If you want to explore the beauty of Sylvania, glamping is an excellent option. Glamping near Sylvania is a great way to travel off the beaten path. Find the right glamping site for you with our user-submitted photos, reviews, and tips. These scenic and easy to access Ohio glamping locations are perfect for any adventurer.
Campground closed for renovations starting Nov 2019
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
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.
The Cannaley Treehouse Village is the only public treehouse village in the country, creating an experience that is truly one-of-a-kind. Treehouse Village includes six-, four- and two-person treehouses plus three raised platforms attached to trees for tent and hammock camping.
The treehouses have electricity with heat and air conditioning. There restrooms and shower facilities are nearby.
A large common treehouse available for day uses, a group gathering place around a campfire, connecting boardwalks, a canopy bridge and a crow's nest complete the charming village in the trees.
Treehouse Village Features A six-person treehouse A four-person treehouse (ADA accesible) Two, 2-person treehouses Three tent/hammock platforms for camping in the trees A common treehouse with seating for up to 20 people (day use only; ADA accessible) A crow’s nest A canopy walk linking the common treehouse to the crow's nest Restrooms with showers Common fire pit (wood provided)
Our Sauder Village Campground is a beautiful respite in the heart of rural, Northwest Ohio. Only a brief stroll from the Historic Village, great shopping, bakery, inn and restaurant, you'll find our 87-site campground featuring many amenities.
$30 - $54 / night
Your personal tent resort . . . Whether you are hiking the mile-long trails of Oak Openings, come kayaking on the Maumee river, go biking on the Wabash Cannonball, or you are arriving by car - The Eco Camp is your home in nature. Featuring luxurious and spacious tents for up to four persons, we provide almost everything you need for a worry-free stay. Each of our tents includes a comfortable queen size mattress with sheets & towels, solar chargers for your phones and gadgets, and a charcoal grill - as well as lots of other goodies. To protect you from the rain, your site also includes a dome tent lounge so you can hang out outside without wind, rain, or bugs.
$199 / night
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!
Guide
We rented a yurt as a local weekend escape. Our kids loved the yurt. It was nice with a little mini fridge and 4 double beds. Campground showers and bathrooms are clean. It is one of the only state parks in northwest Ohio, a beautiful little spot nestled in farmland of Ohio. The lake is nice for swimming and there are bike rentals which was fun as well. We did not use it, but there is a dog beach as well. Sites are crowed and close together.
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.
TravelerTents are welcome, as well as big campers. Have a couple of cabins and yurts. A lot of groups camp here. Not a lot of kids activities, no pool, but does have a beach on the lake, canoe and kayak and paddleboaed rentals and trails for hiking. If you want a quiet retreat, this is usually the place.
Guide
Great little campground. I ended up here after not being able to find a site at many other locations and I’m glad I did! I’ve gone back many times and it’s always beautiful and quiet. Also there are many different sites to choose from, on the water views and a yurt for a more romantic cozy experience.
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.
RangerI stayed here with my kids because it was close to home and town. It makes for an easy getaway for a night or two.
It is rustic with just vault toilets. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring.
The lake is not good for swimming as it is very mucky and covered in Lilly pads.
It can fill up quick because it is close to town.
There is a Yurt for rent here as well through the Waterloo Recreation web page.
GuideAs someone who used to live near the area, I frequently tried to get a site in this campground for an easy camping experience without too much hassle. I've only stayed here once, as every other time I've attempted it's been full. I have frequented the areas trails, and they're great.
Sites here are not reservable. I would recommend getting to camp early if it's a busy time of year. It seems that this campground has increased in popularity as the nearby DTE bike trail gains exposure. Nonetheless, this is a great campground close to a few great small towns that offers peacefulness while also being close enough to a great pizza joint to grab a beer or two. If you plan to visit and you have a mountain bike, you must check on the DTE trail conditions and take the trail for a spin.
There is a pit toilet and water available. There is a yurt on the water available for reservations. Many people fish in Green Lake.
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.
