Henry Ford Museum

[RonR2440]

We are planning to visit the Dearborn, MI Henry Ford Museum this July. Are there any campgrounds in the area you recommend staying at? We have a 32' Class C, 30 amp. Thanks ahead of time for your comments.

[Matt_Colie]

RonR,

I know nice things have been said about both Harbor Town and Sterling SP, but both are south of HFGV and you do not want to go that way with the major route that way torn up.

Really, if you would like a native guide to the area, PM me and we can talk with less noise.

Matt

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

drsteve wrote:
Henry Ford was an obsessive collector--the museum has everything from cars to steam engines to early electronics to household gadgets from 100 years ago to airplanes. The place is absolutely amazing and takes a minimum of a full day to see, not even counting the village itself, which takes at least another day.

Probably the best old car museum is Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan.

+1 on that. The Gilmore has more old cars than you'd believe, including the oldest car known, steam powered cars, muscle cars, the biggest collection of Lincolns you ever saw, and more. Many are on loan from other collections.

The best time to hit the Gilmore is on the summer weekends when they have car shows where a few hundred private owners bring their personal vehicles, park them in a huge field, and everyone sits around in lawn chairs while spectators wander around looking at the amazing variety of antiques and hot rods. If you like old cars, hot rods, and muscle cars, it's not to be missed.

🙂 Hi, we went to the Ford museum, Greenfield village, Ford factory tour, Gilmore museum and the outside (private owner) car show. Perfect timing for us.

[dkreuzen]

We also stayed at Harbortown RV Resort in Monroe for visiting The Henry Ford. Very nice.

[drsteve]

Henry Ford was an obsessive collector--the museum has everything from cars to steam engines to early electronics to household gadgets from 100 years ago to airplanes. The place is absolutely amazing and takes a minimum of a full day to see, not even counting the village itself, which takes at least another day.

Probably the best old car museum is Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan.

+1 on that. The Gilmore has more old cars than you'd believe, including the oldest car known, steam powered cars, muscle cars, the biggest collection of Lincolns you ever saw, and more. Many are on loan from other collections.

The best time to hit the Gilmore is on the summer weekends when they have car shows where a few hundred private owners bring their personal vehicles, park them in a huge field, and everyone sits around in lawn chairs while spectators wander around looking at the amazing variety of antiques and hot rods. If you like old cars, hot rods, and muscle cars, it's not to be missed.

[DownTheAvenue]

Triker33 wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
There's another auto museum in Auburn, IN that you might find interesting. It's the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. It's about 2.5 hours from Dearborn. If you like old cars it's worth a visit.

The Henry Ford Museum is not about old cars!

I seen a lot of old cars in the Ford Museum when I was there last summer. They were in a big section of the Museum. If they were taken out I probably wouldn't have gone to go see it.

The Auburn has many more older cars then Ford.

You are right...there are a lot of old cars there. But the museum interprets the industrial revolution and its impact upon the American experience. If all you saw were the old cars, then you missed the whole point of the museum! Probably the best old car museum is Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan.

[drsteve]

Rangerman40 wrote:
Detroit Greenfield in Ypsilanti felt a little ghetto-y to me.

They call it Ypsitucky for a reason...

[mnm_2]

We stayed at Harbor Town about 30 minutes south of The Henry Ford,it was a very well kept resort

[Rangerman40]

Detroit Greenfield in Ypsilanti felt a little ghetto-y to me. I got put in the woods between two permanent sites that were complete trash. The field looked to be a better location, and all weekend warrior types. The wooded area was full of permanent sites that were seriously lacking in maintenance.

[Supercharged]

RonR2440 wrote:
We are planning to visit the Dearborn, MI Henry Ford Museum this July. Are there any campgrounds in the area you recommend staying at? We have a 32' Class C, 30 amp. Thanks ahead of time for your comments.

Last year we stayed at a fair gounds about 20 miles away. For got the name, $25 . 30, 50 amps.
Showers the rest not much.

[sch911]

I would use: Wayne County Fairgrounds CG even the locals haven't found out about this little gem...

[Matt_Colie]

Ron,

A local guide here. We don't camp when we go to The Henry Ford, we are a little long on walking distance.

There are three campgrounds that I might consider:
Wayne County Fairground is closest. Pretty much treeless. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. It is typical fairground but some is FHU (maybe all by now). 19 miles

Detroit Greenfield was a KOA once, and it is a prettier place. Largely shaded. 24 miles

Camp Dearborn is very nice, but the trees in the newer sections are not mature. Camp Dearborn is allied with the Henry Ford and did offer discounted tickets. 38 miles

Parking a coach at the museum/village is no small feat. I also suggest that you get on their website and decide what you want to do. Even if you plan a day in the museum and another in the village, you will be running on overload much of the time. I still am and I used to volunteer there.

As you will be coming in from the West, I hope you will use I-94 as I-80 in Ohio is a toll road.

Have GasBuddy running, you will probably want to fuel up in Indiana (Portage area) because fuel is more expensive in Michigan.

Are you auto or aircraft museum people? Because if you are, from I-94 you will be in striking of both the Kalamazoo Air Zoo (used to be a collection of Grumman Cats) is a great stop. A good bit farther off the highway is the Gilmore. This is a place that defies description as the collection is amazing. It is in many buildings and requires a lot of walking. The do have a dry camp area, but I do not know the cost as it in our "we might as well go home" range.

If you have questions, I'm here a lot and I do try to read private messages.

Matt

[Triker33]

DownTheAvenue wrote:

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
There's another auto museum in Auburn, IN that you might find interesting. It's the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. It's about 2.5 hours from Dearborn. If you like old cars it's worth a visit.

The Henry Ford Museum is not about old cars!

I seen a lot of old cars in the Ford Museum when I was there last summer. They were in a big section of the Museum. If they were taken out I probably wouldn't have gone to go see it.

The Auburn has many more older cars then Ford.

[theoldwizard1]

Nothing really "close". Those referenced are at least 50 minutes away and rush hour traffic can make it much worse. There are some Walmart stores close in, but you should call and find out if they allowed overnight parking. Might be against city policy.

If you are there in summer, you can spend a whole day at the museum and another whole day at Greenfield Village. This is also where the Ford Rouge Factory Tour starts and they have a Imax there also.

[DownTheAvenue]

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
There's another auto museum in Auburn, IN that you might find interesting. It's the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. It's about 2.5 hours from Dearborn. If you like old cars it's worth a visit.

The Henry Ford Museum is not about old cars!