Nothing beats bonfires, vibrant sunsets, and napping on the beach. Few getaways rival a beach camping escape and some of the best spots are within driving distance of Detroit. Here are a few of our favorite ways to camp in the sand.

Silver Lake State Park9679 W. State Park Road Mears, MI 49436 | (231) 873-3083 Shoot over to Michigan’s west coast. With over 2,000 acres of sand dunes, Silver Lake State Park offers scenic dune cruising with spectacular views of Lake Michigan and Silver Lake. The northern area is an all-terrain vehicle park and is the only dunes East of Utah to allow a private motorized vehicle from April 1 through October 31. Make your reservation early – this place fills up fast. (Photo via Instagram user @melvanseye)
Taylor’s Beach Campground6197 N. Burkhart Road, Howell, MI 48855 | 517-546-2679If you don’t mind camping with a bunch of families (cough cough, kids, cough cough), head to Howell for some fun in the sun. Wooded, rolling hills, trails, great fishing, swimming and sunsets, this place makes ‘Up North’ feel close to home. Best news is: the campground is on Cook Lake, only 60-90 minutes from metro Detroit. (Photo via Facebook, Taylor’s Beach Campground)
Maumee Bay State Park1400 State Park Road Oregon, Ohio 43616 | (419) 836-7758 Ok, so this one’s not in Michigan, but it’s only a 90 minute drive from Detroit and totally worth it. You can camp on the shores of Lake Erie (pets too!), plus Cedar Point is within driving distance and hey, you can’t go to Ohio without stopping there. (Photo via Instagram user @a_blink_of_an_eye_2003)
Tee Pee Campground11262 W. US 23 Mackinaw City, MI 49701 | 231-436-5391A family owned private campground overlooking the Straits of Mackinac with spectacular views of the Mighty Mackinac Bridge, Mackinac Island, and Great Lakes Freighter traffic. (Photo via Instagram user @abbylforstner)
Buttersville Campground991 S. Lakeshore Drive Ludington, MI 49431 | (231) 843-2114This 18.5 acre, state-licensed campground is situated on the bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan. It’s beautiful, it’s wooded but beachy, and hey, the name doesn’t get any better. Campsites are available May through October, with limited sites available for reservation. Call after May 1 for reservations. (Photo via Facebook, Buttersville Campground)
Camper’s CoveOk, you got us, not Michigan again, but if you’ve got a passport or enhanced driver’s license, there’s no reason NOT to head here. The camping resort, located on the shores of Lake Erie in Wheatley, Ontario, offers 1200 ft. of clean sandy beach to enjoy. It’s less than one hour from Detroit and near tons of attractions like Point Pelee National Park, Wineries, Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens, Jack Miner’s Bird Sanctuary. You can golf, you can fish, and you can brag that you’ve gone on an international camping trip. Sort of. (Photo via Facebook, Camper’s Cove)
Bay City State Recreation Area 3582 State Park Dr. Bay City MI, 48706-1356 | 989-684-3020Bay City State Recreation Area has one of the largest remaining freshwater, coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes, the Tobico Marsh. More than a thousand feet of sandy beach and over 2,000 acres of wetland woods, wet meadows, cattail marshlands and oak savannah prairies make it an ideal staging area for migratory birds. We honestly can’t imagine anything more relaxing than bird watching on a beach (and no, we’re not talking about seagulls). (Photo via Instagram user @gogreatlakesbay)
Muskegon State Park3560 Memorial Drive North Muskegon MI, 49445 | 231-744-3480Located four miles west of North Muskegon on the shore of Lake Michigan, this is a popular place for beach camping seekers. With over two miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan and over a mile on Muskegon Lake, the vast expanse of Great Lakes sand beach ranks among the most beautiful in the world. Forested dunes that join miles of Great Lakes shoreline reflect a significant resource that visitors enjoy each year. (Photo via Instagram user @great_lakes_hammock_guy)
Grand Haven State Park1001 Harbor Avenue Grand Haven MI, 49417 | 616-847-1309Grand Haven State Park has a beautiful sandy shore on Lake Michigan along the west side of the park and the Grand River along the north side of the park. The park consists entirely of beach sand and provides scenic views of Lake Michigan and the Grand Haven pier and lighthouse. (Photo via Flick user H. Michael Miley)
Sleeper State Park6573 State Park Road Caseville MI, 48725-9799 | 989-856-4411 723 acres of forest, wetlands, sandy beach and dunes located on the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron. Visitors can watch both sunrises and sunsets on the bay, relax in the shade and seclusion of the campground or roam the trails of the ancient dune forests. (Photo via Instagram user @hype27)
Lakesport State Park7605 Lakeshore Road, Lakeport MI, 48059 | 810-327-6224Lying along Lake Huron, Lakeport State Park provides southeast Michigan residents access to the Great Lakes. The park has two distinct units separated by the village of Lakeport. A total of 250 sites are divided between the two campgrounds. All sites have a picnic table, fire circle, electricity, modern toilet/shower buildings along with several pull-through sites and camp pads for ease of leveling campers. (Photo via Facebook, Lakesport State Park)
Harrisville State Park248 State Park Rd, PO Box 326 Harrisville MI, 48740 | 989-724-5126Nestled in a stand of pine and cedar trees along the sandy shores of Lake Huron, this park offers a beautiful beach and sizeable campsites. In the evening, watch for amazing ‘moonrises’ over the lake. (Photo via Instagram user @pghmtbiker)
Hoffmaster State Park6585 Lake Harbor Road Muskegon MI, 49441 | 231-798-3711One of the main attractions at Hoffmaster State Park is the Dune Climb Stairway leading to the top of a high sand dune where an observation deck offers a panoramic view of the dunes and Lake Michigan. P. J. Hoffmaster State Park features over three miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, a 297 site modern campground, towering Lake Michigan dunes, and the Gillette Visitor Center. Miles of hiking and skiing trails offer stunning views of Lake Michigan and subtle beauty at every turn. (Photo via Instagram user @pre_rex)
Orchard Beach State Park2064 N. Lakeshore Rd. Manistee MI, 49660 | 231-723-7422 Situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, a stairway leads from the campground to the beach and self-guided hiking trails are adjacent to the park. Wanna see the sights in Manistee? Take the trolley! Two excellent beaches flank the harbor, along with playgrounds, picnic facilities, public restrooms and concessions. Charter boats, dock rental and good launching facilities all are available. (Photo via Flick user Steve Krause)
Mears State Park400 West Lowell Street, Pentwater MI, 49449 | 231-869-2051Located in the quaint village of Pentwater along the Lake Michigan shoreline, this campground’s paved campsite lots are surrounded by fine sand and a swimming beach is adjacent to the harbor pier. (Photo via Instagram user @triumphdude)
Holland State Park2215 Ottawa Beach Road Holland MI, 49424 | 616-399-9390 Holland State Park offers an expansive, sandy beach along Lake Michigan, two large campgrounds and a beautiful view of sailboats and sunsets. The park is divided into two separate units; one along Lake Michigan and the other along Lake Macatawa. (Photo via Flick user Valatal)
Warren Dunes State ParkWarren Dunes State Park provides 1,952 acres of recreational opportunities along the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan in southwestern Michigan. The rugged dune formation rises 260 feet above the lake and offers spectacular views and excellent for hang gliding. The park has three miles of shoreline, six miles of hiking trails and is open year-round. (Photo via Yelp, Warren Dunes State Park)

Have something to share?

SEND US A NEWS TIP

Since 1980, Metro Times has been Detroit’s premier alternative source for news, arts, culture, music, film, food, fashion and more from a liberal point of view.