TravelerWhile you technically don’t need a reservation, we made our reservations through the DNR website about a month in advance. The campsite was listed as ‘full’ when we arrived, so I was glad we took the extra step.
The sites are generously sized, with room to stretch out. There isn’t much privacy between sites, with a few exceptions, but this campsite is so quiet and well-behaved that it didn’t end up mattering much. The lack of cover between sites gave everyone a nice view of the lake from our tents on our inland sites, which was beautiful.
We had access to 3 different vault toilets, which was a generous amount for the capacity of the campground. We arrived on a Thursday & they were about as clean & tidy as you can ask a vault to be. Generously sized buildings that seemed regularly checked on. Hand sanitizer pumps were installed and full, and toilet paper was always available.
I took one star off for the dense population of ground bees that were in front of all 3 vault toilets, and along the main path to the yurt and water pump. Bees are part of the natural outdoors, but there were dozens of active entrances dug into walking & driving paths. It seemed like a bad combo for both the bees and the campers, cars were often driving over their nests and leaving them agitated. They don’t travel far from their holes though, so we kept a respectful distance and danced around them when they seemed upset.
Overall, we’d absolutely visit this site again. It was a beautiful place to spend our vacation & we enjoyed ourselves a lot over our 4 day stay.
RangerWe like this place a lot. Tucked away in NW Ohio, close to the Michigan & Indiana border.
We were in the north campground. Sites are all level, many very spacious which is unusual for Ohio SPs. No FHUs but don't let that stop you from visiting.
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)
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!
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.
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.
Legend
Really enjoyed this campground for the short amount of time we were in the area visiting family The park and facilities were very clean, sites were well-spaced, there is a nice walking/biking trail, and had full hook-ups. This campground is associated with Historic Sauder Village – a living history destination in northern Ohio. (You can get discount admission to the village if you stay in the campground.) The campground filled up on the weekend but emptied out on Sunday. The RV sites are long, level, and have either 50 amp full hook-up or water and electric only. Tent sites are scattered along the pond which made for a nice view; except, the ridiculous number of geese meant there was poop everywhere along the shoreline and throughout the tent section. Staff does haze the geese but it was not enough to keep them away during the afternoon.
A fee is charged to enter the historic village or you can ask for a “shoppers pass” and visit the stores inside the village. Located on the grounds (and within walking distance of the campground) is a restaurant, bakery, gift shop and hotel (which has an indoor pool, hot tub, and game room campers are allowed to use). The restrooms, laundry, and showers were very clean and relatively new. Other amenities include basketball, shuffleboard, horse shoes, splash pad, volleyball, corn holes, lake for fishing, and free WiFi. There are a couple of covered group picnic areas available for anyone to use which is nice if you have a big group wanting to get together.
The campground is about four miles south of the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/90) which is pretty convenient if you are just passing through and looking for a place to stay overnight. The town of Archbold is pretty small but does have a decent grocery and restaurants. The nearby town of Bryan is larger and has a really funky brewery/restaurant housed an old church (Father Johns).
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.
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.
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.
Ranger
It’s ok needs some updating but some nice sites, clean pool. They are way too strict about guests visiting even just at your site. A bit annoying.
RangerCampsite B6 was large, nice big tree for shade, full hookup and last minute availability on a holiday all great. The downside was the strict enforcement of visitors paying to come. There were zero amenities but she walked the grounds and questioned us making us pay for two friends having dinner with us. It needs some upkeep and no real activities so it felt a bit ridiculous to have that enforcement but overall a decent stay.
ScoutThe campground has roomy lots with shade trees on most. They have a nice pool and pond. The campground is old and restrooms could use updates, but it is clean and family friendly.
ScoutVery poorly maintained, difficult to back into spaces as road is narrow and very large poles in ground that keep you from doing a decent back in. Also very muddy, dirty bathrooms and showers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Sylvania, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Sylvania, OH is Maumee Bay State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 41 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Sylvania, OH?
TheDyrt.com has all 23 glamping camping locations near Sylvania, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
