East Harbor State Park Campground, near Lakeside Marblehead, Ohio, is a lively destination that caters to families and outdoor lovers alike. With a variety of sites for tents, RVs, and even cabins, you’ll find a comfortable place to set up camp and enjoy the great outdoors.

The campground is equipped with essential amenities like clean showers, restrooms, and picnic tables, making it easy to settle in. Many visitors have highlighted the well-maintained facilities, with one camper noting, “The bathhouse is very clean and well maintained.” Fire pits are available for those cozy evenings, and you can even bring your pets along for the adventure.

If you’re looking to explore, you’re in luck! The campground is just a short drive from the beautiful shores of Lake Erie, where you can enjoy swimming, fishing, or simply soaking up the sun. Plus, Cedar Point Amusement Park is nearby, offering thrills for those seeking a bit of excitement. Just keep in mind that the campground can get busy, especially during peak season, so plan accordingly. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, East Harbor State Park Campground has plenty to offer for a memorable getaway.

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.

East Harbor State Park Campground

Looking for the best campgrounds near Kelleys Island, OH? Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Kelleys Island. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Kelleys Island. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.

Kelleys Island

The Best Camping Near Kelleys Island, Ohio

We love this campground because of its amenities and availability. It's so large, we can usually get a weekend space for either tent or RV with only a couple weeks notice, even in summer.  There's obviously, the beach - but also playgrounds, multiple shower/bathhouses and pavilions, and a camp store.  We also like the cul de sac set up of the electric site layout.  It allows for a lot more "good sites". There's a marina, restaurants and boat launches as well as rental spots all near there.  At only a couple miles from the islands, you can also take a boat over and spend the day there too!  

Great beach campground in Northern Ohio!

It is a nice campground. The sites can be a bit close together but it is well maintained for the most part. We were there in April and they have some new bathroom and laundry facilities that were really nice. They were new and clean and there was even one that was a whole private bathroom with a toilet, sink, shower and a bench. The laundry facilities were clean and they had a nice sink and counter to do dishes as well. This is a great location that is close to the ferries that go to Put-In-Bay and the other Lake Erie Islands and there is also a lot do do in the area without having to go to the islands.

A nice place to camp that is close to the Lake Erie islands. 

I only gave this campground 3 stars due to not being able to swim (beach was closed due to algae/unsafe water)

The park is close enough to visit touristy places during the day, but far enough from the noise to feel relaxed.

Great hiking, wonderful nature center on site with some planned activities to participate in. Camp store is also in close proximity to nature center.

Large end of loop sites, but many sites to choose from!!!!!!

Not too far from tourist areas- far enough away to feel relaxed

this is probably my favorite park in Ohio . it’s always clean people are so friendly and the lake is just beautiful ! 

always a favorite 

We stayed in the D loop which is primitive. There was enough tree coverage to shade our lots. The roads are paved which is convenient for 3 little girls learning to ride their bikes. There are shower houses that are quite clean and convenient. The stores coffee isn't bad either.

LOVE THIS PLACE! 

I enjoy this campground because there are lots of great spots to choose from. I love the ability to walk or bike to the beach. The camp store has all the necessities you may have forgotten. I enjoy walking to the pond at night and flashlight frogs. Typically there are a lot of raccoons so keep your food locked up tight. It is a great place for birding, fishing, boating and close to marblehead lighthouse and the ferries to take you to Kelley's Island and Put In Bay.

Love this campground

We stayed in c70 a clean, electric site with fire pit and pad, mixed RV and tents.nearby flush toilets,hot showers and running water taps, a good base for fishing,kayaking and birding near to Port Clinton,Cedar point and The islands.a designated bike hike lane to and from the beach.Very family friendly lots of bikes, dogs.

Campground next to glacial groove near beach on Lake Erie

A family campground buzzing with kids and families. I have camped in a pop up several times here. It can get very busy and sites are very close with slight shade. Best option is to book sites at the ends of the loops if you have kids. Gives a little more space, more privacy/shade and less traffic. There is also new bathrooms/showers. If you have little kids it’s much easier there as they are private rooms and you can take more of a family shower with more space and a locked door. They have movie night outside and have generous ice cream servings for sale at their camp store. There is a great fishing pond where we caught fish, they even had a tournament and gave out awesome prizes when we were there for the kids.

