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tammytomandgirl
Explorer
Explorer
We had a camper for awhile and miss it terribly.
We have one reserved to rent for a vaca to Florida for Christmas.
That has now gotten our camping bug back again - my youngest is 15, with only a couple more years before she's out on her own I REALLY would like to enjoy some family/friends time out on the road. Believe it or not as a teen she is the MOST EXCITED about this upcoming camping trip!

Long story short...we are now looking at possibly purchasing instead of renting - my concern is how much we'll actually use it.

We are in Michigan - I'm looking for any close (weekend trip) type of camping in the area as well as cross country trips if anyone wouldn't mind sharing some of their stories ๐Ÿ™‚
Tammy & Tom ๐Ÿ™‚ our two girls Tyler (12) and Paige (6)
1997 3/4 ton Suburban 454
2006 Coachman Chaparral 280BHS
5 REPLIES 5

Yeti_plus
Explorer
Explorer
We are in Ontario and all the radio stations advertise "Come to Michigan" all summer long, but they probably don't advertise right at home. I signed up at Michigan.org several years ago and I get weekly email ads for all kinds of events all year long. Signing up for Michigan DNR also gets you on an email"hit list" with events at State parks.Don't know if that happened when I booked a campsite or if I had to sign up separately.
Good luck on camping with the family, our kids still enjoy camping, and we took the "baby" (25 years old) with us for Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.
2014 Chevrolet 3500 CC 4X4 Duramax, Tork Lift Tiedowns, TorkLift Fastguns, Superhitch and supertruss
2009 Jayco 213 SOLD
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4

michigansandzil
Explorer
Explorer
We're in MI as well. Our kids are younger at 11, 9, and 5 and all have grown up camping either in a tent or in the TT purchased 3 years ago.

Hartwick Pines in Grayling was an excellent state campground. Very clean and some sites were large. We all really enjoyed going into the forest and the logging museum. We went on a ranger led tour as well. It had a nice and short hiking trail to a small fishing lake. There is no pool or swimming lake/river, so it's best in the spring or fall. Bring bug spray for the forest in the spring.

Tawas Point State Park is another one of our favorites. You can get a site right on the bay side of the lake and walk through a tree line from your site to the water. They also have a dog beach, lighthouse tours, and you can walk to the large beach with the open water and bigger waves. They also had a free ranger led program for fishing a nature walks.

Ludington State Park was just an amazing place to visit, but the sites are absolutely awful and it's practically impossible to get into. Maybe stay in the local area and go into the state park to visit. That's what we'll do next time we want to go there.

Last summer we went to the Yogi Bear in Fremont Indiana, it's just over the state line. It is a BUSY place and on the freeway.....you don't go there for peace and quiet but my kids loved this place and want to go back. It has 4 pools and 3 water slides and they rent out golf carts.

The only place that I really wouldn't recommend is Traverse City State Park. Horrible beach, the area is super crowded and in the middle of the city. You can drive to the Sleeping Bear Dunes, which is a nice visit but I'd stay someplace else to visit the dunes.

For longer trips we've gone to the UP for Tahquamenon Falls, Pictured Rocks, etc. We've also been to Mammoth Caves in Kentucky. I'd recommend both of these as well.

Have fun. Glad to hear that the teenager is looking forward to it. FYI, book your sites early, especially for those that are on a lake or holiday weekend.
2017 Coachmen Catalina 323 BHDSCK
2018 Ford F150 FX4
3 growing kids and 1 big dog

Dick_B
Explorer
Explorer
It doesn't cost anything to LOOK at RV's but I would suggest renting again next summer to be sure you have the bug; much cheaper than doling out $50K for a used rig that you might not use.
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2011 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two electric bikes (both Currie Tech Path+ models)

Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Explorer II
Tammy,

Memgrove is right. Work the web to find camping places in MI. There are a bunch. It doesn't matter where you are in the state, you can probably walk to one. I am half way between Detroit and Ann Arbor and I could walk to three. And that is not counting the private ones.

Start with Campground maps, pick Michigan (if you want to) and keep zooming toward where you want to be.

I don't know what level of "camper" you are considering, but there are lots of them out there. Many are not expensive used, but if you buy used please get it inspected by someone that really knows what can be wrong. Any of them can be water damaged and that may be VERY expensive to repair.

If you are doing the "Out Friday evening and home late Sunday" routine, be ready to be stuck in traffic that is about 50% RV (the other half left the RV at the campsite).

Good Luck

Matt
Matt & Mary Colie
A sailor, his bride and their black dogs (one dear dog is waiting for us at the bridge) going to see some dry places that have Geocaches in a coach made the year we married.

memgrove
Explorer
Explorer
Being in michigan you can use it every weekend all summer long and barely see all the state parks and forests. We are in northern Indiana and camp every other weekend from April till November mostly in Michigan state and county parks. It just depends on the commitment you make to it. Our kids 13 and 7 especially like kayaking the Muskegon river area from the Ed henning county park campground in Newago.
Mike
2006 Chevy 2500 4X4 crew cab Gasser
2013 Dutchmen Denali 311 BHS (Love the trailer HATE the manufacture!)