WI campgrounds.

[dieselmann35]

What are your favorites?

Our number 1 is Holiday Shores in Wisconsin Dells. Then our other favs are Riverbend RV Resort in Watertown, Jellystone in Warrens, Lake Arrowhead in Montello and Jellystone in Fremont. We frequent those the most but want to try others so lets here what you guys like.

[Canadian couple 1983]

Anything good or recommended near maple grove or Minneapolis? Planning a trip at the end of July to meet family and do some shopping at the mall of America

[dieselmann35]

Originally Posted by Canadian couple 1983

Anything good or recommended near maple grove or Minneapolis? Planning a trip at the end of July to meet family and do some shopping at the mall of America

Hopefully others will chime in on that location. All of my places are south east wi.

[kbehrens]

There are not a lot of good options in the Mpls metro for camping. To the south in Waterville, Sakatah Lake State Park is nice and right on a great bike trail. In nearby Fairbault, there is a nice KOA. To the east just north of Stillwater, William O'Brien State Park is really nice and wooded right on the St. Croix River. MN state parks do not have sewer or water hookups. To the west, Baker County Park has some nice sites. Hope you enjoy your visit in MN.

[tslarson]

As far as WI campgrounds go, we are state park people. A few of our favorites in the northern part of the state are Crystal-Muskie by Minoqua, Wissota Lake just north of Eau Claire. Went to our first private campground last year, a KOA in Hayward WI. Pretty nice place, but a whole different type of camping. My daughter had a blast in the pool and water slide.

If you want a state campround close the Mpls/St Paul, look at Willow River State Park close to Hudson WI, a stones throw from Mpls. Also, I have never been here, but keep hearing good things about Lebanon Hills Regional Park, pretty close to Mall of America.

[Canadian couple 1983]

Thanks guys I'm leaning towards 1 of the koa campgrounds for full hook ups and closeness to hotels for my parents

[DocBrown]

We prefer the state parks, Peninsula, Devils' Lake, Point Beach, and Governor Dodge are our favorites. Of late its been so hard getting into Peninsula State Park that we've been going to Egg Habor Campground and RV Resort. The owners, Mike and Debbie are great hosts and the park is very central to everything in Door County. One other private campground we've been to that we really like is Stoney Creek resort and Campground in Osseo. Not much to do around Osseo but the campground is excellent.

[slabat]

Originally Posted by Canadian couple 1983

Thanks guys I'm leaning towards 1 of the koa campgrounds for full hook ups and closeness to hotels for my parents

There is a KOA in Maple Grove hat is good. We spet sometime there with my in laws.

[Canadian couple 1983]

Originally Posted by slabat

There is a KOA in Maple Grove hat is good. We spet sometime there with my in laws.

Haha awesome because last night I booked there for 5 nights in July! Pretty excited

[jen&clint]

Any recommendations for northern WI, preferably close to Lake Superior or the MI border?

[Tail_gunner]

Originally Posted by jen&clint

Any recommendations for northern WI, preferably close to Lake Superior or the MI border?

I'm not real big on Wisconsin state parks. My experience is that most WI state parks are not geared for RV's in that only 10% to 15% of the campsites have electrical hook ups.

Michigan state parks in the upper peninsula, most of their campsites have electrical hook-ups. Many parks have modern (RV electric hook-ups, bathroom/showers) or rustic (tents & out houses) areas in the same park. We are rather partial to Bewabic State park. It is very near the WI/MI border and just west of Crystal Falls, MI, or about 30 minutes northwest of Iron Mountain, MI. It is not as crowded on weekends as some other parks nearer to the more populated areas in the U.P. Campsites in the wooded portions of the parks have more separation between them than some parks I've seen. There is also a more open, grassy area for those who might want to aim their satellite dishes.

I have typically noticed a significant number of WI license plates at Bewabic too. Hmmmmm--

[jen&clint]

That is perfect! Booked for the last weekend of July, south end of the south loop.