Camping, fishing and lots of life

clean campground.  plenty of shade. nice shower houses. 

love this place!!

We stayed here the week after Memorial Day so there were empty sites. Our site was shaded with a large grassy area behind it. My kids enjoyed riding their bikes and liked the camp store which served ice cream. Some sections of sites have no shade. We stayed in the B section and those sites had nice shade. The shower house was nice.

Nice campground close to Lake Erie

We have stayed at this park several times. The camp store has lots of items and ice cream. The newer shower facility is great! Weekdays aren't busy but weekends can get very crowded and noisy

overall great park nice beach

Very large camp ground with lots to do. There are wonderful trails throughout and the park is very bike friendly. The beach area where swimming as allowed is in need of some attention but all in all the park is very nice. 

Lovely state park on the lake

1st camping trip this year

This is our go to State Park.  Always clean we live the travels and the beach

Favorite Place

I've been going to EHSP since I was a boy.  My parents would take us to camp or just spend the day at the beach.  Since being an adult I have gone with friends, family and just spouse and me.  I know it will be clean and well-kept with activities for the family.  My wife and I just spent Memorial day weekend here.  Totally enjoyed the park and what it has to offer.  We rented bikes to go out to the beach (what's left of it) and spent a leisurely hour investigating areas we had not seen before like the glacial grooves.  From our campsite it was an easy walk to the bay where the fishing was easy and plentiful.

The campground is split into sections according to amenities.  The oldest part of the park, with the most trees, is non-electric.  This is where the tenters congregate.  Another section has electric only with a small section having full hookups.  Of course, there's also an area for group camping which was well-used.

I have many good memories from this campground and expect to return.

Go-to campground for half century

Lake Erie Fishing

Beautiful campground. Clean. Nice shower houses. Dog friendly.  

My Favorite Place 

The key is site selection at East Harbor...we happened to be in section C which was a newer section of the park.  Section C was nice, though in hot sunny days there is very little shade to protect you.  The other sections of the park have tall shade trees that work out great.  The benefit of C is that there is a very nice newer shower house by the pull through lots, the facility is hard to beat in a state park!

Had a great time!

Nice large campground with many types of sites, we have camped rustic in our tent to our camper. They also do a really nice Halloween weekend for the kids.

Great campground!!

It was a very nice campsite for my friend and I to stay the night. We picked a tent spot near the bathroom and shower. Very clean besides some bugs— but they didn’t bite! Very quiet at night too! 

Pretty

Nice! 

Its very busy! Some sites are super small, and you may not be able to fit a regular sized tent on it.  Find a site along the edges.  A ton of RV's.  Can get a little loud with partiers, so if you want peace and quiet you may need to look elsewhere.

Great campgound on the shores of lake Erie.  Close to cedar point.

This was a very clean park and very large campground. The only negative is your in section c it’s very tight. We had a very wet spring which left some very deep ruts at are camp site and its August and the ruts are still there. And at the dump station the hose that is use to flush black water tank were cut off so flush black water tank was not available. But as big of a campground it is the people were respectful and very friendly. I will go back but camp in sections a or b.

Nice campground 

Beautiful, large state park. Unfortunately the entire beach is literally gone due to lake Erie being roughly 3 feet high (usually a massive beach). The campsites are average size but the park is very clean and family friendly. Being a higher traffic park, a lot of sites had mud with straw from the grass not being able to grow where your camper door is. When booking make sure you check pictures or Google maps. A lot of sites have zero shade and are basically in a large field. We prefer shade and the more private sites. Wifey says the bathrooms were above average (most important for her).

Average...

One 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. 

Lake Erie gem

A 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.

Love this place

Beautiful area. Very clean. Didn’t need laundry facilities but at least they have them. Very easy to park our dualy truck and 43’ Momentum 5th wheel in spot B-033. B loop was great for pull through spots. Super cute play grounds all around, one even 10 feet from our site. Friendly campers around however the site were a little close to each for our taste. Lots of tree shade around which made it nice to go for walks in the sun. Would return for sure. 

