Cabin camping is an amazing way to experience Thiensville, while still enjoying a little rustic luxury. Finding a place to cabin camp near Thiensville is easier than ever. Each cabin offers quick access to one or more of Thiensville's most popular destinations.
When you’re relaxing on the warm, sandy beaches at Kohler–Andrae State Park, gazing across the watery expanse of Lake Michigan, you’re not likely contemplating the area’s nearly two-million-year history. This is when Ice Age glaciers carved out the lake basin and rising and falling water levels dramatically changed the landscape. Soon after, the first Paleo-Indians began inhabiting the area, who hunted mammoths and giant musk ox around the northeastern regions. Moving into the Christian Era, the Hopewell, Chippewa, Potowatomi, and Sauk took turns residing here. Then came European settlers in the 19th century, who had no interest in beachfront property, as it couldn’t be farmed. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that Americans started to value outdoor recreation as a form of relaxation and entertainment. Today, you can enjoy this 1000 acres of sandy beaches, rolling dunes and mixed woods, where you’re more likely to be contemplating the cool breeze what to barbecue for dinner.
For grilling up your tasty burgers, be they beef, beet, or anything in between, Kohler–Andrae State Park offers a large campground with fire rings and picnic tables in each site. There are more than 130 tent and RV sites to choose from, some with electrical hookups. There is also two group tent sites. The campground provides flush restrooms with showers, picnic areas and shelters, a playground, amphitheater, and laundry facilities; a dump station is located nearby. The campground is open year-round, but some amenities may not be available in winter months. Dogs are permitted in the campground and on some trails, but must remain leashed. Campers can access the beach through the picnic area or via a short nature trail. There is also an ADA accessible cabin available to rent. Campsite reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance; seasonal rates are $15–$40/night.
While soaking up the sun and splashing in the lake are the main draw to Kohler–Andrae State Park, there’s much to do. Visit the Sanderling Nature Center at the north end of the park where you can explore interactive exhibits about the area’s natural history, and native flora and fauna. Kids can become Wisconsin Explorers and earn a patch for completing activities. For some paddling fun, you can launch your kayak or paddleboard right from the beach, or for fishing, head over to the fishing pond on the Ancient Shores Trail. And speaking of trails, the park has 8.5 miles of nature paths and hiking trails to explore, many of which are barrier-free. A walk on the aforementioned Ancient Shores Trail reveals where the lakeshore existed more than 5,000 year ago; the Marsh Trail along the Black River is a good place for bird and wildlife watching; and the Dunes Cordwalk explores the park’s dunes, wetlands and white pine forest.
Harrington Beach State Park has more than a mile of beach along Lake Michigan. This 715-acre park also features a white cedar and hardwood swamp, old field grasslands with restored wetland ponds and a scenic limestone quarry lake. Camp, sunbathe, picnic, hike, bird watch, fish or practice astronomy at one of the observatory's monthly public viewings.
Harrington Beach State Park has a family campground, with five walk-in sites, a group campsite, an accessible cabin for people with disabilities and a kayak site.
The park has a 69-unit family campground, including 31 sites with electrical hookups. Each campsite has a campfire ring and a picnic table.
Ottawa Lake’s campground is located in the southern unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest, situated within half an hour’s drive from Milwaukee. Wisconsin campers of all ages love these grounds thanks to lakefront sites, modern facilities, and access to trails for hikers of every experience level. South Kettle Moraine is also home to over 160 miles of trails, including 87 miles open to horse use. Connect to the Ice Age Scenic Trail and various others within the John Muir and Emma Carlin trail systems.
Don’t forget to bring your rods when camping at Ottawa Lake! You’ll want to take full advantage of the boat dock and fishing pier where you can catch panfish, walleye, muskie, trout, bass, and northern pike – then you can grill them up at your campsite. Keep in mind, motorboats are not permitted on this small lake, which allows for peaceful wading and quieter camping all around.
Though Ottawa Lake is open year-round, it is recommended to check the weather in Dousman and Whitewater before planning trips in the colder months, as freezing temperatures and snow are common. Cold-weather campers who are willing to brave the Wisconsin winter will enjoy snowmobile trails, ice fishing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. No matter when you visit, Ottawa Lake will leave you satisfied.
