Kelleys Island State Park Campground

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.

The park is beautiful! Lake Erie is beautiful! Lots to explore on the island. It was a little costly getting my camper across on the ferry. The staff are amazing. The entire campground is a dead zone. Wouldn’t have been a big deal, but we were there for 2 weeks and my son is home schooled.

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.

Absolutely loved this island and campground. We were coming home from Michigan early because of the weather but weren’t ready to go home. We found a great site on a Sunday and rented a golf cart for $40! Definitely will be back when we can stay longer!

If you have the chance to stay on a lake front site, do it here! My family has been going to Kelleys Island for over 150yrs, and we live it to this day. The sites are the perfect size, with enough parking either at your site or the extended parking lot by the Ranger station. Kids get the most out of this campground, with Ranger learning experiences, theatre on the weekends, and Ranger educational hikes throughout the week. This is my ultimate happy place because the Island is 5 miles by 5 miles, so bicycling is key, there are many trails for bikes and foot traffic. The quarries are beautiful, the history is so amazing. If you vo the last week of July, they usually have a huge festival called, "Islandfest". Which is a must see.

Don’t let the secret get too big but this place is great. Stayed there at the state park for a week tent camping and it’s wonderful. It’s clean and quiet. The facilities are close and clean. The whole island is fun with plenty of hikes and hidden beaches. Make sure to stop by the local restaurants and get some unique drinks and food. The Brandy Alexander is a must have drink,

Nice site on an island in Northern Ohio.

I’ve been taking my son to camp at Kelley’s Island State Park for the past six years and it’s always a great experience. The campground is clean and well maintained with plenty of amenities. Other campers are respectful and quiet: a lot of families. Bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc are welcome and tons of fun on all the paved roads thoughout the camp. There are lots of fun things to do on the island, including mini golf, kayaking, and tooling around on a golf cart. You have to take a ferry to get onto the island, which is also a lot of fun but be prepared to pay upwards of $60 round trip for two people in a car. But it’s totally worth it!!

Lakefront, mature trees, spacious sites and clean shower houses, what more could you ask for? The campground is a close walk to the beach, but having a golf cart makes exploring the island much more enjoyable. The general store has great carts and daily/overnight rates.

We brought out 29 ft TT over on the KI Ferry. Note, some sites have electric (30&50 amp), but not really suited for a camper. We are at site 120 and learned this the hard way after a 10 hour overnight drive. Call first to confirm. While not ideal, we made it work.

Been going here my entire life. Amazing small town feel with cute shops, family activities, world's largest glacier groves, shallow beach and fun history. The park is always clean and we'll kept. A lot of shaded sites and waterfront sites that are right on the water. No city lights and being in the middle of the lake means lots of stars, the sounds of water and being so dark you can barely see. Awesome place to explore. Wifey says the bathrooms were above average (most important for her). HIGHLY recommend going at least once.

6/12/20: Camp store closed for covid. Some stores have early hours but most of the stores in town have normal hours. During the week only one shower house was open, they opened them all in the weekend. Got stuck due to rough waters so we got a free night on the island 😁. Always plan ahead and be flexible when going to an island.

First notes... you have to take a ferry to the camp ground. Kelley’s Island Ferry in Marblehead. It is a few miles to camp ground so if you are renting and don’t bring a vehicle you will want to rent a golf cart. You can bring a car to the island.

The camp ground is away from the downtown(think small) a few restaurants and a general store and market.

Now for the campground. It is great right on Lake Erie. Most space have at least one tree. The tent only area has lots of shade. The bathrooms are relatively clean. The folks who oversee are actively there working on things. Cleaning marking reserved spots. You can reserve a spot ahead and I would absolutely do that during season. The island has space to launch kayaks a boat dock. Plenty of hiking bring your bike to see the whole thing via peddle power. There is a brewery and winery.

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.

Lots to do on an island for 2 nights. Beach with kayaks at campground. Trails, cute downtown with KeyWest island vibe.

If you like boating, camping and drinking, this is the place for you. Never a doll moment on Kelly's island. Nice facilities and great people.

1. it is only about 20 years old and in good repair, clean, well kept, friendly, and close.
2. it has its own beach,
3. it has a boat ramp
4. fishing is great
5. shipwreck diving right around the corner
6. in town bakery is very good

Cute island for a 3 days runaway!