Beautiful but too cramped for our taste

Campsites are super close to each other, people arrived late and were extremely loud trying to park their campers and fifth wheels, someone decided to turn their generator on at 4:30am. Possibly just a bad weekend to end up here-didn’t end up staying for our whole reservation. 

Disappointing 

Only 6 campers in the entire park.  A nice bike trail leads from the campground to the beach.  The park is very clean and well maintained. In the winter all of the bathrooms and shower houses are closed but a porta potty is available. Also all the water is off except at the check in office there is a hose for potable water.   

There’s lots of wildlife at this park.  We saw lots of deer, squirrels and eagles. 

This park is definitely worth the trip in the off season, but I am not sure it’s for us peak season.  

Quiet in Winter

Last time I came here was in 2019. Words cannot describe how great this camp ground was. The wild life In the area was abundant making hikes in the afternoon great especially near sunset when the deer in the area started to come out. Also watching the sun set and rise on the beach/ swimming area was a great experience. The location of the camp ground puts you right on Lake Erie and close to great locations such as Put in Bay, Kelly’s island and cedar point. 

May-June 2019

East Harbor State Park was a huge park with good amenities, and several places to access the water. They have several fishing areas, a beach, and boat ramps. They also have a huge camping area.

Great location!

Tightly packed sites but people were quiet and respectful. Great for biking around campground and to the beach a mile or so away. Free public beach has a dog beach and a small combed swimming area. The water is shallow, has a sandbar and is good for kids of all ages. Would camp again just to ride bike to the beach!

Great for kids

We stayed for 10 days in September, in a site that was surrounded by a moat and then the pond beyond that. You talk about mosquito haven!! We were so bombarded by mosquitoes that we went to Wal-Mart for 100% deet bug spray and sprayed our clothes, tucked our pants into our socks, wore gloves over sleeves and my dogs were so traumatized that they attack all bugs now regardless of of they are parasites or not. The campsite fit 3 tents comfortably and 2 cars. We had one of the private sites at the end of the lanes of RV sites. During the week, we were the only ones there and had all of the park to ourselves. Come Friday though, the entire park filled up with RVs with lights, music and children screaming. This is a great park for those who love to show off, with different LED lights, extravagant light fixtures and fenced areas for their dogs. We will never go back based on the mosquitoes alone and the fact that we don't like the hustle and bustle of RV life.

RV park, not Campground

We camped here after going to Cedar Point rollercoaster riding for the evening. We came in at about 11pm and it was easy to find our site and hook up to power. The dump took forever because there were tons of people and one malfunctioning dump and one malfunctioning fresh water. But it was the July 4th weekend so…. 

Comfortable spot, friendly host

Unfortunately it rained most of our stay here, so we didn’t get to explore as much as we wanted. It’s an awesome campground with lots of amenities! There is a disc golf course and beach area on the campground. Near it are a water park, lovely farmers market (highly recommend) and a cute little ice cream parlor called purple carrot!
The laundry was some of the cheapest I have found $1 to wash and $1.50 to dry. Clean facilities and great host! Would definitely recommend! 

Lots to see and do!

Just got back from a 2 night mid week break. Huge campground. Friendly staff. Kids everywhere so be careful and drive slow. Not very buggy considering all the water nearby.

BIG State Park

I had to leave early, this place is so crowded and chaotic. The sites with electric hookups are basically one giant, exposed field with no trees. The tent-only non-electric sites are tiny- the size of the parking spot, one picnic table and a 12x12 space for your tent- if that. That's it. I had three other people's tents literally within arm's reach of my small tent. I left early because one tent contained a teenage boy who coughed horribly for 24 hours straight- five feet away from my pillow. 

  

The noise at night NEVER stopped- dogs barking in all directions all through the night, cackling bachelorette parties until sunup, screaming children until 2am and starting back up again at 5am. You name the kind of noise, this campground had it, nonstop day and night. 

  

I'm giving it two stars because the lake is pretty, and there are some nice hiking trails along the water. The huge beach has completely washed away, so people had to cram into the tiny area that's left near the point of the peninsula. 

  

Bathroom cleanliness was below average for a state park, probably because of the crowd. I never saw a ranger or a cleaning person the entire time I was there. 

