from the food counter. However, we had daily ice cream! The ice cream flavors were unique and DELICIOUS and if you go you have to try the raspberry oreo!

You have to buy their firewood and cannot bring your own. The downside of that is that it was waaaay over priced ($6.75 for 6-8 cuts).

We are tent campers for now. The designated tent spots are near a road that can be a little busy (Hoover Ave.) and at night the campground was louder than we're used to but didn't keep us from sleeping. There are quiet hours but they weren't enforced while we were there. There were two groups staying in cabins who were arguing loudly outside and playing loud music. This campground is not in the woods. It's mostly a plot of land, situated beside roadways and field with some trees and a creek, with camper, cabin and tent sites. Part of the reason we liked the tent sites was because they were tree lots next to a creek. There's less of a woodsy wilderness feel for sure so we prefer state park type campgrounds or park like environments for this reason.

In addition to the above, for the kids there's a huge slide (the burlap .....you sit on to slide down was really filthy because it's left out in the elements) a gaga pit, a playground, basketball, human foosball and pedal carts. As a camper you could check out balls for free. I'm not sure why but the pedal carts weren't being used by anyone. We were here a few years ago and my son ended up in a creek on his after sliding off the gravel road.

The cost to stay here is relatively high but if you truly take advantage (and are able to) of all that's offered, it's reasonable.

The shower house was very nice. Updated showers and flush toilets. There were also sporadic bathrooms around the campground.

The workers seemed friendly enough. Other campers seemed grumpy. We did get a huge storm the first night we were there so maybe that upset them?

So, if you're camping with kids or like to play unlimited mini golf, eat delicious ice cream or swim in a pool while you camp, I highly recommend this place. Otherwise, it's mediocre at best.

I have been coming up to Kelleys Island for 39yrs and this year really tested my happiness. The campground has gone through quite a bit of changes over the last couple years and it's not entirely for the better. We stayed on the water front site directly next to the trail for the public beach. I do not recommend this site unless you want everyone to walk through the site at any time all day long. People do not respect quiet hours and leave their porch lights on in the cabins that now sit on the water front. There used to be VIPs that cleaned the park everyday and maintained everything. Not anymore and the park seems a little less friendly now. Golf carts are or were prohibited from entering the campground but now drive around the park all day long creating quite the ruckus and disturbing the beauty of nature. The bathrooms did get an upgrade of fixtures and super bright LED lights, but they took out the ADA accessible showers that had detachable shower heads and a bench to sit on in the shower. This beautiful well kept secret feels a lot like it's sister island Put-in-Bay now with all the rules stripped no care for the environment with partying all day. We did however have beautiful weather the entire time we were there. The site was clean but we noticed a lot of trees had been lost over the years and our camper sat in full sun all day long. They have replanted a tree that will cover the parking pad with shade in probably 10 years. The stairs to get to the public beach we decaying railroad ties that need some TLC but work. The dumpstation has moved to back of the campground by the old pet section which is nice and keeps the noise away from the rest of the park. They also stripped the Ranger program and no longer offer education hikes, movie nights, island history hikes, or the nature program. These were all favorites of mine as a child and made me appreciate the island more.

A busy family oriented campground with lots to do. Beaches, trails, biking, kayaking, and exploring the glacial grooves kept our family busy over our three night tent stay. While the campground does allow pets, they are restricted to specific sites and can use only one of the swimming beaches. Bathrooms were clean considering heavy traffic and showers were warm. The island itself provides loads of entertainment at a minimal price making the 20 minute ferry trip (about $100 round trip for our family and car) worth it. Kelly's Island State Park is a great place to stay if you are looking for an active getaway!