The Williams Bay camping experience centers around southeastern Wisconsin's Kettle Moraine landscape, shaped by glacial activity from the last ice age. Elevations range from 800-1,200 feet, creating varied topography ideal for hiking and water activities. Most campsites near Williams Bay, Wisconsin operate at full capacity during summer weekends, when temperatures typically range from 70-85°F with moderate humidity.
What to do
Lakeside recreation at Bong State Recreation Area: The park features multiple water activities beyond just swimming. "The Weekend we were here they had a free Kids fishing weekend and John the naturalist was amazing!! There is a ton to do at this park the nature center has activities all weekend long," shares a visitor to Sunrise Campground.
Kayaking access: Several parks offer easy water entry points for paddlers. At Snug Harbor Campground, a camper noted, "Beautiful views overlooking Turtle Lake. Friendly and helpful staff. My husband got stung twice when we went to plug-in our electric. But the staff came out immediately to spray and remove the nest."
Wildlife viewing: The wetland environment supports diverse animal populations. At Richard Bong Recreation Area, one camper explained, "It was pretty hot a couple days while we were there and to take a break from the heat, we enjoyed the ac in the car and drove around the recreation area and the campgrounds. I have seldom seen as many rabbits as we saw."
Spring water exploration: Natural springs provide unique educational opportunities. A visitor to Ottawa Lake Campground shared, "If your in Wisconsin this is a must stay! Beautiful campground (Ottawa Lake campsites) Great Lake, hiking to see the natural springs which is the coolest!! Drank fresh spring water!"
What campers like
Private camping spaces: Many campers value the well-designed site layouts. A visitor to Thomas Woods Campground noted, "This was a well laid out campground, with some sites right on the roads and some buried back in the woods away from everyone (we chose the latter and felt like we had the place to ourselves)."
Clean facilities: Maintained bathrooms receive consistent praise. At Big Foot Beach State Park, campers appreciate the "nice campsite with newer bathrooms and showers" and "Clean bathrooms. Quiet."
Proximity to entertainment: Many campgrounds offer easy access to local attractions. An Elkhorn Campgrounds visitor shared, "Great location to visit Lake Geneva (~8mi.) or see a concert at Alpine Valley (~20 min). There's a shuttle from the campground (outer sites near racetrack.)."
Winter camping options: Unlike many seasonal facilities, some parks remain open year-round. One Ottawa Lake visitor mentioned, "No showers in winter but awesome," showing that off-season camping can provide different but still enjoyable experiences.
What you should know
Highway noise: Some campgrounds experience traffic sounds. At Honeysuckle Hollow, campers need to "avoid the first 2 sites from either end as the ones closest to the main loop aren't very deep. Closer to the center of this row is best."
Site selection matters: Campground layouts vary significantly. At Richard Bong Recreation Area, "What drew me to this campground was how private the individual sites were. Each campsite is cut back into the trees so that most are at least semi-private."
Pest management: Insects can be problematic in certain areas. As one camper at Honeysuckle Hollow warned, "SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks... they literally fall out of the trees into people!"
Electrical limitations: Some parks have aging infrastructure. One visitor to Rock Cut State Park reported issues where "the electricity wasn't working. It was 93° on a Saturday. We called the Rangers and asked them to look at our site breaker since it kept tripping."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Choose sites near recreational areas for convenience. At Honeysuckle Hollow, one family recommended "the loop 11 was on because it was close to the path to the playgrounds and lakes plus bathrooms."
Nature programs: Take advantage of educational opportunities. At Richard Bong Recreation Area, "the nature center has activities all weekend long" making it ideal for families seeking structured outdoor learning.
Food storage precautions: Wildlife can disrupt camping experiences. A Honeysuckle Hollow camper warned, "The raccoons at night here are no joke. The second it's dusky, they come scavenging for absolutely anything food has touched."
Swimming options: Water features vary significantly by location. At Rock Cut State Park, one reviewer noted "a nice lake with a few marina slips. There are wonderful water toys at a beach with a pier," while others mentioned, "The beach area is closed, so no swimming is available."
Tips from RVers
Site dimensions: Verify space availability before booking. At Big Foot Beach, "Nice large sites. gravel spot for arc/trailer. fire pit and picnic table. trails for hiking are nice, but the overall camping area isn't very big. 100 sites only. 30 with electric."
Utility access distance: Check hookup proximity to your pad. At Honeysuckle Hollow, "These sites share an electric box. Some spaces the box is further than 30 feet from the pad... We originally booked 96 but could not extend our slide because of large trees on either side of the pad."
Camp store provisions: Several campgrounds offer on-site supplies. At Richard Bong Recreation Area, "There is a camp store in the middle of Rock Cut SP that offers up ice, firewood, ice cream, snacks, games, limited groceries and a number of other sundries you might need while camping."
Dumping facilities: Plan for departure logistics. At Rock Cut, "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."
