Campgrounds and RV parks near Bay Shore, MI

Bay Shore is an unincorporated community on US-31 between Charlevoix and Petoskey, on the north shore of Little Traverse Bay. RV travelers use it as a base for the Lake Michigan shoreline, Lake Charlevoix, and the Petoskey stone beaches that define this corner of the northern Lower Peninsula. Campground options within a short drive cover the full range from full-hookup resort to rustic dune camping. Sun Outdoors Petoskey Bay Harbor offers a resort-style RV park close to Bay Harbor and the Little Traverse Wheelway. The RV Park at Burnt Marshmallow Brewstillery/Rudbeckia Winery provides adult-oriented boondocking on private pastureland in the Petoskey wine region. State-park camping is available at Young State Park on Lake Charlevoix, Tannery Creek at Petoskey State Park on Little Traverse Bay, and Fisherman's Island State Park south of Charlevoix. Together these sites cover paved pull-throughs suitable for larger motorhomes, wooded electric sites for travel trailers, and rustic beach sites for smaller rigs and tents.

State parks in the area, Young State Park, Tannery Creek at Petoskey State Park, and Fisherman's Island State Park, all book through the Michigan DNR system. Reservations can be made for campsites, overnight lodging, harbors, and picnic shelters at MiDNRReservations.com or by calling 1-800-44-PARKS (1-800-447-2757). Campsites at Young and Petoskey state parks can be reserved up to six months in advance, and the two mini cabins at Tannery Creek can be reserved up to 12 months ahead. At Fisherman's Island, reservations run online or by phone from May 1 through September 14, and sites are first come, first served from September 15 through November 30. A Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into all Michigan state park and forest campgrounds. Private parks such as Sun Outdoors Petoskey Bay Harbor and The RV Park at Burnt Marshmallow Brewstillery/Rudbeckia Winery are booked directly through their own websites and fill quickly for summer weekends.