$28 / night
-This is a campground with a lot of kids, so we kindly ask that you please keep pets on a short leash, and leave guard dogs at home with a friend. There is so much to do at Happy Acres! Planned activites Mini-golf Horseshoes Volleyball Basketball Playgrounds Bingo Jumping Pillow Large & Small fishing ponds Swimming pool Tenting area Pedal boat rentals Pavilions Wooded nature trails, and much more!
Just 1 hour north of Milwaukee, and 20 minutes east of Lake Michigan, Plymouth Rock Campground offers RV and tent camping near the Kettle Moraine State Forest and Little Elkhart Lake. This large resort features nearly 700 campsites, including full- and partial-hookup RV sites, group camping sites, and primitive tent sites. There are also standard and deluxe cabins that can accommodate up to eight guests. Most sites are open and sunny, and are equipped with picnic tables and fire rings. There are restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, and recycling stations available. Wifi and cable TV service is available, and golf carts are available to rent. Dogs are welcome, but must remain leashed. Seasonal campsites rates range from $28–$55/night; cabin rates range from $64–$214/night. There is no shortage of fun to be enjoyed at Plymouth Rock, without even leaving the resort. Guests have access to picnic and barbecue areas, playgrounds, swimming pools, game rooms, nature trails, bike paths, sports courts, a dance hall, and mini golf. On weekends, visitors can pick up supplies at the resort’s country store and dine at the onsite restaurant, or enjoy outdoor movies and live entertainment. Boat and canoe rentals are also available on weekends for paddling and fishing on Little Elkhart Lake. The resort also hosts group and family activities, as well as seasonal events including costume parades, charity auctions, and Christmas in July. Nearby attractions include the resort and beaches on Little Elkhart Lake, the Road America Race Track, and hiking in Kettle Moraine State Forest.
Legend
Recently camped here while visiting some family in the Racine area. Was nice and close to them and was a nice place to stay!
Lost of campsites between the two campgrounds. Sunset offered electric or non-electric sites. Shower building, flush toilets, vault toilets, dump station, playground. Firewood sold at the visitor center via a vending machine, card only.
Traveler
Site was spacious but very close to your neighbors. Lots to do in the area. Bathrooms and showers were clean. The beach was not clean and very hard to walk on, very rocky. Electricity on site and water near by. Great trails close by.
Scout
Tried to stay here. Called several times. Left several messages. We were heading that way and decided to stop in and see if they had availability. Pulled in and there was a lady inside the office and it was locked. She gave me an evil look then ignored me. Called twice from the parking lot from inside my rig while staring at the woman. She ignored the call.
Traveler
Great location. It was very quiet, with lots of greenery. The amenities were very clean and well taken care of. The level of seclusion and privacy varied depending on the camp sites.
GuideCampsites are kept up and quite clean. Some have a beautiful view of lake. Some water fountains did not work, however sinks were always working. So many little trails all throughout the campsite. Family friendly (parks, beach, pet friendly)
TravelerIt’s a family friendly and decent campground. Sites are not too secluded, but they’re clean and well taken care of, the facilities weren’t clean, they have volunteer hosts on site for any needs, the lake is beautiful during the sunset, sandy area and playground for kids, car noise is noticeable but not too loud (in the inner camp sites). Few trails around for hiking. They charge an extra $11 for each car’s entry at the gate but you can use the car pass for visiting all the state park’s trails around the area (you need permit for parking at the trailheads). It’s good for family with kids or beginner campers, but not if you’re looking for a relaxing or adventurous time.
LegendAnother beautiful Wisconsin State Park. We’ve stayed in several of these now, and have found them to be consistently well maintained, clean, free showers (this one has a handle where you can actually adjust the temperature), with dumpsters, recycling, and a dump station and water fill.
We paid $40/night for an electric (30amp) site because we needed to run the a/c, but otherwise that’s far too expensive and we’d much rather pay $25 for a non-power site. There’s also the $13/day or $38 annual state park fee (residents pay a few dollars less), which we’re seeing more and more of at state parks now.
Rangers and hosts are super friendly and helpful as well. There are nice trails around the campground, and some of them even allow dogs. Only a portion of the beach allows dogs, so watch for that. Sites vary in levelness and amount of privacy from your neighbor.
