Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore camping

[Tonijim]

We're planning a mid-August trip to the western shore of lower Michigan, and wonder if folks have a favorite campground(s) in the Sleeping Bear Dunes area also any don't-miss attractions? We're in a 32' Class C with no toad this time.

We would appreciate any suggestions.

Jim

[michigansandzil]

APT wrote:
I can think of two simple changes to the rules to prevent this method. No changing checkin date of a reservation and have to checking by noon the following day following day or whole reservation is canceled/forfeited.

With the state parks it is already a rule that you have to check in by 3pm the following day of your first night or lose the entire reservation. Glad it's 3 and not noon. This 4th of July holiday I wasn't sure exactly what my work schedule would be and I was trying to figure out exactly how fast we'd have to drive and how early we'd have to get up to get there prior to 3 if I didn't get the day off.

The only abuse I have ever witnessed that upset me is when I was camping at Tawas Point over the 4th of July holiday 2 years ago and a group of people from 5 different sites actually booked an entire separate site for their cars! At least if you overbook, 30 days after you make the reservation you change the reservation and someone gets to use the site on the dates you don't need. But booking on a major holiday for extra space for your cars?! That's ridiculous.

[golfknut]

If you enjoy hiking or biking a new 5 1/2 mile section of the paved Heritage Trail opened in the area last Friday.
The trail now runs from the city of Glen Arbor to the dune climb and on to the city of Empire, about 10 miles in length.

We have ridden the original 4 1/2 mile section from Glen Arbor to the dune climb a couple of times and it is beautiful. From the photos I have seen of the newest section it is just as nice.

[APT]

My overbooking is only on the front end which is later canceled such that someone else can use the site. I am only causing someone else from doing exactly the same thing I cam, overbooking to get the subset of days one really wants. The extra $10-18 fees are insignificant in the cost of our vacations - cost of doing business some say. Enough people follow this method for Michigan State Park campgrounds that I don't feel bad using (or as some suggest abusing) the system.

I have camped enough to know that campsite selection can really change the experience. Postage stamp across from the bathroom is very different than outer loop that backs to trees.

I can think of two simple changes to the rules to prevent this method. No changing checkin date of a reservation and have to checking by noon the following day following day or whole reservation is canceled/forfeited.

[bid_time]

jim isham wrote:
Isn't the original reservation cancelled by the computer and then a new reservation made? During that time the site would free to anyone else.
There's also an $18 fee for doing this, an $8 cancellation fee and a $10 new reservation fee.

When the cancelation is done by calling the reservation line the cancellation/re-boooking is handled seamlessly and the site never really comes available. The $18 fee is not a dis-incentive to people that want the holiday week (notice he was going for 4th of July).

[bid_time]

APT wrote:
2gypsies, that is not what I did. I overbooked so that I could get a campsite when I wanted. I changed the reservation between the time of booking and time of original checkin to change the change checkin date so that others could use that site.

Popular campgrounds in Michigan sell out Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend 6 months earlier (and 15 days) within minutes. I have successfully used this process about 50 times. For example this year I an staying at Ludington State Park Sunday June 29-Sunday July 6th. I booked 15 nights last Dec 21 for June 21-July 6. All sites available for checkin on June21 were gone within 30 seconds. So now I call to change my reservation to check in June 29 and someone else gets June 21-June29 morn. My site will be filled each night that I originally booked and cancelled.

So I had two issues with my Plate River reservation. First was the person with whom I spoke did not actually modify my reservation. Second I received no notification that my campsite was canceled due to "no show" a week later. Yes I'm bitter about that experience and my DW will never stay there.

I do agree that overbooking is poor taste. However, the Michigan State Park reservation system is designed in a manor and supply/demand at a point where that is what has to be done. I could think of a couple ways to change the system such that it is not necessary or even possible, but for now that is the reservation situation in Michigan.

I hope Karma bites you in the axe big time, apparently the first Karma wasn't enough to teach you anything.

[jim_isham]

Isn't the original reservation cancelled by the computer and then a new reservation made? During that time the site would free to anyone else.
There's also an $18 fee for doing this, an $8 cancellation fee and a $10 new reservation fee.

