Traveling to Michigan/Wisconsin from Georgia

[Storm_12]

I am taking my family on rv trip to Michigan, Wisconsin from Georgia this summer. I will be in a 32 foot motor home pulling a jeep. We are looking at Traverse City, Mackinac Island, the locks, dunes and travel to Wisconsin. Any camp grounds recommended? I see state parks in Michigan have not water hook ups. Any help would be appreciated.

[Veebyes]

If SPs are the preference you had better get a move on for reservations, particularly for weekends. The most popular CGs are probably already booked for weekends but there may be a few mid week sites left. We will be in the area through most of June & the pickins were slim a month ago when we decided we had better make reservations. Normally we do not make reservations. We only have a few midweek gaps where we will wing it for one nighters. There is always a Walmart down the road aways.

Better chances at the private CGs. Much more $ too but with the private CGs come the amenities like FHU.

[Woodswalker]

If you are going to stay in Traverse City, you wil enjoy sightseeing from there. Make sure you see the sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore like you said. Another place I suggest you try is Millcreek Campground near Mackinaw City. If you book in early you might be able to get a waterfront site right in the Straits overlooking Mackinac Island and the Bridge. Plan no less than two days at Mackinaw, one for the island and one for around Mackinaw City. Lots to see and do there. From there go north to the assault and stay at Aune Osborn park, east of the City. Take a Tour boat through the locks, go up in Shrine of the Missionary Tower etc. then on to Taquahmenon Falls. One day is enough there and you can move on to Pictured Rocks from there. There are two campgrounds near Muninsing, neither really spectacular, the tourist park west of town is planning up grades but you are going to be out and about anyway. There's so much to see and do in the U.P, it's hard to get it all. M28 will take you across through some beautiful areas. Also make sure you do the Porkcupine Mts.

As to water issues at state parks. Fil your water tanks at thecdump station when you arrive. Those of us who camp state parks are used to being carful with water. Parks have nice toilet/shower buildings, use them during the day. Kids can brush teeth, wash hands etc. and use bathrooms instead of yours. Plus you are going to be gone most of the time anyway. I carry some milk jugs along and many times will go get hot water from the bathrooms to wash dishes etc. Saves both my water and propane as well. It's surprising what little tricks you learn. Have fun.

[APT]

I would plan for private campgrounds. Many of the state and national parks are booked solid Memorial Day through Labor Day already. That said, with a MH and toad, you can still enjoy all the beauty Michigan has to offer.


We have stayed at Indigo Bluffs twice after Plate River Campground screwed up my reservation. It's location is more central to Sleeping Bear NP and offers full hookups. We really enjoy that campground despite our preference towards state parks.

[Woodswalker]

I'm from Michigan and camp the U.P. all the time. Traverse City State park is in a busy area as said above, depends on what you want to do. There are a number of private campgrounds around there as well. Otsego Lake State Park by Gaylord is a favorite of mine too. Nice wide sites, mile of sandy beach and central to going in any direction. I could give you information on just about any state park in the norther lower and upper. Brimley is nice, Aune Osborn at Sault Ste. Marie is good also. Going across the U.P. Depending on whether or not you take U.S. 2 or M`28, there are not as many campgrounds But that's okay as you can drive that in a day. But I would really recommend that you take M-28 across as there is some spectacular scenery along the way especially between Munising and Marquette. A nice campground is to be had on Lake Superor in Grand Marais, which is at the eastern end of the Pictures Rocks National Lakeshore. Be sure to take the Pictured Rocks Boat Tour, it is an awesome trip.
My favorite U.P. campground are all state parks. Favorites are Fayette Historical State Park, near Garden (19 miles off U.S. 2), Indian Lake State ParkBig Springs from that one. Van Riper State Park 30 miles west of Marquette, there is also a private campground there called Michigamme Shores, Both are on Lake MIchigamme, a very large lake. Up in the Keewenaw Peninsula, Copper Harbor and Ft. Wilkins State Park are great as is the Porcupine Mts. State Park in the western end of the U.P. Lots of waterfalls and sightseeing there. Michigan State Parks do book up early, especially those in the lower part of the state. Go to MIDNR Reservations and you can get into the parks reservation system. There are pictures of each site in an individual park. You can also park information by just putting the name of the park into your search engine. Out of state park passes are $30 but you will more than repay that back by the time you are done. And yes, no hookups, but electricity and dump stations, bathhouses with showers etc. Us Michiganders camp that way all the time. Unless you are staying put for an entire week, you have enough water on board and room in your holding tanks for a few days stay. Just use the public restrooms during the day and yours at night.

[mabel]

I would recommend Platte River national park, in the sleeping bear national park. Beautiful park and area. Fills fast, but there are private campgrounds nearby also.