There’s also laundry here, such a nice perk for full timers like us! Laundry day at the laundromat is such an unpleasant chore.
ATT had good service and Verizon had weak service.
Traveler
This campground is HUGE! well maintained & beautiful. Bathrooms are extremely clean
ScoutExcelent
Scout
The owner will pinch every cent out of you that he can
Legend
Hiking trails are easy but limited, the views are exquisite with clear blue turquoise water. The attraction is Quarry Lake, no swimming in the quarry but swimming at the beach. Great for families, older folks, excellent hike and camp combo. Recommended.
Legend
A local favorite to hike during the weekend, relax and get back in touch with nature. All seasons have their own beauty and especially here. If you enjoy ooing and ahhing over fall color leaves, mushrooms, native plants and the wonders of nature, hiking here won’t disappoint.
RangerThe campsite itself was nice and peaceful. There is a lot of nature and the recreation area itself is massive. Definitely a nice getaway. The only issue was that generators aren't allowed, so we were kind of suffering in the oppressive heat with no reprieve of the AC in our camper. There aren't many electrical hookups so it's hard to get one of those spots. Apparently no state park in Wisconsin allows generators at any time unless you have a medical need. Kind of a bummer.
TravelerBreathtaking
ScoutThis campground had a lot of seasonal campers. Fairly large sites, problem is getting into them. Our site was downhill so that presented quite the challenge to level out. Aside from the steady flow a golf carts, everything was decent. I feel sorry for the people who use the public showers and restrooms. I felt like I was in a spider exhibit with them being everywhere.
Scout
So much good about this campground! Great management, really great food at the bar & grill. Clean sites, friendly people, great mix of full and part time residents. Holiday weekends get a little crazy, in both good and bad ways. WiFi was great in some areas, Non-existent in others. No cell carrier works well here at all, so non-functional WiFi areas can be a deal-breaker for connected campers unless you get a spot where WiFi is really good. There are several areas of great coverage, the dead spots just need some work. Starlink works in many areas, though the heavily wooded sites will need an elevated “dishy” to make it work. So many amenities. Horseshoes, bags pavilion, craft areas, fantastic pool and water slides, outdoor bar and ice cream shop. Don’t forget the lake and floating obstacle course. Dog park, baseball field, the list goes on.
The dump station lanes need some attention, more than gravel would be great. Andy being honest, there needs to be a few longer term sites with sewer hookups or a reasonable pump out service option.
For the list of pluses at this campground, the nits seem trivial. But those few details would put this location from 4 to 5 stars in a heartbeat if addressed.
GuideI've stayed at Ottawa Lake campground a few times now. Every time I've been here, I've been pleasantly surprised by how well the grounds are maintained despite having relatively high traffic. In addition to having restrooms and showers, they also have laundry facilities. And, they do sell ice cream and marshmallows at the park office.
During warm summer days, you'll find the beach packed with people. At sunset, however, you just might have that beach all to yourself. While there are few trails in the park, you can walk across ZZ to Scuppernong Nature Trail. Or, hop in the car and drive over to Scuppernong Trails, Brady's Rocks, or Paradise Springs.
As for my campsite, I recently stayed in site 377. This site offers a peek-a-boo view of the lake. I was also delighted to find a trail running from the back of the campsite and along the lake. While I was there, I experienced heavy rain for much of the night. I'm happy to report that this site is on high ground with decent drainage. So, no flooding to speak of.
You'll notice I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 for this campground. This is primarily due to noise. On the upside, you'll hear a symphony of crickets at night. On the downside, you'll also hear road noise, slamming car doors, and those few folks who are just a little too loud after dark.
ScoutStaff was polite and helpful. They escort you to your spot. They hand out activity sheets for the weekend. Petting zoo, camp store, pool, lake/pond for swimming and fishing. Cell signal for ATT just one bar. No internet. Lots of full time residents. Lots of activities for kids. Pet friendly. They charge extra if you have visitors.