[2gypsies1]

michigansandzilla wrote:

2gypsies wrote:
APT: Overbooking to get a site is in very poor taste and then saying they weren't 'nice' because they hadn't contacted you before giving the site away because you overbooked and didn't show. Doesn't it bother you that you're keeping others from getting a site by overbooking? 😞

You've obviously never booked a site in Michigan before at a national or state park. If you don't overbook, you won't get in at all. Not if it's a summer weekend and you want to be remotely close to the water. It is what it is.

We have stayed at many Michigan campgrounds as we lived there for 30 years. We have never overbooked.

We volunteered at Sleeping Bear, Platte River for 9 seasons and I do know how hard it is to get into that park. We've seen kids leaving in tears because they couldn't get a site.

The exact day you overbook someone else is being refused because that site is now 'supposedly' filled. Also, some folks don't even bother to cancel the duplicate reservation and that site sits there until the occupancy period closes then it can be re-sold. In the meantime, someone else would have been happy to have that site.

[travelnutz]

APT,

YEA!

Qoute:

"Yes I'm bitter about that experience and my DW will never stay there."

Now that leaves a site for us or anyone else who really wants to camp at Platte River CG. So good to hear! Thanks...

[APT]

2gypsies, that is not what I did. I overbooked so that I could get a campsite when I wanted. I changed the reservation between the time of booking and time of original checkin to change the change checkin date so that others could use that site.

Popular campgrounds in Michigan sell out Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend 6 months earlier (and 15 days) within minutes. I have successfully used this process about 50 times. For example this year I an staying at Ludington State Park Sunday June 29-Sunday July 6th. I booked 15 nights last Dec 21 for June 21-July 6. All sites available for checkin on June21 were gone within 30 seconds. So now I call to change my reservation to check in June 29 and someone else gets June 21-June29 morn. My site will be filled each night that I originally booked and cancelled.

So I had two issues with my Plate River reservation. First was the person with whom I spoke did not actually modify my reservation. Second I received no notification that my campsite was canceled due to "no show" a week later. Yes I'm bitter about that experience and my DW will never stay there.

I do agree that overbooking is poor taste. However, the Michigan State Park reservation system is designed in a manor and supply/demand at a point where that is what has to be done. I could think of a couple ways to change the system such that it is not necessary or even possible, but for now that is the reservation situation in Michigan.

[michigansandzil]

2gypsies wrote:
APT: Overbooking to get a site is in very poor taste and then saying they weren't 'nice' because they hadn't contacted you before giving the site away because you overbooked and didn't show. Doesn't it bother you that you're keeping others from getting a site by overbooking? 😞

You've obviously never booked a site in Michigan before at a national or state park. If you don't overbook, you won't get in at all. Not if it's a summer weekend and you want to be remotely close to the water. It is what it is.

[2gypsies1]

APT: Overbooking to get a site is in very poor taste and then saying they weren't 'nice' because they hadn't contacted you before giving the site away because you overbooked and didn't show. Doesn't it bother you that you're keeping others from getting a site by overbooking? 😞

[APT]

I had a reservation @ Platte river a few years ago. I overbooked 6 months prior just to get a site and then called later to modify. We showed up after a 6 hour drive 7pm Friday and to find no site available. Well the person I called to modify the reservation did not actually change it. So when we didn't show up for our original checkin they canceled, refunded the credit card, and gave our site away. Some kind of notification would have been nice since they had email and phone contact. After an hour wasted complaining, I called a few private places and found some available. We ended up at Indigo Bluffs. They were most accommodating given our circumstances. We returned last summer and plan to this year as well. I prefer this location, the middle of SBNP. 10 minutes from Glen Arbor, duen climb, Pierce Stocking driving tour, and 5 min to the Empire city beach.

We love the area. Welcome and enjoy!

[slbjw]

You could also try Interlochen State Park. It's a bit of a drive (30 miles) to Sleeping Bear but you can almost always get a site. There is also the advantage of proximity, right across the road, to the famed Interlochen Music Camp. There are scheduled concerts, both free and paid, and if the camp is in session you can walk, wander the campus and enjoy the music from the supremely talented young people in attendance.

[Tonijim]

travelnutz - you're correct, it is Indigo Bluffs RV Resort. Thanks, Jim.