[michigansandzil]

Storm 12 wrote:
I went ahead and booked the 4 days traverse city state park. The road and air port doesn't bother me because we will be taking plenty of day trips to the dunes,city etc. Then we will be on to mackinac island , locks then pictured rocks. The only concern I have is no water.

It is reasonable to day trip from Traverse to Sleeping Bear. It's about 45 minutes away, no traffic. We did that a few years ago and it worked out nicely. Stop by Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor for free samples of everything cherry.

Not sure what your family make-up is, but I recommend the all in one ticket for Mackinac. It includes ferry ride, horse drawn wagon tour and admission to Fort Mackinac. You can also ride bikes, but it's very hilly and steep in places.

You may want to purchase your pictured rocks tour tickets online the day before you plan on doing the tour. I've seen people turned down because the boat was full and they didn't have reservations.

Enjoy

[OH48Lt]

Going across the Mac Bridge after your 4 days in Mac City? Next stop could be Tauqumenon Falls (I might have spelled that wrong...), nice drive to a nice area with the second largest falls east of the Mississippi. State campgrounds there too, you'll need a reservation. Then head west to Wisconsin.

[Storm_12]

Those are great ideas for stopping. We will be heading to green bay Wisconsin then to Chicago then st.Louis. Any place in green bay?

[Storm_12]

I went ahead and booked the 4 days traverse city state park. The road and air port doesn't bother me because we will be taking plenty of day trips to the dunes,city etc. Then we will be on to mackinac island , locks then pictured rocks. The only concern I have is no water.

[padredw]

You may already have your waypoints planned and are only asking about the parks in Michigan, but I will take the chance to point out some possibilities along the way.

Of course you will likely be passing close to the Smokey Mountains and then Renfro Valley, if you're interested in that sort of thing:

Renfro Valley

The bluegrass area of Kentucky around Lexington is certainly worth a brief visit on the way. Kentucky Horse Park has a fine campground just north of Lexington, right on the way:

Horse Park

We've always managed a brief visit to Sauder Village RV Park with a slight jog to the west before getting to Toledo; a nice, peaceful RV park:

Sauder Village RV

Of course, none of this may be of interest, or you may already have you overnights planned, but I was thinking of your trip before arrived at the Mackinac area.

[doxiemom11]

Pictured Rocks in Michigan is well worth a visit. Just google it and you will get information.

[kknowlton]

Another possibility near the locks is Aune-Osborn RV Park in Sault Ste Marie (MI); it's a county-run park. Not much to look at, but has decent bathhouse (at least it was about 6 years ago) and the proximity to the freighters is startling. A short drive to the locks themselves; I'd recommend the tour through them (on a boat) too.

A word of warning in the Soo area; be careful with cellphone use. If US towers are in use, you may be routed to a Canadian one and end up paying international rates (!)

[Parrothead_Mike]

Check out RV Park Reviews.com for the Mackinaw City area.

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/michigan/mackinaw-city

Near the Soo Locks we like Brimley State Park. It's about 15-20 miles west of Sault Ste Marie. It has grassy sites and a nice beach. For other Soo area campgrounds see the link below. Many people like the Aune-Osborn Campground. I driven by it and it's right on the river where large ore boats pass by.

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/michigan/sault-sainte-marie

If you like hiking with your camping be sure to check out the Porcupine Mountains State Park at the far western end of the Upper Peninsula. The Union Bay campground is the only one with electric, but I prefer the south rustic campground is nice because it's right next to the Presque Isle River where there is a great hiking trail along both sides of the river.

[michigansandzil]

Storm 12 wrote:
I am taking my family on rv trip to Michigan, Wisconsin from Georgia this summer. I will be in a 32 foot motor home pulling a jeep. We are looking at Traverse City, Mackinac Island, the locks, dunes and travel to Wisconsin. Any camp grounds recommended? I see state parks in Michigan have not water hook ups. Any help would be appreciated.

Do you want state parks or would you rather have FHU? Not sure what is your preference.

Traverse City- We stayed at the Traverse City state park. It's in the middle of the city. There is a connected bike path that we all enjoyed. There is a pedestrian bridge over the road to the beach, which is very small for Lake Michigan standards. Be warned, it is in the middle of the city.

Mackinac Island- We stayed at Wilderness State Park. It's approx 20 minutes outside of Mackinaw and in the middle of the woods. Nice and quiet. You can also try Mackinaw Mill, I've heard many good things about this place, but I have never tried it. I also have heard many good things about Straights State Park in the UP. You can go to Mackinac Island from either the UP or the LP.

Which dunes are you referring to? SLeeping Bear or Silver Lake? For Sleeping Bear, try either Indigo Bluffs or Platte River Campground (if you can get in).