Great Camping in Northwest Michigan
Looking for a new place to camp this summer?
Platte River Campground is one of my personal favorite campgrounds I have visited throughout my life. It is located 20 minutes south of Sleeping Bear Dunes and is surrounded by places to see and things to do. Getting a campsite at Platte can be a little complicated as it is a popular place to camp at but once you get there it is worth the hassle. My family has been camping there as long as I can remember and it is still worth going back to after all these years. The main feature of the campground is the fact that there is a river that you can float, kayak, canoe, or even fish on located less than a mile away from the campground. The river offers options of floating for 1-2 hours 2-3 hours or the longest of around 4 hours. There are many places nearby that rent tubes or kayaks but I would suggest bringing your own because the cost of renting one adds up quickly! There are multiple options for kayaking nearby which make for a new experience every day. You can take any of the tubing routes or go even further by crossing lakes or taking a trip to the Upper Platte River which is a little faster and more intense than the lazy river feel that the Lower Platte River offers. All of the these options end at the same place sooner or later: Lake Michigan!
It is such an amazing site to round the last bend on the river and come out into Lake Michigan and the sandy beaches.
If floating the lazy river or kayaking is not for you there are still many other things to do nearby. Such as driving less than 10 minutes to one of the few drive in theaters left in Michigan. Or heading North 20 minutes to climb Sleeping Bear Dunes. If you don’t want to get out of the car there are tons of scenic look outs to drive through and enjoy the views! There is lots of fishing spots, shopping opportunities, biking trails to another Lake Michigan Beach, and if all else fails you can always sit around the campfire and tell stories. If you are looking for a new campground to explore this year I can highly recommend Platte River! If you are wanting to chat about more things to do around there or need some more tips on the area feel free to reach out I would love to chat about it!