While this isn’t the most amazing RV parking lot you’ll come across, it does have some of the absolute most amazing waterfront real estate with 850 feet of sweeping views of nearby Rock River (to the west) and Lake Koshkonong (to the east), which is Wisconsin’s second largest lake. Plus, um, there’s the word ‘Bar’ in the name of this campground – so HUGE points for not only ensuring that camping is on equal footing with everyone’s favorite pastime, but EXTRA points for ensuring that the restaurant and bar is actually decent and has such arresting views.
The campground itself is pretty decent size with about 120 individual RV slots, but what I really appreciated most is the layout of this place, which is quite simple and provides decent space for some (not all) areas. Upon entry, you’ll head north towards the lakefront, before noting that the main bar & restaurant is to your immediate left on the other side of the first RV patch (sites #111–117). You’ll see a second RV area also on your left (sites#91– 110) that follow a very simple, short tight loop that wraps around to the front of the restaurant and bar … and come with their own level of noise and traffic. Continuing straight ahead, there will be an area for RV and boat storage, before reaching the heart of the campground where there’s 3 small pods of RV patches (sites #61–72; #47–60; and #36–46 respectively), which in this third bloc, you’ll discover the shower house / restroom facility. Flanked to the west (sites #79–90) and south (sites #73–80) these 3 small pods are completely surrounded by RV’s on all sides. It’s kind of like an RV maze that is somehow impossible to get lost in! At this point, to the right, you’ll find 3 individual lanes with the lakefront row (sites #1–13) of course being the most popular, preceded by a shorter second row (sites #14–20) and then the third road (sites #21–30).
Of course, the prize here at Pettits Lakeview Bar& Campground is the beach itself with unobstructed views of and access to the massive and beautiful Lake Koshkonong. At this point, you’ll come across an actual beachhead with swimming area (and did I mention that there’s bar service here?!) as well as a separate beach picnic area on the other side of the multi-slip pier that you can rock (yes, that was intended) up here from nearby Rock River. And while the front of the property has its own bar & restaurant, make no mistake about it, the REAL attraction is the bar & restaurant back here by the beach. So you read that right - there’s actually not 1, but 2 bars & restaurants here. Back by this second waterfront bar & restaurant, there’s also a separate party room where they have live music and private events. Why would anyone need to leave?!
From an amenities standpoint, the roads are very well appointed with small stone, making it incredibly easy to get around, coupled with fantastic bathroom and shower facilities, as well as all of the basic water, electric (30 / 50 electric amp) and sewage hook-ups. I even love the flip flop RV address holders. Nice and classy, yet evoking a carefree easy vibe all at the same time. The community is warm and inviting and there’s a lot of reasons not to ever leave this place – in fact, I didn’t even come with a boat, yet got invited out every ... single ... day while I was there to crack some brews on the water. Nice.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While the clarity of the lake is quite low, this fishing hole yields some pretty amazing Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye and Catfish; (2) If you have your own watercraft and are looking for some really cool different spots to check out, head on westward towards Rock River where you’ll row for a good few miles before reaching Indianford where you’ll discover a nice little sliver of an island – we stopped here with a blanket and picnic and had an amazing afternoon in the sun; (3) While there’s no shortage of distractions to keep the kiddos busy, if you are looking for a change of scenery for a day, head south to Palmer Park where this aquatic park has a lot to offer from wading pools, picnic areas, waterslides and multiple pools.
Happy Camping!