LegendVery nice campground on Lake MI. This campground has it all-wooded sites, sites in the full sun, Teepee, and large ADA cabin. Laundry, nice nature center. Couple of complaints: 1) bathrooms were cleaned/closed daily from 10 am—11:30- which is the strangest and busiest time for use. Very inconvenient. 2) Both DNR and camp hosts seemed to be over the top policing only 2 cars per site, had to park with at least 2 tires on the asphalt, and they even hassled us about a truck with a tent in the back they considered a “camping unit”-they only allowed 1 “unit” per campsite (we had a small pull behind). In 6 days, we experienced at least 4 visits complaining about a different thing each day. Due to this-4 stars instead of 5. Beach beautiful and sunrises over lake fantastic.
GuideThis is a nice park with very friendly staff and 50 amp power. No water or sewer but does have a dump station. The sites are gravel but very unlevel. To level my 35 foot motor home my rear tires had to come off the ground by at least 6 inches. The sites are bordered by natural grasses and foliage. That provides a feeling of isolation. If not for the unlevel sites I could easily give it 5 stars.
Scout
I bought a new rooftop camper. Thought this would be a good place to try things out. It's only 20 minutes from my house and it was a nice site. The campground is clean, well organized. The restrooms are just fine for a state park. Nothing special. There's a small lake with a beach. Lots of places to have a picnic. When I was there there were quite a few families having large family gatherings in the park. But the campgrounds were your typical state park campground. Not very loud. We will behaving themselves for the most part. Each site seems to be pretty secluded from one another. Wood is available at the front gate as well as ice.
TravelerRiverbend has a lot for everyone. Nice swim pond, great pool, fishing…you name it, it’s probably here. If you want to have fun, this is the place. If you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing type of place, this isn’t. Know it’s fun and people have fun. So enjoy!
ScoutOur stay at Scenic Ridge started strong; the service at check-in was quick and very accommodating. Our group had reserved three sites in the 'T' section of the campground. The nearest restrooms were about a quarter-mile walk from our sites. Some of the stall doors did not lock, paper towels and toilet paper were constantly out, and the hot water must have run out in the showers. There were portable toilets by the playground by our sites, but they looked like they hadn't been emptied or cleaned for months. The absolute worst part of the stay was the golf cart and vehicle traffic that sped past our sites endangering guests and covering us in the dust from the gravel roads. Upon leaving, we were in line at the dump station for about 40 minutes which was frustrating, and the road up to the dump station did not allow for cross traffic. A truck towing a pontoon boat approached to try and squeeze through to turn around and almost hit our vehicle and one of our group members. After honking our horn to try and stop him from colliding with our vehicle, the driver proceeded to get out of his truck and yell and threaten our group. I have been camping my entire life and have never had a worse stay than at Scenic Ridge Campground.
TravelerAll of the campsites were full so it was busy but we liked that each spot still felt separated by trees. We would recommend staying further from the road as there is some road noise but it didn’t really bother us at all. The facilities were well maintained.
Pros: Clean Private Camp Site Good playgrounds Hiking Trails
Cons: Road noise if you’re in the first row
GuideWe mostly enjoyed our trip here over Memorial Day Weekend. It’s not too far away from our home and a nice gear testing first trip.
Pros: Spacious grassy site. This one even had an attached smaller clearing perfect for our 7 year old to use for her own space where we set up a hammock for her.
The campsites feel very private with a thick brush between each site. It’s not a huge campground.
Bathrooms and showers are very cleans and actually closed from 11am-noon each day for complete cleaning.
Gorgeous magnificent trails and right on Lake Michigan. Also a beautiful quarry lake with a trail all the way around and a cute pond full of turtles!
Very nice, completely cleaned fire pits.
Cheap bundle yourself firewood. Cons:
Gorgeous hikes, but short. We prefer more distance.
Maybe because of its proximity to the lake and Milwaukee or perhaps the holiday weekend but this was a louder campground. More of a party vibe than we really look for in state parks. A particular group was extremely loud and kept us up until 4 am the first night. No park ranger on duty. It’s nice when quiet hours are observed.
No trees really on the campground and it is built on and surrounded by wetlands that are actively in restoration. At the height of summer this place is going to be sweltering and full of bugs. The mosquitoes will be especially terrible.
Overall we have and love this park for a day trip but probably won’t return to camp.
GuideFriendly place. Alot of seasonal campers
GuideLots of beautiful things to see
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Thiensville, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Thiensville, WI is Kohler-Andrae State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 44 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 14 cabin camping locations near Thiensville, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
