Places near Dearborn MI for camping

[Acdii]

I am starting my planning for next years trips. This year I pretty much had to cancel all trips due to a truck that does not tow well, it is being replaced in a week or two so next year I want to make up for lost vacations.

One of the things I want to plan for is a trip to the Henry Ford. While Detroit is not a nice place to stay, much like Chicago, heheh, I would like to find a camp ground close enough so that it is only an hour or so away at the most. It would make for an excellent 4 day weekend trip as it's only about a 6 hour drive for us. We are not the rough and rugged campers, more glampers IYKWIM. So a place with electric and water hookups is preferred. We make due with just electric too on short trips as I always travel wet, I find the trailer very stable with a full or nearly full FWT vs an empty one.

We are also considering the Air Zoo in Portage MI.

[lewisr]

Matt_Colie wrote:
Acdii,

You can do the mid-way trick there are several nice campgrounds in the area of Jackson Mi.

But between the Air Zoo, Gilmore and the HFGV complex as well as plant tours, the start and end of day drives may be a lot. I live in the shadow of the airport (DTW) and when we have done either the Air Zoo or Gilmore, it is a real long day. Jackson will take an hour off those, but add it to the others.

Matt

If you're hitting both in the same trip, as Matt said, Jackson area is probably the best. About an hour to each. Also, Michigan International Speedway is close by. If you're spending more than one day at either place, I'd suggest moving your camp closer to each venue. You'll save an hour + drive time each day.

[Matt_Colie]

Acdii,

You can do the mid-way trick there are several nice campgrounds in the area of Jackson Mi.

But between the Air Zoo, Gilmore and the HFGV complex as well as plant tours, the start and end of day drives may be a lot. I live in the shadow of the airport (DTW) and when we have done either the Air Zoo or Gilmore, it is a real long day. Jackson will take an hour off those, but add it to the others.

Matt

[Acdii]

el.jefe wrote:
We stayed at Detroit Greenfield this summer. It was just ok. Facility was decent, staff not so much. My review is probably still the most recent one on rvparkreviews, so you can check that out for the particulars if you're interested.

The only other one we've stayed at over on that side of the state is Monroe KOA, which we really like, but it's a bit further out from Dearborn. Lots of stuff for kids there, that's why we like it. Again, I think my review is probably the most recent one on rvparkreviews, since we just stayed there a couple weeks ago.

We also love the Air Zoo, been there lots of times.
If you are traveling with kids and looking at both Air Zoo and the Dearborn area, there is also a really great children's museum in Ann Arbor called Ann Arbor Hands On Museum. An Air Zoo family membership gets you in to the hand's on museum (and lots of other children's and science centers nationwide) for free. We make use of that membership a lot for both of those places.

Good idea. My kids are 11 and 13 (daughter turns 13 tomorrow, her Golden birthday, 13 on the 13th). They are almost to that stage of hands on being boring, so will see. They do enjoy museums, airplanes and cars, they were fascinated at the SAC museum and want more. Both places will excite them, especially the plant tour. I live near Belvidere where they make jeeps, and considered that, but we are a Ford family, and I have a brand new, just built F150 sitting at Rouge right now, so only fitting that we visit it next year as the first plant tour to take, and if they like it, will see if the Jeep plant has tours.

[el_jefe1]

We stayed at Detroit Greenfield this summer. It was just ok. Facility was decent, staff not so much. My review is probably still the most recent one on rvparkreviews, so you can check that out for the particulars if you're interested.

The only other one we've stayed at over on that side of the state is Monroe KOA, which we really like, but it's a bit further out from Dearborn. Lots of stuff for kids there, that's why we like it. Again, I think my review is probably the most recent one on rvparkreviews, since we just stayed there a couple weeks ago.

We also love the Air Zoo, been there lots of times.
If you are traveling with kids and looking at both Air Zoo and the Dearborn area, there is also a really great children's museum in Ann Arbor called Ann Arbor Hands On Museum. An Air Zoo family membership gets you in to the hand's on museum (and lots of other children's and science centers nationwide) for free. We make use of that membership a lot for both of those places.

[Acdii]

Matt_Colie wrote:
OK ACDII,

Sit down buckle up and hang on.....

You have lots of choices for camping near the Henry Ford and Greenfield Village. Plan a whole day for each. Wear comfortable shoes and take hats to the village. The museum is only a little more than 18 acres, but the village is 240 but you won't walk it all.

For the camping:
Closest is at Lower Huron Metropark. Kind of expensive for dry sites, but potable and dump are available.
Wayne County Fairground is mostly FHU, but a parking lot that is available when there is no event (not common thing).
Detroit Greenfield is next, an Ex KOA. Shaded and pleasant, but not as available to the highway.
Sterling State Park is a parking lot on the lake and kind of a long drive.
Camp Dearborn is nice, but it is not real close by.
Please read the reviews because I don't camp at these because they are just to close to home.
All three are close to I-94 and so a pretty easy and short trip to HFGV. The farther two take you past the Yankee Air Museum. A good and short stop, but they had a fire a few years back that took most of the collection.

