Michigan's Lake Michigan Coast parks

Thanks for all the excellent tips. I didn't mean we don't like Corp or federal parks. We really do. What I meant is that we're not fond of commercial/private RV parks.
Thanks for the info.

Also the views, sunsets, never ending recreation staying in GH SP CG and the area are multi-million dollar features for all and you don't even have to drive your vehicle if you don't want to as there's the very cheap trolley system and a few dozen Harbor Transit busses or use the bike trails or beach walking or a magnificent long extremely popular boardwalk that goes .7 miles to downtown and beyond all the way along and across the river on the paved wide multi-use non motorized system to and thru Spring Lake and over 160 miles of paved excellent bike trails that even go all the way south to Holland too. No slums at all in the entire area of approx 70,000 residents and only 2.9% or less unemployment and safe, virtually crime free, no beggars, and very friendly 24 hours a day for all because it's so family oriented, clean, and caters to visitors and they love it. What more could anyone want for a place to call home for just a few days or forever? Like living and being in a virtual 5 star resort and it's "home" without draining your wallet! Why else do you think so many come here every year after year after year and then their kids do the same when they get older and/or have a family. The so many reasons speak for themselves!

BTW, Sept 16-18th 2016 is the annual Salmon Festival at the waterfront. A huge tent with live entertainment and livations and serving specially prepared varieties of Lake Michigan Salmon meals created by many different local and guest gourmet chefs. At the Municipal Marina. Just one of 7 large festivals here each year and the biggest is the US Coast Guard Festival last week of July till the first Saturday in August and 400K to 500K attend each year from all over the USA. Grand Haven is the original official Coast Guard City USA as was signed into law by the US Congress and the President. The US Coast Guard National Festival has been a yearly event held here for over 90 years now. Incredible non-stop fun and constant events!

Yes it is pavement at GHSP CG as it's right on the soft sand beach but it meets all his other desires and in September the kids are back in school and during the week there are usually a lot of vacancies which means he may have no neighbors on either side during the weekdays. Shade is not needed because it's right on the lake and has constant cooled breezes off the water. We know as we have lived on the lakeshore for 74+ years now. There's just so much to do and see in the area that the van will only be at the CG at night which is what the OP stated. He'd only be staying for a day or two there not 2 weeks!

Weekends are always another story at virtually all lakeshore CG's because they are so incredibly popular. Even Platte River CG and Ludington too is packed in September and most of October especially on weekends until the leaves have turned color and fall. Being long retired, we don't go to lakeshore CGs between Memorial day weekend and Labor Day weekend as we don't want to occupy a campsite that people who work and have vacation time in summer and/or with kids as we can go anytime. There is NO one CG along the lakeshore that meets all his desires and only a few that meet all but one. Hoffmaster SP CG is another that meets well all but one of his desires and it's in the woods and inside the high sand dunes so shade is far more important. It is what it is! It matters not a bit to us where they decide to go.

OP will make their decision and all anyone can do is give some suggestions based on their desires mentioned.

From the kind of camping you enjoy - outdoorsy; privacy, etc. I think you should rule out Grand Haven State Park. It does have a nice beach but the campground is packed in on pavement - like a true parking lot. No shade.

https://www.google.com/search?q=grand+haven+state+park+photos&espv=2&tbm=isch&imgil=HA_rC2dGe0XqBM%253A%253BewIQFShABdNHhM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.cardcow.com%25252F121448%25252Faerial-view-grand-haven-state-park-michigan%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=HA_rC2dGe0XqBM%253A%252CewIQFShABdNHhM%252C_&usg=__v7Y5agTFBDS5OpGJ3DEtYgBQKus%3D&biw=1366&bih=635&ved=0ahUKEwiBxqGH3LDNAhVH-2MKHXt7CjoQyjcINw&ei=astkV4HpOMf2jwP79qnQAw#imgrc=Z8F3MxkMvoK2fM%3A

Yes, Platte River CG at Sleeping Bear NP is superb+ and simply beautiful and so are the bathrooms and the CG. It's one of our favorites and we go there every year. Only approx 140 miles from our home. Loops 1, 2, and 3 have electric and loop 4 doesn't and is mainly for tents and dry camping units but still has the same excellent bathhouse with private showers in the back but they use tokens you buy at the office. 1 token is 50 cents and gives you 5 minutes timer time whether you are running the water or not, so be advised. My nephew was a ranger there for years.

