Best Glamping near Mentor, OH

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.

This park is one of my favorites in Ohio at this time. Most of the sites are some what private. There are many trails and even a fog park next to the lake.

Stayed on a premium patio site and loved it. The campground and staff were awesome. Level site, great hook ups, awesome WiFi and cable. Clean facilities, 3 lakes (one with a fishing pier), 2 dog parks, and super friendly staff. 30 min to Cleveland. Walmart, gas stations and restaurants within 5 miles. Just off Ohio Turnpike, but can't hear it. Definitely recommend this KOA

Ranger Review: Morsel Spork at West Branch State Park

**Campground Review: **

This state park was very welcome after our first two unlucky Ohio state park experiences. We had no trouble pulling in at 3 pm on a Sunday after Labor Day with no reservations and snagging a very nice spot (Site 50 backs up to Kirwan Reservoir). There are two loops that are on Jay Lake where there is a beach; it was understandable that there weren’t any water view spots that had not been reserved here. A very quiet park that is well-maintained with lots of amenities. Even the rumbling of the nearby trains was on the quiet side! Nice playground with toy stocked sandpit, volleyball net, cheap laundry ($3 per load, wash and dry), dishwashing sinks, showers, and clean bathrooms. There was even a step stool for kids to be able to reach the sinks. A staffed store(9am-7pm on Sunday, 11am-7pm Monday– Thursday and 9 am– 8:30 pm on Saturday) with basic supplies and, of course, t-shirts and sweatshirts. Some of the sites have a slight grade so be cautious when selecting. Many trees that provide separation between sites. Several short hiking trails. A side note: I only saw one non-Ohio license plate besides ours in the entire park, almost like it is an Ohio secret (not anymore!)

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**Product Review: **

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the opportunity to test products. At this campground, I tested the large  Morsel Spork from Outdoor Element. I have to admit that when I unpacked my box from Outdoor Elements, I was surprised at how LONG our morsel sporks were(we have other sporks that are much shorter so I was expecting these to be a similar size) but then I saw a photo of someone using it with their freeze-dried meal and it was an aha moment! No need to dirty another dish because this mighty spork can reach to the bottom of the pouch with no problem! These sporks are also sturdier than others we have used. The rubber scraper edge is a nice touch – would be great for getting the last delicious bits of meals from the freeze-dried meal pouches and I’m thinking also in glass or plastic containers. A very nice addition to our camping tools.

Booked a one night stay a day ahead of time on Ohio State Park site with full hookup.  when we arrived the site had been given away by staff to move someone from a noisy area.  Gave us the choice of a couple of other electric only sites.  Found one right near the water and couldn't have been happier!  Site 222 was on a cul de sac right across from the water.  Site is probably under water in early year.  Had a Pileated woodpecker visit us within 10 yards.

Can't say how nice Wilma from the park office was.  She was very apologetic and at the end of our stay gave us a gift card to use for another stay.  Both Wilam and the camp host checked on us to make sure we were happy.

Bring your kayaks and bikes.

My friends and I were going to a festival in the Northeast Ohio area. The festival camping was full, so we stayed at this location for a night. The sites are very affordable if split between little people. This very family orientated campground has a gravel road system connecting a ton of camp spots, RV locations, mobile homes, a playground, a swimming lake, and a even a fishing lake. The ground itself is huge, so kids can have fun and run around with other kids in nearby sections of the campgrounds. Overall there are a ton of amenities and very friendly staff. We told the office lady we would be back late at night, and she gave us a special passcode to the gate. That was super kind of her. The land isn’t particularly pretty and the campsite for tent camping are rather close together, but it’s a good location overall for RV’s. I wouldn’t recommend this location if you’re trying to enjoy nature, because sites are pretty close together and certainly not secluded. There are positives for tent campers including water taps, outlets, trash receptacles, bathrooms, and hot showers.

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!

Would have given this site 5 stars but the walk to the site was a bit more of a haul than expected. It was just myself, kids, and pup. So it made setting up camp a bit more work but we enjoyed our stay thoroughly. Its like you have the forest to yourselves out here.

My friends and I decided to stay here for the weekend. Even with the colder weather it was nice and cozy. Plenty of fire wood provided and a short distance away from the gorge to walk. The second night had lots of coyotes around, which is cool but can be dangerous if not careful of course. Coyotes were heard all around the general area. Other than that quiet and the roads close by are unheard. Overall a great experience and definitely recommend for a rustic experience.

