Forum Discussion

Garino's avatar
Garino
Explorer
Apr 17, 2015

Between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo MI

Hello, I have a work assignment for several months coming up and rather than a hotel would like to stay in my RV. Looking for a monthly site with metered electric between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo MI. Not wanting to have to move the rig every 14 days.

Thanks for any suggestions in this area, however I would consider a little above or below these two cities on the western side of the state.
  • Hidden Ridge RV Resort is very nice and would be a great option for you.

    It's right off exit 59 on US-131. Very convenient to the highway and they do have metered sites.

    If you enjoy casinos there is one just two miles up the highway.
  • Depending on whether the OP will be working on the east side or the west side of US-131 between GR and Kalamazoo may render one of the many CG's on either side even 25 miles away.

    For the OP,

    It's much cooler in the summer near Lake Michigan by 5 to 15 degrees normally than the US-131 area. So much so that A/C is seldom needed or used along Lake Michigan as the cooled air from crossing the 100 mile wide cooler than the air water creates natural A/C and always a breeze. Nothing to stop the natural air flow over the water. Being from South Carolina he knows how important that is!

    We live on the lakeshore and have for 73 years and won't move away as we haven't even turned on our A/C once in the last 10+ years as open windows is perfect and so quiet. Don't know if it still works and don't care! The normal daily temps in summer near (10 miles or so) the Lake Michigan Shoreline averages 80 and sunny for a high and 60 for a low and a lot less humid that inland. What more could you ask but the CG sites reserve very fast and most are already gone.
  • Hidden Ridge would be the nicest IMHO. Wood Chip would be a Basic CG and probably less costly. I guess that I never camped that close to home.

    Forgot to mention that the Allegan County Fairgrounds has some sites
  • Many of the parks listed for Grand Rapids in the Good Sam directory are 20+ miles away to the north, west, east. There are a few to the south, which would be the area you are looking for. No personal experience with something between GR and Kazoo, as we always went and hour or more north of GR.
  • Wood chip in Byron center. Hidden ridge. The only 2 I would consider
  • The Trailer Life Directory shows a Good Sam park in Dorr, MI called Hungry Horse Campground just south of Grand Rapids. Never stayed there however.
  • Well, wanting to stay on one site for over 14 days eliminates the State Parks as they have a 14 day limit per stay. You'll most likely need one of the private CG for a several months stay. At least 25 of them in the GR area.

    I live on Lake Michigan approx 32 miles west of Grand Rapids and go to GR often. Google lists the Grand Rapids close alone as having 19 CGs and that's about half of less of the total in the local GR area as I know many more that are not on the list. Grand Rapids metro area has 1,040,000 population and is a very nice large city and an excellent very clean modern downtown with tall buildings over 30+ stories high as so much to do in the area. Excellent shopping, eating/dining, entertainment unless you will be working 24/7.

    Kalamazoo area has a lot of CG's also. A Google quick check showed more than 10. Kalamazoo metro population is approx 330,000. Good city but not as nice as GR. Roughly 50 miles from GR to Kalamazoo.

    One huge CG/resort to check is Sandy Pines approx 6 miles west of Wayland, MI (approx 20 miles south of downtown GR). Over 800 acres and they offer seasonal sites. It huge with about everything you can imagine for attributes and has it's own large sand bottom very clean lake with beachsand beaches too. Anywhere in West Michigan will fill up fast so don't delay as RV'ing and camping is extremely popular.
  • Try Hidden Ridge near Martin Michigan, nice place but I don't know if they have meters.