If you are considering the Air Zoo (So named because it used to have a collection of privately owned Grumman Cats) and have any interest in automobile history (yes, there is a lot at HFGV), then you have to plan a stop in Hickory Corners at the Gilmore Car Museum. They do have a dry camp area. Our chapters has hosted a rally there, but I really know mostly that it exists and it not now where it was then. It is at least a whole day killer and there are now three more buildings than when we were last there.

If you are really planning to come this way and would like the help of a native guide, PM me and we can discuss this.

Matt

The Zoo is also on our planner, and we are thinking of finding a camp mid point between Portage and Dearborn so we can hit both places and not break camp to do so. Last year we did something similar in Nebraska, found a camp ground in 15 on our way back from Utah and liked it so much we planned an entire week there. We hit places in Omaha and Lincoln that week including the SAC museum.

Thanks for the offer, will keep it in mind as we plan out our vacations for next year.

As of today my freshly built truck is sitting in the lot at Rouge waiting for the convoy to pick it up and take it home.

[Matt_Colie]

OK ACDII,

Sit down buckle up and hang on.....

You have lots of choices for camping near the Henry Ford and Greenfield Village. Plan a whole day for each. Wear comfortable shoes and take hats to the village. The museum is only a little more than 18 acres, but the village is 240 but you won't walk it all.

For the camping:
Closest is at Lower Huron Metropark. Kind of expensive for dry sites, but potable and dump are available.
Wayne County Fairground is mostly FHU, but a parking lot that is available when there is no event (not common thing).
Detroit Greenfield is next, an Ex KOA. Shaded and pleasant, but not as available to the highway.
Sterling State Park is a parking lot on the lake and kind of a long drive.
Camp Dearborn is nice, but it is not real close by.
Please read the reviews because I don't camp at these because they are just to close to home.
All three are close to I-94 and so a pretty easy and short trip to HFGV. The farther two take you past the Yankee Air Museum. A good and short stop, but they had a fire a few years back that took most of the collection.

If you are considering the Air Zoo (So named because it used to have a collection of privately owned Grumman Cats) and have any interest in automobile history (yes, there is a lot at HFGV), then you have to plan a stop in Hickory Corners at the Gilmore Car Museum. They do have a dry camp area. Our chapters has hosted a rally there, but I really know mostly that it exists and it not now where it was then. It is at least a whole day killer and there are now three more buildings than when we were last there.

If you are really planning to come this way and would like the help of a native guide, PM me and we can discuss this.

Matt

[esyers]

Last year we made the Henry Ford from Sterling State Park in Monroe. The drive in wasn't too bad and the large campsites right on Lake Erie were great.

Several years ago we also stayed at Detroit-Greenfield RV Park in Ypsilanti. As I recall it was about a 30 ride to Henry Ford.

Detroit Greenfield RV Park

Sterling State Park

[Randu]

One of the nicest that is reasonably close is Haas Lake.

Haas Lake http://haaslakepark.com/

[Acdii]

stripit wrote:
Take the time to drive north of Detroit, and stay at the Norhtpoint Shores Rv resort. Here It was about a 40 minute drive to Dearborn and depending on the time of day (rush hour) could be longer or shorter. The park is really nice, beautiful views of the lake and close to shopping. Thats what we did and even with the road construction it was worth the drive.

Looks nice, but also looks like a place for people without kids.

Our upscale adult community has 34 paved sites

[stripit]

Take the time to drive north of Detroit, and stay at the Norhtpoint Shores Rv resort. Here It was about a 40 minute drive to Dearborn and depending on the time of day (rush hour) could be longer or shorter. The park is really nice, beautiful views of the lake and close to shopping. Thats what we did and even with the road construction it was worth the drive.

[theoldwizard1]

SidecarFlip wrote:
I believe you can overnight at Greenfield Village, but no hookups.

Last I recall this was only for "special events". Only open to participants.

Closest is a Walmart. HF allows RV parking during the day.

[doxiemom11]

Check rvparkreviews.com for campgrounds in the area - listed by state, then city and on the left it will show you other campgrounds in that same area within short distances. Sorry, have never stayed on that side of the state. Lived in West MI.

[Tom_Barb]

SidecarFlip wrote:
I believe you can overnight at Greenfield Village, but no hookups.

That's good enough for us, we can arrive with full batteries and empty tanks, and do about 5 days if need be.
Really looking forward to the visit.

[SidecarFlip]

I believe you can overnight at Greenfield Village, but no hookups.