First, I’d like to inform everybody reading that the pictures listed here are NOT from this campground. I have reported the pictures to Dyrt as well. This is the absolute worst campground I have ever stayed at. Driving up to the entrance, I would bet my life that this is a junkyard. It is full of rundown and rusty vehicles and trash. We were brought back to our tent site all the way in the back (we were the ONLY tenters and there was only one RV spot rented so obviously locals knew something we didn’t). Staying there was so unsettling due to the trash, lack of amenities, and uncleanliness that we ended up leaving our site at 2am and sleeping at a truck stop. Consider that - we preferred sleeping at a truck stop Ford Focus to staying here. (The pictures I posted were taken from a google review to show you the actual state of the site).

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.

We stayed there with other family members and had a great time.

We always ask for deluxe sites because we travel with 2 dogs and Iust lIke havIng the extra space. This KOA did not let us down.

My 6 year old daughter lived her farm animal dream life for a week! The hosts were so accommodating. My daughter loved the free movie nights under stars, running wild with the goats, and the play grounds and play houses kept her busy for hours! The eggs were delicious, I spent time by the fire, in a hammock, and soaking up the sunshine. It was the rejuvenating experience I needed. I will definitely plan to stay here again!

We tent camp from our motorcycles & this is our favorite camp site! We have camped here 4 times & love the private, wooded site.

June15th site 14. RR's were clean but dated. Lake had a lot of scum. Lots of nice stuff in the area to see but we didn't want to put our kayaks in

We recently spend the weekend at Punderson State Park Campground to visit family.  There is a ton of stuff to do at this park and it is spread out so you do not feel on top of each other.  We stayed at Site 11, this site is on the road with full hook-ups only.  The rest of the part is water and electric.  We enjoyed hiking, biking, kayaking and sharing stories.  There is a beautiful lodge across from the campground that has cabins to rent.  Although we didn't play, there is a 27 hole disc golf course, a regular golf course, archery range and several hiking trails.  This place will be on our list to return.  The only downside was the lake had alot of algae, but this is expected in the heat of summer.

Great for fishing. Crammed and unlevel tent camping. People kept walking through our site to get to the bathroom which was annoying and rude. Few trails for hiking

Been here a few times for day trips first time camping will definitively come back. Pros- lots of sites, lots of flush bathrooms around the camp ground, the bathrooms and shower houses are the older style but have been kept clean the whole weekend, kayaks for rent firewood available to buy. Cons- the sites greatly very on size and flatness so make sure you look at the pictures of the site before you book some are basically the parking pad and a fire ring, some are big and flat some are on a incline. Also most sites have enough trees that hammock camping would not be an issue especially the sites that you park and go back from road about 20 ft with good privacy

Never a dull moment at Punderson! This state park has everything from hiking, to swimming, to archery, to evening talks. Some sites were definitely better suited for RV’s and tents were the minority at the campground. We stayed at one of the primitive sites up the hill, which was perfect for tenting and had excellent drainage (even after getting poured on all night). We were surprised to learned that we also had a little electric box for our site down near our parking spot. Shower houses were spacious, well lit, and clean. AT&T service worked well from the park. Be sure to keep all food in cars or bring your bear cans, as we were approached by a raccoon and I’m sure there is other curious wildlife in the area.

Smallish site with electric only (20 amp!!). There were lots of trails and nature center on site. Bike and boat rentals.

The campground is very pretty- lots of large trees and its pretty quiet. It was easy to bike through the campground. The kids enjoyed the playground.we weren't there long enough to try but you can rent paddle boards and kayaks. It's about a 45 minute drive to cutahoga national park which is quite beautiful. There were lots of mosquitos so be prepared to bring bug spray! There are showers and bathrooms- they weren't overly clean but they did the job.

Beautiful wooded sites with lots to do for the family. It is super hilly so if you’re looking for flat look elsewhere. Cute nature center, nice playground, lots of rentals available, clean beach with nice shallow swimming area. Our site barely had space for our large tent to fit but it all worked out. Make sure you check pictures of the sites to see if they will accommodate your rig/tent.

TL:DR-This is a really nice, well-kept campground, though there may be some noise.

Pros: very clean, well-kept grounds and bathrooms; there's a nice-looking playground, two lakes, trails.

Considerations: the entire time we were here, the wind was 10-15 mph and all of our neighbors were very quiet, friendly, and respectful. So the majority of what we heard was October winds blowing leaves off the trees (nice!!), but the few times the wind died down, or when motorcycles or large trucks were on the highway, the sound came thru loud and clear.

The only other thing I can say that I don't think others did, is that some of the sites, like ours, while more or less level where you'd put an RV, might require going up or down an incline to get to the picnic table. A bit of a problem if you have trouble with knees or hips. ;)