The only drawbacks is there's no waterfalls near and only one in the Lower peninsula but about 200 in the Upper Peninsula. Also no town nearby (about 15 miles away in any direction) to find unique shops/stores/restaurants. The whole Sleeping Bear area is a true destination not just an overnight or a 2 day camping spot because it's so big, very spread our over roughly 45 miles, and so much to see and do. Once there, you don't want to ever leave! The OP asked about State Parks so I didn't include Platte River CG because it's a National Park. There's several thousand CG's in Michigan as Camping, RV'ing, boating, and fishing is a way of life here. 3288 miles of Great Lakes shoreline and over 11,000 inland lakes in Michigan and 53% of the state is still forested. Extremely scenic and beautiful!

In the lower Lake Michigan area you might check out Van Buren State Park just south of South Haven. There are plenty of dune trails and a nice lakeshore. September, as someone stated, may be busy over the weekends, but not during the week. The last weekend (Sept.) at this park is already booked due to a Pumpkin Fest they have every year.

Definitely check out Sleeping Bear Nat'l Lakeshore north of Empire. The Platte River campground (federal) is very nice. There's also a rustic campground (D.H. Day) just south of Glen Arbor that's nice. If you get a chance take M-22 just north of Manistee and follow the lakeshore all the way up to Northport and then back down through Suttons Bay to Traverse City. This is a beautiful drive with several scenic views and stops along the way. There are a few wineries up in that area if you're interested in that.

Up in the northern end of Lake Michigan is Wilderness State Park (west of Mackinaw City). It's very private out there with a nice beach area. It's also a great place to see the stars (very dark).

OP, sounds like having good restrooms and showers are a must for your camping in your van conversion. We are familiar with your van camping as we had a new custom built 1984 Chevy StarCraft Van Conversion for many years and even used it many times for our shorter travel and overnighting or a couple days long trips when we didn't want to take our TC with the truck or our 5th wheel or our Class A MH. We really enjoyed "roughing" it sometimes but at almost 75 and wife being disabled now since 1999, gave the van conversion to our daughter and we use either our TC or the 5th wheel. Sold the MH too a few years ago.

No microwave in our van conversion as we ate most main meals in restaurants or that we'd made at home and took along, However, I did install a 12,000 BTH forced air furnace in the rear of our van with the 20# tank in a hitch mounted rack outside because we like to go in cold weather too. Also had a tall 5 gal capacity flush Porta Potti on the in side behind the driver's captain chair seat. Worked great but still needed a CG with a decent shower. Porta Potti can be dumped anywhere in a toilet so no issues there!

From what you described being your likes, Grand Haven State park, Hoffmaster State Park, Ludington State Park, Petoskey State Park, and Wilderness State Park fits your bill quite well with secondary choices going to Van Buren State Park, Holland State Park (2 units), Muskegon State Park, and Silver Lake State Park and Mears State Park. Other choices too in State parks on Lake Michigan but are lacking in more than one of your mentioned desires. We have camped at every one of these many times and know the parks and the surrounding area too. Actually, have camped in all but 3 of the over 100 Michigan State Parks over the years. We are in our 52nd year of RVing and have lived in Grand Haven all our lives and wouldn't even think about moving as it's fabulous here!

To answer some of your questions: we have an E series Ford Econoline van with a Sportsmobile conversion with minimal conveniences, other than the micro wave (DW insisted on that one). We consider ourselves campers rather than RVer's. And by that I mean we spend minimal time inside the van, basically only to sleep. We do most everything else outside. Enjoy cooking outside, be it over the open fire, a dutch oven or electric griddle. Not fond of RV parks that look like an RV dealers lot. No disrespect, just not our thing. We enjoy being outside and having a little privacy.
Our interests range from enjoying the scenery, beach walks, waterfalls and nature in general. Unique shops, especially of the food variety as well as history related themes.
Hope this helps.

You may as well buy an annual SP entry permit, rather than one for each day.

Silver Lake SP is home to my favorite MI lighhouse... about 2 miles south of the CG, you can drive to it. Ludington SP has a lighthouse also, IIRC about a mile and a half walk (each way) parallel to the shoreline. I also like Leelanau SP (primitive camping) because it's out of the way and quiet, with a couple of nice trails and (you guessed it) a little lighthouse.

If you want beach - Grand Haven State Park -