The campgrounds are quite large, and as it was quite late in the season for camping we had a lot of space to ourselves. The campsites are located close to one another, and there is little tree cover between the sites which could potentially make for a less enjoyable experience at busier times of the year. The bathroom has pretty nice showers, though I would recommend showering in the evening (the water runs quite cold in the morning).

Our site looked out across the water which made for quite a different camping experience than my usual, but it was a beautiful experience that I would greatly recommend. The island really has something to offer for everyone, and the ferry ride over is something worth experiencing for those who don't have the opportunity very often.

The campgrounds are located next to some Glacial grooves which were quite interesting to see, and as the island is not very large, you're not far away from everything else either.

Clean facilities, nice shower houses. Store across the street for misc forgotten items. Beach is nice and shallow for kids with a long walkout pier for fishing. About 1.5 miles from downtown.

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!

We reserved 2 sites for 3 families (10 total people). Grounds were clean, well monitored, etc.

sites 75 & 76 have very little shade mid-day and no trees for hammocks.

all around great location for families

We will definitely be going back! Campground is on the lake and is beautiful! So many things to do! The camp is clean, has a playground, and movie night. Bath house is a typical campground bath house. We had a tent site and it was huge! Sites come with fire pit and picnic table. Beach is within walking distance of campsite.

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.

The toughest part is getting there, the ferry is expensive. The part was empty when I went, and the wind off the lake was pretty strong so dress warm.

Ditto Rebecca’s and Sarah’s reviews below. Tent camped for 5 nights. Brought the dog and bicycles-easy island to bicycle on/around. Camp office now had WiFi in/near the office building. Loved being able to hear the waves on the beach even though our spot wasn’t on the beach. Lots of families and retirees. No issues with rowdy folks-quit time was quiet. Had a problem with our car and lots of folks offered assistance.

NO WIFI!! My phone thought we were in Canada which was only a problem because we couldn't connect with our friends in town to make plans.

Bathrooms are ok, mostly clean nothing special. Not a lot of arm room.

Showers were kind of impressing as far as size and constant hot water. pressure was good also. but not cleaned often as stuff was on the floors for days.

To reach Kelley's Island, you have to take the only ferry. Our round trip roundtrip fare for 3 adults and a vehicle was a around $100. It's around 25 mins across to the island. The island has about 500 full time residents. The road that runs up the center of the island, Division Street, starts a little west of the ferry stop and ends at the State Park. There are some small shops, restaurants, miniature golf, ice cream and fudge shops. There are golf cart rentals and lots of bikers and walkers on the island. You could walk the

The state park was beautiful. Filled with boaters, families and RVers. The bathrooms were clean, the park sold firewood and ice. There was an ice cream shop across from the entrance. Our tent spot was level. Quiet hours started at 11 pm. Unfortunately, people ignored it. I kept hoping the camp host would walk around and say something. Someone's car alarm went off at 5 am and the dogs got up and our day started. I would recommend watching the sunrise from the park benches at the water's edge. It was beautiful.

There were places to put your kayaks in as well as a boat launch by the park. People were fishing off the jetting that protects the swimming area.

It will get chilly at night, the sites on the edge of the water were windier. And bring your bug spray. Beautiful island, fun brewery on the island, sites are crowded. I would easily head back.

Camp was well kept, clean, and helpful staff. Our campsite was easy to find and backed in with no problems. Our site was pretty open because it was one on the end in the back of the campgrounds. It was really nice to have a path through the woods and out to the beach, so we weren't far from Lake Erie at all. The campground has a little bay which works out great for having a small boat, jet-ski, and also a small swimming area. We did have one problem when we were camping, the power went out on the entire island for almost three hours. Luckily they are replacing the underwater cables this year (2018). The campground is at the far end of the island so you will have to travel a bit to get around to the different sites and restaurants. Cell service is best downtown, I noticed my phone telling me I was in Canada while at the campgrounds but I was never charged an international fee. I only had it turned on downtown to make a couple phone calls. They have dumping stations that are easy to use and also running water at the station. The island is beautiful and we hope that you can enjoy it! P.S. Check local deals on Groupon or Lake Erie Shores and Islands websites to save a bit on your trip.

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!

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!

The island alone gives this place it's glory and stars! How awesome that we can be in the middle of a thriving metropolis that is Cleveland in the morning, and off some topical Isle without a care in the world by happy hour. Camping here is a great alternative to the overpriced, outdated and dingy hotel options around this tiny town.
That being said, the clientele here is not the best - think middle-aged, Jimmy Buffet groupies on spring break - but again, the location wins out! I will be back again and again!