Our Favorite Camping Destinations | Living in Yellow
From off-the-grid mountain towns to full hook ups with waterparks, we’re sharing our favorite camping destinations all over the US!
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We take a trip up to northern Michigan every summer, and it’s a true gem in the midwest! Water that looks like the caribbean, sand dunes for days, and TONS of great small towns! In fact, I love it so much I did an entire blog post on that area HERE! We stay at Indigo Bluffs and love it! Be sure to visit Glen Arbor [your nearest town if you stay at Indigo Bluffs], Traverse City, Leland, and more!
photo c/o Brown County.com
This is probably as close to mountains as you’re going to get in the midwest! From mountain biking to hiking to horseback riding, Brown County State Park has become a destination for midwesterners looking for a weekend getaway. Especially in the fall for the gorgeous colors! With a big lodge, a few cabins, and plenty of camping sites there are several ways to stay in Brown County! But be warned, it fills up FAST [think 6 months out!]. Nearby you can checkout downtown Nashville, Indiana for cute shops and little restaurants, and Hard Truth Distilling‘s huge campus right up the road up the road. PS don’t forget Indiana University in nearby Bloomington!
photo c/o Jellystone Barton Lake
If you’re looking for a campground with a mini waterpark, look no further than Jellystone Barton Lake! Us locals drive about an hour to get here each summer, and it’s been our kids’ favorite getaway every year! Once you’re in the campground, you don’t ever need to leave. Donuts fresh each morning. Pizzas available at night. Waterslides, mini golf, laser tag, fishing, boating, tie-dye, and more – this is a kids’ camping dream! [Be sure to look at the months that the waterpark is open before you book if that’s what you want to go there for!]
Anyone who said there isn’t great hiking in Indiana hasn’t been to Turkey Run! Great for families or more experienced hikers looking to see a little more than cornfields in Indiana 😉 With gorges and ravines, you’ll be doing plenty of ups and downs on these hikes! Protip: if it has rained, you may be hiking in water on portions of the hike!
If you’re looking to adventure into San Diego and need a place to stay in your RV.. it’s Mission Bay! You can choose from so many different type of sites[I love the waterfront ones!] Bike around, beach at the bay for the day + you’re close to all things happening in San Diego! We usually stay for a week at a time, there is so much to do down there!
A few years ago we lived in Temecula, so this campground was super close to us! We would stay here all the time and I can guarantee if you choose to stay here you will love it too! The campground itself is very large, with loads of sites you can choose from! Bring your bikes, they have a great bike track and also know for mountain biking trails all around the park! The pool, daily activities, large spaces to play kickball, a store with everything you forgot & so much more! This campground is full of friendly people and the staff is top notch! Don’t forget to take a drive and visit one of the many wineries that live in Temecula too!
Looking for a nice getaway in the RV? Head to Rancho California RV Resort – it’s outstanding! You can rent a golf cart to get around.. play golf – swim – relax and so much more! It’s a fun park, you can rent fully furnished sites for weekends or extended amount of times! This is one not to be overlooked!
If you’re looking to hit the amazing must-see things in Page, AZ – then we recommend Page Lake-Powell Campground It’s clean, perfectly placed in the “middle” of all the popular attractions this place has to offer! You MUST see/do book a tour for the Antelope Slot Canyons & of course take in the views of Horseshoe Bend!
Dare I say, might be my favorite state park? Just look at it! All the campsites had 10/10 views .. we took a hike up that, it was glorious! Be sure to add this one on your list friends! + State Parks offer nightly stays for an exceptional price!
Talk about being in the middle of nowhere, surround by true beauty! Monument Valley KOA is a great place to stay when you’re taking in all the amazing views! It was clean, easy to find, close to Monument Valley Visitor Center!
Absolutely breathtaking! We hit this campground on our way to The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone! We also enjoyed a great white water rafting trip with Dave Hansen! If you’re in the area of Alpine, WY – be sure to book a trip, it was a blast!!
If you need a place to stay that’s near The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park, we found Fireside Buffalo Valley RV Park off the beaten path[with little drive to those two popular destinations] The campground itself isn’t anything to write home about, but it’s a safe place to park it for a night or two! To be real, we were hardly at the campground, as all 3 days we were out early heading to both parks or fishing!
Goblin Valley State Park
We came to Goblin Valley for a destination wedding! It was absolute gorgeous as you can see! Goblin Valley is a hidden gem but full disclosure it is about a 4 hour drive from Salt Lake City, UT. The walking/hiking trails are super accessible. Please note, this is primitive camping! There are no restrooms at the actual campgrounds but we did happen upon some at the trailheads.
Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing
Wilderness Adventure was such a fun spot to camp! We went specifically for a bike trip but would definitely go back for another visit! One unique aspect to this campsite is their rustic log-style bunk that can host large groups for meals, meetings, weddings, and holidays! They have so many options for lodging as well as camping! Not only was the campground on of my faves, but it was just a short drive [under 30 min] to McAfee Knob – A famous hike along the Appalachian Trail! We hiked it on a rainy and foggy day [look out it can be slippery when wet!] but it was so much fun! I highly recommend it.
Grayson Highland State Park / Chestnut Hollow Campground
Welcome to Grayson Highlands State Park! One of my all time favorite “full experience” camping trips. We set up our camp along the Appalachian Trail and would venture out for out-and-back day hikes. There are wild ponies out on the trails which is SO fun and magical. There are public restrooms/outhouses and many trails to choose from [depending on your desired length and difficulty]!
We ended up at Creekfire Resort through my husband’s job, and we couldn’t have asked for a better setup! With pools, a lazy river, lake [and lakefront dining], a bar, tennis, basketball, and so much more, there was never a dull moment! Plus, you’re close to downtown Savannah, and around an hour from Hilton Head Island! It’s a newer resort, so don’t expect a lot of trees yet! It truly feels like southern charm in an RV resort! I mean look at that main office
Check out some of our favorite camping gear below!
