Looking for 4th July ideas in MI

sunlinefamily · 04-14-2011, 07:29 AM

We are looking for some campground suggestions for 4 th of July. We would like to be able to see fireworks w/o having to drive from the campsite and want to try to stay within 3 hours of ann arbor. I was thinking west Michigan or battle creek. Any ideas or experiences out there?

ihsolutions · 04-14-2011, 07:37 AM

IMO, nothing beats Ludington for 4th of July weekend (that's where we'll be), but you do have to drive from the campground a few miles to see them.

Muskegon State Park, "Lake Michigan" campground is also nice and you can walk right down to the beach and see fireworks, though, they will be down the shore a ways and not right in front of you.

Mears (Pentwater) I believe has fireworks that you can see from the campground.

Regardless, all the above are most certainly booked solid at this point so you'll have to get in on a cancellation somewhere or find a private campground that is not full.

mclamp · 04-14-2011, 08:49 AM

Im sure you can see fireworks from the campground in Grand Haven too but as with most West MI state parks you need to make reservations for fourth of July weekend in January, There are a lot of state forest campgrounds just north of Ludington in the Nordhouse Dunes and Lake Michigan recreation area that are on a first come first serve basis, I am not familiar with the firework situation but I bet you could see Ludington and Pentwaters from the beach, although both would be a ways away.

**Sunline Fan** · 04-17-2011, 02:02 PM

Rod, were you just on 94 at about the 150 MM around 2:30 this afternoon? If you weren't, someone looks a lot like you with the same truck and trailer...

sunlinefamily · 04-19-2011, 06:00 AM

Yes that was me. We were on the way back from the west side of Michigan scoping places out during my slow season. I've only visited the Silver Lake Sand Dunes area and North. This time we camped for 2 nights at Grand Haven State Park and 2 nights at Holland State Park. It actually turned out pretty nice because even though it wasn't an ideal time of year it was nice to have the park almost to my self with views of lake Michigan out of most my windows at Grand Haven. And a few of the days were sunny. I imagine that place is probably a zoo in the summer but nice to be on the beach. It turns out that all the state parks on the west side are booked for the 4th of July so we may have to find a nice private campground.

ihsolutions · 04-19-2011, 08:24 AM

Rod, keep working those lake michigan campgrounds for 4th of July weekend and you will get in on a cancellation. It takes some persistence, but I've never not been able to get a site.

Grand Haven is bananas in the summer. I don't like it. The beach is nice but the spots are so TINY you can't even put out your awning in many of them. Plus, no camp fire rings, you have to bring your own fire pit.

Having said that, I love the beach and love the town. Has a great resort feel to it.

**clueless campers** · 04-23-2011, 02:47 PM

Rod,
If you haven't found a site for the 4th (or you just want a headstart to see fireworks), check out Maumee Bay State Park in Toledo/Oregon, OH.

On June 11th there will be a car show and fireworks. Every year, the weekend before Father's Day, Phantom Fireworks sponsors Spark-n-Shine on Saturday. The car show runs from 9 AM to 9 PM with a fantastic fireworks show about 10 PM. I think their fireworks are better and last longer than the city of Toledo's. The car show and fireworks are in the center of the park (between the "big hill" and the swimming beach).

If you go, make sure to get the "3-D glasses" they pass out for free. Once you see fireworks multiplied in kaleidoscope fashion, you'll want to keep the glasses for the next time you watch.

As of today, there are still a lot of sites open. All sites are large and grassy, 30 amp, paved pad and you can fill water and dump at the entrance.

You can make reservations at Ohio State Parks - Maumee Bay State Park.