Grand Haven Michigan State Park IMPOSSIBLE to Reserve

And that's why we don't camp in State parks. Other reasons:
too noisy
too many drunks

It is the same way here in Wisconsin, Every weekend is all ready booked for the entire summer. So now we just go during the middle of the week, less people and less stress.

Rockwoody wrote:

I have not tried Hoffmaster. Is their easy access to the beach from the campground? I don't like the parking lot feel of Grand Haven, but the access to the beach makes it nice.

We've been to Grand Haven, South Haven, Silver Lake, Ludington, Petoskey, Traverse City, and Mackinaw. All great places.

Yes, the beach is pretty easy to get to. On my last visit, I stayed near the end of the first loop, and it's a 5 minute tops walk along a nice trail to the beach ... Sites 18 through 55 are very close, the trail itself is between sites 34 and 36 if I recall correctly.

Not sure if this map link works: clicky

Do you mind rustic / no hookup camping? Fishermans Island State Park has sites literally on the beach, and it's a wooded setting. There's only a dozen or so, might be difficult to score in the busy seasons.

You said you visited Mackinaw ... do you mean the island or the city? Mackinaw City has Wilderness State Park, another gem IMHO ... I'd say 100 sites on the beach, and several 100 more within walking distance, all with electric and there's a fairly modern shower building on the property too.

It would certainly help if they made the penalty for cancelling a reservation a little more painful. As it is now, the only thing you lose for canceling up until your stay is a $10 charge and $8 reservation fee. Perhaps 50% of your reserved stay. But as the last poster said, I still won't have a chance. Supply and demand!

I have not tried Hoffmaster. Is their easy access to the beach from the campground? I don't like the parking lot feel of Grand Haven, but the access to the beach makes it nice.

We've been to Grand Haven, South Haven, Silver Lake, Ludington, Petoskey, Traverse City, and Mackinaw. All great places.

I feel your pain. It can be impossible to get into some parks. Why? Because they're awesome and everyone wants to go there, it's that simple. Even if someone changes their reservation, another person takes it immediately. You won't see a popular campground like that with empty sites, they're too popular. People complain about "cheating" etc to get a reservation. The problem is supply and demand. Too many people want too few sites. If people stop altering their reservations and only book for the exact days they want, not much will change. There will still be a ton of people complaining they didn't get a site.

I managed to get a site at Assateague island in Maryland this summer, (I think practicing with Michigan state parks gave me skills to get the site..... ok it was probably just luck!) I like how they do their reservations. They open booking for an entire month at a time. All sites for the whole month were gone in a minute, but it prevents anyone really from over booking. You take what you can get. Good and bad with that just like Michigan park system. No system is perfect.

deleted above poster said it all.

chevor wrote:
Sounds like they should charge more and a down payment for a reservation.

You pay for the entire res up front, plus a reservation fee.

They need to make the res non refundable like some other online systems, that'd cut down on the cheaters I'd think. Then again, maybe not. Even $30-35 a night for 14 nights is much less than a motel room on the beach would cost during peak season.

To the Original Poster: Have you looked at Hoffmaster? It's only a few miles fron Grand Haven, and much more park-like rather than parking-lot in the sand like Grand Haven.

I think most all of the more popular State parks in Michigan are this way. Algonac state park on the east side of the state is near impossible to reserve more 5 days in a row. However in that park there are a number of non-reserve-able sites that can work. But you have to take a chance and go there ready to camp and then be lucky enough one is open. If your lucky you can stay the 15 days.

Sounds like they should charge more and a down payment for a reservation.

You have to be quick for some of these parks. Are you trying exactly 6 mo ahead? At 12:01 AM? Also there are those "cheaters" who will reserve a two week block, two weeks ahead of the planned weekend, and then cancel everything but the weekend originally wanted...