Skip The Coast This Summer and Go Camping in the Midwest

Alum Creek State Park Campground is a 4,630-acre park in Delaware County with a gently rolling span of fields and woodlands that offers an array of outdoor recreation and activities, including camping. Home to the Alum Creek Reservoir, which is a favorite spot for boating, fishing, and swimming, Alum Creek State Park has a large campground that features a boat launch ramp, a camper's beach, a nature center, a dog park and dedicated dog beach, and playground equipment for children. The Alum Creek Campground offers 24 full-service campsites with water, electricity and sewerage hookups, as well as restrooms with flush toilets, showers, and a dump station. Activities in the area include swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and naturalist programs.

Alum Creek State Park, Lewis Center Rd, Lewis Center, OH 43035

Situated in the center of the southern half of Indiana, Brown County State Park is a 15,776-acre park and the largest of 24 state parks in Indiana. Nicknamed the ‘Little Smokies’ due to the region’s similarity to the Great Smoky Mountains, Brown County features 16,000 acres of rugged hills, ridges, and foggy ravines and is a popular spot for viewing spectacular fall foliage. The park offers excellent camping facilities with several large campgrounds with water, electricity and sewerage hookups, and overnight accommodations in the form of cabins and motel rooms at the rustic Abe Martin Lodge. Other recreational activities in the park include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and interpretive trails, as well as a saddle barn for guided horse rides and a separate horseman campground with 70 miles of horse trails.

1801 State Rd 46 East, Nashville, IN 47448, Phone: 812-988-6406

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area is a 9,300-acre state park in DeWitt County, Illinois that offers a wealth of recreational opportunities, ranging from camping, hiking, mountain biking, and picnicking to swimming, boating, and fishing. The park features over 300 campsites, varying in classes, but that is adaptable to either tents, trailers, or motor homes with water, electricity, and sewerage hookups. Each site is equipped with a grill and picnic table, and all have access to shower buildings with showers, toilets, and hot running water, except for the group camping area. The park is home to a beautiful, 1,000-foot white sandy beach, which is perfect for swimming and sunbathing, and boating and fishing are permitted on the lake.

7251 Ranger Rd, De Witt, IL 61735, Phone: 217-935-8722

Family Camping Ideas

Located near the Buffalo National River in the magnificent Ozark Mountains just outside of Jasper in Arkansas, Dogwood Springs Campground is a family-friendly campground with a variety of cabins and cottages for overnight stays, as well as tent and RV camping sites with water, electricity and sewerage hookups. The campground has several amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool, a covered pavilion, bathrooms with showers, a laundry, firewood for barbecues, and high-speed wireless Internet. The surrounding area offers a variety of recreational activities ranging from hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, and rock climbing, to seasonal hunting, wildlife viewing, and geo-caching.

621 E Court St, Jasper, AR 72641, Phone: 870-446-2163

Once a state forest, 838-acre Findley State Park boasts beautiful woodlands of hardwoods and stately pines and has a network of scenic hiking trails that wind through meadows of spectacular wildflowers. The fields, forests, and quiet waters are abundant with wildlife and offer a peaceful refuge for visitors wanting to camp or rent a cabin. The campground offers RV and tent camping with electricity and water hookups, as well as three rental cabins and features restrooms with showers and flush toilets, a dump station, a boat launching ramp, laundry facilities, a comfort station, picnic tables, fire rings, and potable water. Activities in the area include boating, swimming, basketball, volleyball, mountain biking, hiking, and naturalist programs.

25381 Ohio 58, Wellington, OH 44090, Phone: 440-647-4490

Located on the shores of South Sand Lake in Hillsdale, Michigan, the Gateway Park Campground is a family-friendly facility for all types of camping. Surrounded by 135 wooded acres at the gateway to the Irish Hills, the campground boasts 99 sites, four cabins, and one rental trailer, along with an array of amenities and outdoor activities. Most of the overnight sites have cement pads and cement patios, and the main lodge at the campground has cable television and high-speed wireless Internet, and recreational activities include hiking, mountain biking, and several water-based sports on the lake such as swimming, boating, fishing, and kayaking.

4111 W Hallett Rd, Hillsdale, MI 49242, Phone: 517-437-7005

Romantic Camping Ideas

Nestled in Richmond amidst the rolling hills of Eastern Indiana, Grandpa's Farm Campground and RV Park are a is family-owned and operated facility that has been providing family-friendly camping for more than 52 years. Set on the banks of the gently flowing Whitewater River, the campground’s rural, tranquil setting offers a peaceful escape from the city with a variety of activities to enjoy, including swimming, kayaking, fishing, and sunbathing, along with hiking, mountain biking, and wildlife watching. The campground offers RV and tent camping with electricity and water hookups, as well as restrooms with showers and flush toilets, a dump station, and facilities such as heated swimming pool with a diving board and a recreation room with billiards, arcade games, and ping pong. Other fun activities include basketball, horseshoes, volleyball, shuffleboard, and frisbee.

4244 IN-227, Richmond, IN 47374, Phone: 765-962-7907

Eldon Hazlet State Park is a state park that renowned for its excellent camping facilities. The 3,000-acre park is home to the Illini Campground, which is located along the shores of the Carlyle Lake and boasts a variety of campsites of different classes for walk-in tent camping and RV camping, and two rustic overnight cabins. Most of the campsites are within walking distance from the water, and campers can leave their boats in coves within the campground. Other activities in and around the park include hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, leisure boating, fishing, swimming and sunbathing. Amenities at the campground range from an amphitheater, an archery range, a basketball court, and a large swimming pool to horseshoe pits, interpretive trails, picnic areas, volleyball courts, and a large retail and gift shop.

20100 Hazlet Park Rd, Carlyle, IL 62231, Phone: 618-594-3015

Based on the banks of the Hocking River in Logan, Hocking Hills Adventures offers three different camping locations depending camper’s needs, including the Riverside, Canoe Livery and Fun Center Campgrounds, each of which boast their unique characteristics. The Riverside and Canoe Livery Campgrounds have basic camping sites, picnic tables, and fire rings, while the Family Fun Center offers campsite with electricity and water hookups. The Riverside Campground has 80 large spacious primitive sites overlooking the Hocking River with showers and flushing toilets a short walk away. Recreational activities include swimming, boating, canoeing, a games arcade, driving range, mini-golf, and go-karting, which are all close to the campgrounds.

Hocking Hills State Park, 31251 Chieftain Drive, Logan, OH 43138, Phone: 740-385-8685

Set on the border of the Hoosier National Forest in Norman in Indiana, the Hoosier Horse Camp offers both seasonal and nightly campsites with electricity and water hookups, as well as primitive camping and day rider accommodations. Each campsite is equipped with a hitching rail for horses and corral panels can be rented to make a temporary pen for overnight stays. The Hoosier Horse Camp offers easy access to over 100 miles of horse trails within the Hoosier National Forest and Deam Wilderness Area. Trails provide the perfect opportunity for riders to soak up the spectacular natural beauty and serenity of Indiana’s rural landscapes.

6732 N County Rd 1250 W, Norman, IN 47264, Phone: 812-995-8046