  

The only time I'd recommend this park is in September, after kids have gone back to school, and during the week only. Unless you want to be crammed into a chaotic party scene, then go ahead, you'll love it.

An RV field

Great campground with a great family interaction. Beware that back in sites aretight to get into.

East harbor 

Very clean. Close to everything you need close to ferry  clean showers camp monitors were friendly  sites are paved. 50/30 amp hookups   Our site was just a standard electric site. They do have  150 full hook up sites or more.  We made our reservations late  we  were not really concerned about water or sewer as we planned to use the camp ground facilities anyway.  Fresh water is available to fill your holding tanks.  Dump stations are easily acceptable as are water filling stations  Big Boopers restaurant is a great place for breakfast lunch or dinner. If you do t feel like cooking it’s about  a 10 min drive.   Campground has very good WiFi.  We have Verizon had very good reception inland and I. The islands.   Bass island is a fun day trip.  Sites were level  left to right. Had a slight pitch front to back.  

East harbor state park 

This is a gem of State Park. 
The sites are clean and flat, plenty of shaded areas for tent campers. Great park to ride bikes and stroll around

East Harbor State Park

We went tent camping for the weekend and really enjoyed it! Many tent sites available and rather spacious sites. The beach was full since it was Labor Day weekend, but clean and shallow for kids to easily play. Clean bathrooms and shower houses and lots of places to ride our bikes. A nice place to stay if you want to take advantage of the lake, Sandusky or the Lake Erie islands.

A great weekend of fun!

Campsites are pretty close to each other.   In the rustic area a group plugged their extension cord into the bathouse and ran it to their site.  Multiple generators running all night long.   We moved to the electric side and our neighbors were about 25 feet away and the site flooded in the rain...  but, it was close to the islands and cedar point. 

Close quarters

Campground is very well organized and maintained.  We were in Section C which seemed newer and didn't have as well developed trees as Sections A and B

East Harbor SP three nights

We tent-camped in well-shaded loop D, which is a non-electric tent area. Loop D is much smaller and more private than the larger non-electric area (loop A). If you're in a camper, then the area next to loop A (loop B)  is your best bet for shade. We loved our stay here. It's a great base camp for exploring the area and the beach is just a short drive. I wish the bathrooms in the non-electric loop were updated,  but they were cleaned on a daily basis. Daily nature programs for kids at the campground 's excellent nature center were great. Take the ferry to Put-in-Bay while you're at East Harbor, or take a road trip to the Mad River &amp; NKP train museum in Bellevue.

Lake Erie travels

Very beautiful but spaces are close together.  I stayed near the playground and the kids were there until late.  Not a quiet campground, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Beautiful but busy

This campground is very large with lots of spots to choose from. The C portion has few trees, but if you choose a spot off one of the south circles, the sites are private. The bathhouse is very clean and well maintained. If you want quiet, it may not be for you because lots of families camp there. Quiet hours were, however, quiet! Trails are wide, grassy, and mowed, great for families who want to walk with children. WiFi is not strong, so don't plan on streaming a movie in the evening. There are plenty of things to do, though. My husband and I had a great time!

Very nice campground

I had made reservations several months ahead of time, drove 6 hours just to get there and find the people in a neighboring site had their stuff into my site. I went to the office and the staff called a camp host to “evaluate” the host then came and told me he could move the fire ring and I could just put my tent there. No! I went back to the site, thinking maybe I could talk to the other people, and a group of them got up and started moving more things clearly into my site and threatening me. I went back to the store, crying asked for a refund. I left. Never did get all my money back. Will never return. 

Just don’t 

Very popular campground, lots of people. Easy drive-up spots, fire pits, clean showers, bathrooms, and a camp shop. Really nice bike/walking bath out to the water.

Has everything you need

Park on the lake and close to many amenities including Cedar Point Amusement Park. Sites are very tightly packed. Park was mostly empty while we were there early in season. We camped at East Harbor State Park in a Motorhome. Sites in our section were back in and would be difficult to back a trailer into a site with a full campground.

Very Cramped in Season

**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.

Photos of East Harbor State Park Campground

Real photos from real campers