What are some great family-friendly places to go camping in Michigan where you can avoid crowds?

There are plenty of tucked-away, hidden gem campgrounds in Michigan to enjoy when you Go Great Lakes Bay, including: Bay City State Park in Bay City; Bay County Pinconning Park in Pinconning; Linwood Beach Marina & Campground in Linwood; Finn Road Park Campground in Essexville; Frankenmuth Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Frankenmuth; Pine Ridge R.V. Campground in Birch Run; Lake of Dreams Campground in Merrill; Tom Graham Memorial Campground at Showboat Park in Chesaning; and Price Nature Center in Saginaw.

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Bay City State Park | @baycitymilove
Best Places to Go
Camping
Near Bay City
Bay City State Park | @shawnalaurenphoto

What are some great places to go camping near Bay City, Michigan?

  • Bay City State Park This campground on the shores of Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay is open year-round with sites for motorcoaches to tents, cabins, and even pop-up camper rentals — with Wi-Fi and 50-amp service available. Enjoy nearly a mile of sandy beachfront, a boat launch & picnic areas, splash park & playscape, and exploring the freshwater coastal wetland of Tobico Marsh.
  • Bay County Pinconning Park Set deep in a 206-acre hardwood forest nature preserve, this park includes 62 modern/semi-modern sites, log cabin rentals, and maintained bathhouses. Enjoy a sandy beach, kayak rentals, playground, boat launch, and miles of boardwalks & trails. Explore the floating fishing dock, two observation decks, and three observation towers!
  • Linwood Beach Marina & Campground Choose from 135 sites suited for tents or RV campers — complete with water, sewer, and electric hook-up. Enjoy the new bathhouse & showers, fish cleaning station, fishing pond for kids, and access to unbeatable walleye fishing on Saginaw Bay.
    • Insider tip: many of our Saginaw Bay fishing charters launch from Linwood, so set up camp here if you want to be near all the world-class walleye action!
  • Finn Road Park Campground Trailers are welcome to 56 sites with water, sewer, electricity, fire pits, a playground, a modern bathhouse — and a boat launch with direct access to Saginaw Bay. This RV campground offers free Wi-Fi, too.
Camping Bonus
Guy holding up his catch while on a charter fishing excursion on Saginaw Bay with Catchin Hell Charters
Saginaw Bay | @theoriginaldimples
Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay
Walleye Fishing

Want to up the ante this year? You are, after all, camping near Saginaw Bay, renowned for its world-class walleye fishing! Consider chartering an expedition with any from this ample list of expert Saginaw Bay charter fishing guides.

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Frankenmuth
Best Places to Go
Camping
Near Frankenmuth

What are some great places to go camping near Frankenmuth, Michigan?

  • Frankenmuth Jellystone Park Camp-Resort Camp in Frankenmuth year-round with Yogi Bear at Frankenmuth’s only full-service campground! This mecca of family fun offers a playground, indoor & outdoor pool, game room, and outdoor mini-golf! Choose from standard, deluxe, and premium sites — or cabins, cottages, and a vintage trailer.
  • Pine Ridge R.V. Campground With Downtown Frankenmuth mere minutes away from your campground in Birch Run, enjoy 200 tree-shaded sites — all full hook-up with water, electrical, and sewer. Add the perks of modern restrooms, a bathhouse with pay showers, Wi-Fi, and a laundry room, and enjoy this seasonal spot each time you return.
Camping Bonus
Frankenmuth Aerial Park
Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth Aerial Park

Heads up (way up): Frankenmuth Jellystone Park Camp-Resort is less than 400 feet from Frankenmuth Aerial Park, where you’ll zoom through treetops on ziplines and high-five one another through obstacle courses & rope challenges!

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Lake of Dreams Campground | @jes_salvador7
Best Places to Go
Camping
Near Saginaw
Lake of Dreams Campground | @jes_salvador7

What are some great places to go camping near Saginaw, Michigan?

  • Lake of Dreams Campground Camp at this family-friendly spot in Merrill in your RV, pop-up, or tent — or rent a rustic cabin! With 253 modern campsites set on 77 acres, experience clean restrooms & hot showers. Enjoy the lake & sandy beach, with paddleboating and a mini-waterpark where kids can conquer “The Summit” and bounce “The Blob” in the water! There’s also hiking, biking, beach volleyball, mini-golf, and two ponds with free catch-and-release fishing.
  • Tom Graham Memorial Campground Discover this 70-lot campground inside Chesaning's Showboat Park — or 68 acres along the Shiawassee River. With electrical hookups & primitive sites (and a bathhouse with hot showers), the park is also home to basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, a new playground area, 18-hole disc golf course, over 6,000 feet of riverfront, a boat launch, and a fishing pier!
  • Price Nature Center If seclusion is more your style, this 186-acre campground just south of Saginaw is generally peaceful & quiet, with nearly three miles of hiking & biking trails. Enjoy a playground, pavilion, and a few rustic campsites available.
Camping Bonus
Pelicans gathered at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw
Shiawassee NWR | @panakk
Saginaw
Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

Price Nature Center is just 15 minutes from the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge that’s ripe for exploration! Home to deer, bald eagles, swans, American white pelicans, and more — look to the seasonal, 6.5-mile Wildlife Drive that allows you to drive right through on a pre-set route. Or, take your experience to the next level with Johnny Panther Quests Adventure Trips, where you’ll boat through the beauty while wildlife spotting alongside your expert, one-of-a-kind guide!

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Guy walking on the Ferguson Bayou Trail at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw
Shiawassee NWR | @mi_playground
Things To Do
Discover A Tranquil Haven: The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

Located just south of Saginaw is a 10,000-acre respite where you can walk for miles without seeing another human being. The only chatter to be heard is that exchanged between the birds and the squirrels. And the scenery in every direction looks like something from a Monet painting. Welcome to the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge.

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Guy walking the Lagoon Hiking Trails of Tobico Marsh at Bay City State Park in Bay City
Bay City State Park | @mi_playground
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Best Hiking Trails in the Great Lakes Bay

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Author
Jen W. O'Deay + Go Great Lakes Bay

By: Jen W. O'Deay | Updates: Go Great Lakes Bay | Jen is a Saginaw native and owner of Feel These Words, an independent copywriting studio & home to the free "5 Day Website MiniBoost". Jen specializes in writing that connects, delivered through website copy, branded content articles, and WingWoman writing services. You'll find Jen camping with her family, laughing, and at feelthesewords.com