Traverse City State Park in Michigan offers a campground with a natural setting and the convenience of being on the outskirts of a vibrant town. While you are camping here under the pines and enjoying the beach, you are also only a few minutes away from great food, shopping and entertainment in one of northern Michigan's most popular vacation towns.
Here are the four best reasons you should consider camping at this Michigan state park.
The first reason is the campground itself. When camping under it's pines, this campground has an up north feel to it even though you are on the outskirts of a city. There are 343 electric only sites here for RVs, campers and tents. The 75 acre park also has a cottage and several small cabins for rent. It isn't exactly a rustic experience staying here. The campground is very popular in the summer and is bordered on the north by US Highway 31, so there is a bit of road noise and you can sometimes hear jets taking off at the airport. However, the campground makes an excellent base camp when visiting the Traverse City area, so putting up with a little noise is an acceptable compromise.
The second reason to camp here is the beach. The north border of the state park is the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay which is right across US 31 from the campground. The park has a pedestrian bridge that takes campers safely across the highway to the 700 foot long beach. Visitors to the shoreline area will find a sandy beach, bathhouse, playground, and picnic area. The playground here has a great view of the water and playscapes with a nautical theme. There is even a sea serpent which reminded me of the Great Lake's own legend of an “eel-like” creature. For hundreds of years there have been reports of a thirty to sixty foot long snake like creature that has been reported around the great lakes for hundreds of years. This would be a good place to watch for what some call "Lake Ness."
The third reason to stay here is the TART trail that runs along the park's southern boarder. What is the TART trail? It is a 10.5 mile long paved biking and walking path that connects Acme to the west side of Traverse City. It also connects with other trails including the Boardman Lake Trail, Three Mile Trail, and the Leelanau Trail making this a very biking and walking friendly community. There is an entrance to the trail at the south eastern end of the campground.
The fourth reason to camp at Traverse City State Park is the city itself. Traverse City is at the southern tip of Grand Traverse Bay which has miles and miles of great beaches. The city oozes small-town charm and has tons of great places to shop, eat and drink. There is also a vibrant art community here with lots of things to see and do like the National Cherry Festival and the Traverse City Film Festival. The city and surrounding Grand Traverse Bay region also have many wineries and brew pubs to visit. There are also miles of hiking and biking trails on the mainland and the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas.
So if you are looking for somewhere to camp that has a convenient blend of a vibrant city and northern Michigan camping, we recommend Keith J Charters Traverse City State Park.
Keep Wandering & Stay Curious!
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