Thanks
Clint

[Tail_gunner]

Originally Posted by jen&clint

That is perfect! Booked for the last weekend of July, south end of the south loop.

Thanks
Clint

Which site? On the south loop, sites 53 to 81 have a shared 20 amp box positioned between 2 adjacent campsites. IMO, not sufficient for a TT or 5th wheel especially if you want/need to run the AC.
On the south loop, sites 29 through 52 have either a 30/20 amp box or 50/30/20 amp box.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by Tail_gunner

I'm not real big on Wisconsin state parks. My experience is that most WI state parks are not geared for RV's in that only 10% to 15% of the campsites have electrical hook ups.

On the point of WI not being geared for RVs, I would submit that your experience in that area is limited then. Perhaps you're referring to the parks more in northern WI? I haven't been to a lot of them in the far north. But lots of great large rig sites in most of the parks in the southern 2/3 of the state. Most of the WI state parks we frequent have 50% or more of the sites with electric.

The lack of electric sites is being addressed by the DNR. Many of the WI state parks campgrounds are getting electrical upgrades. In a lot of campgrounds electric sites are being added so that most of the sites will have electric. And some sites are getting 50 amp service.

[Tail_gunner]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

Perhaps you're referring to the parks more in northern WI?

I guess I am. I am speaking from personal experience as well as looking at the WI DNR web sites for a random sampling of other parks in roughly the northeastern quarter of the state. That would be my 'long weekend' driving distance. Granted the last time we camped in WI was about 3 to 4 years ago. But my examination of the info on the website was more recent than that.

At the risk of sounding biased, IMO from a camping perspective, there isn't too much that WI state parks have to offer that I can't find closer to home here in da U.P. Saving an hour's driving time pulling a large TT, will pay for a campsite for the night closer to home.

[jen&clint]

Originally Posted by Tail_gunner

Which site? On the south loop, sites 53 to 81 have a shared 20 amp box positioned between 2 adjacent campsites. IMO, not sufficient for a TT or 5th wheel especially if you want/need to run the AC.
On the south loop, sites 29 through 52 have either a 30/20 amp box or 50/30/20 amp box.

It would be a site with a shared 20 amp box. Not really too concerned, shared boxes with 30/15 amp is the usual service offered here in our Ontario provincial parks. Only real need for electricity is for a CPAP machine, the x17z cools fast at night with the tent ends opened up. After Bewabic we are going to Tahquamenon Falls for a few nights.

Thanks for your valuable insight.
Clint

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by Tail_gunner

At the risk of sounding biased, IMO from a camping perspective, there isn't too much that WI state parks have to offer that I can't find closer to home here in da U.P. Saving an hour's driving time pulling a large TT, will pay for a campsite for the night closer to home.

I don't think that biased, just sensible. Its pretty much the same reason we won't be taking any cross county trips with the trailer anymore.

[Type-A]

Here is a nice, clean and locally owned campground that we stayed at over Memorial Day weekend.

http://kewauneevillage.com/

[secal48]

Devils Lake State Park, outside of Baraboo has been our family favorite for over 30 years. They are in the middle of building all new bath and showers houses and the new ones are fantastic. Not that the old ones were bad, they were clean and well maintained but they were dated. And there is so much to do in the Baraboo area. Be sure to check out Circusworld Museum.

[MikeNChelle]

I used to be a seasonal at Holiday Shores a few years back. Loved the homemade donuts in the mornings.
We stayed at Hidden Valley Camping Resort in Milton, WI last month. This was our first outing with our new Pinnacle. We told them I needed a site large enough for a 50' fifth wheel. I get there at 7 pm after driving for a few hours to find a spot I couldn't fit a 20' rig into. Went to the office and they offered us to stay in their "over flow" lot. This is large gravel / rocks and NOT what we paid for. Long story short, we left them a negative review and they got into an online argument with my wife on their Facebook page. They deleted most of their posts, but I have screen shots of the rudeness. I will never grace them with our presence and money again.