Looking for a Destination within 4 hours South of Detroit

[Thomas G.]

I was planning a trip to Ludington, MI next weekend, but the forecast is for COLD. Since, I'm flexible, I'm thinking that I should be heading south.

Any recommendations for somewhere within about 250 miles south of the Detroit area?

My preference is a public park, electricity not essential.

[Kevin A]

There are some very nice Indiana State Parks near French Lick, IN that have been used for the annual Indiana spring fish fry. One of them is at Lake Patoka and the other is at Spring Mill State Park near Mitchell. Both of these are south of Bloomington, IN. The Prophetstown State Park near LaFayette, IN is also nice and close to lots of historic areas.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Kevin A

There are some very nice Indiana State Parks near French Lick, IN that have been used for the annual Indiana spring fish fry. One of them is at Lake Patoka and the other is at Spring Mill State Park near Mitchell. Both of these are south of Bloomington, IN. The Prophetstown State Park near LaFayette, IN is also nice and close to lots of historic areas.

These look great, but are unfortunately about 7 hours+ from me. This is only a 3 day weekend jaunt.

[john warren]

hmm as much driving as i have done south threw ohio, indiana and such i really do not have a good grip on their camping grounds. all of mine has been at truck stops down there. i know kentucky and tenn. have some beautiful country. and slightly more mild temps this time of year.
i think the problem is 250 miles pretty much keeps you in ohio . indiana . illiinois. so maybe you need to focus on a destination or event , say for example, the air museum in ohio, or they have an amaising bicycle museum, football hall of fame , rock and roll hall of fame, stuff like that that you might like to see .my wife and i took a trip down just to see the bicycle museum last year was a 3,1/2 hour trip, but we didn't camp.

[monB]

Well, you could maybe find a place to visit at Roadside America, Roadside America - Guide to Uniquely Odd Tourist Attractions and then find a place to stay from/after that.

MonB

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by monB

Well, you could maybe find a place to visit at Roadside America, Roadside America - Guide to Uniquely Odd Tourist Attractions and then find a place to stay from/after that.

MonB

That's a great site.

[rgrugg]

If you like car museums there is the Auburn/Cord/Duesenburg museum at Auburn, IN or the Studebaker museum in South Bend, IN. Both are in their former factories.

[Kevin A]

Sorry, Tom. I didn't catch your starting point in Michigan. How about something near Elkhart, IN? You could visit some RV spots. We also liked a campground near Jackson, MI in the Waterloo State Recreation area, but that is west of you, not south. If you want a rustic but beautiful camping experience, you could try Zane Caverns just east of Bellefontaine, Ohio. This would be about 175 miles south of Detroit. This campground is owned and run by the United Remnant Branch of the Ohio Shawnee and offers a neat cave tour and a small fishing lake. Cost is about $25 per night. We have been there several times for the annual summer pow-wow.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by rgrugg

If you like car museums there is the Auburn/Cord/Duesenburg museum at Auburn, IN or the Studebaker museum in South Bend, IN. Both are in their former factories.

Great suggestion. This destination has been on my list, but this trip is with the pooch and I think I should stick to more hiking and less sightseeing.

Originally Posted by Kevin A

Sorry, Tom. I didn't catch your starting point in Michigan. How about something near Elkhart, IN? You could visit some RV spots. We also liked a campground near Jackson, MI in the Waterloo State Recreation area, but that is west of you, not south. If you want a rustic but beautiful camping experience, you could try Zane Caverns just east of Bellefontaine, Ohio. This would be about 175 miles south of Detroit. This campground is owned and run by the United Remnant Branch of the Ohio Shawnee and offers a neat cave tour and a small fishing lake. Cost is about $25 per night. We have been there several times for the annual summer pow-wow.

Interesting possibility. I'll have to see if DW is interested.



Keep these great suggestions coming.

[Randy Schafer]

Tom, we will be camping this weekend in southern MI. The weatherman out of Kazoo said a 25% chance of snow Saturday night!! So going south sure sounds like the way to go if you don't want to earn your polar bear badge!! Have fun wherever you end up going.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Randy Schafer

Tom, we will be camping this weekend in southern MI. The weatherman out of Kazoo said a 25% chance of snow Saturday night!! So going south sure sounds like the way to go if you don't want to earn your polar bear badge!! Have fun wherever you end up going.

Yea, just my luck. Last summer I headed to the UP only to find it 95 degrees in the shade.

Has anyone stayed at Maumee Bay State park near Toledo?

[Kevin A]

Sorry, no. In northern Ohio, we've only stayed in a nice campground nw of Youngstown near Newton Falls ( north of the ammo range).

[MikeE]

I recommend Mary Jane Thurston State Park Campground. It's not really all that far from you but it's convenient to get to. You could be camping right on the water and it's very beautiful. There is a restored waterpowered mill and you can ride on the canal that you and your kids would enjoy.
It is an Ohio state park Grand Rapids Ohio. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/tabid/768/Default.aspx

MikeE

[rgrugg]

Maumee Bay state park in Ohio is a nice park. If you like birdwatching, Magee Marsh is nearby.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by MikeE

I recommend Mary Jane Thurston State Park Campground. It's not really all that far from you but it's convenient to get to. You could be camping right on the water and it's very beautiful. There is a restored waterpowered mill and you can ride on the canal that you and your kids would enjoy.
It is an Ohio state park Grand Rapids Ohio. Mary Jane Thurston State Park

MikeE

Thanks, Mike. It gets good reviews.

[John and Jaci]

I haven't been there in a long time, but I remember Crane Creek State Park near Toledo as being very nice. Then again I could be biased as my grandfather helped to build the park when he worked in the CCC.

[Thomas G.]

To close this out, we ended up going to Maumee Bay State park, east of Toledo.

The park is about 20 years old, but looks like new. The downside, for me, was that the biggest trees were also 20 years old, which means not a lot of shade. In the cool, rainy weather it didn't much matter.

There are over 200 sites situated on a series of side roads, each ending in a cul de sac. Water taps and grey water disposal drains are sprinkled through the campground. The sites are level asphalt with 30 / 20 amp electricity, but no water or sewer hookups. There is a waste dump and water refill station at the entry as well as a nice camp store. Bathrooms have two showers each that were clean and worked well. A coin laundry is located near the center of the campground.

The rest of the park has two large beaches - one on Lake Erie and a second on a small inland lake adjacent to the big lake. A canoe, kayak and bicycle rental operates seasonally. There is a resort with restaurant on site if you want to spring for something fancier. Elsewhere on the property are rental cottages. The campground has rental yurts and camping huts for the RV-less.

Nearby are a series of wildlife refuges, as this is a migration pathway over the lake. Magee marsh is world famous for birders with extensive boardwalks. As we had our pooch, we couldn't do the boardwalks. The campground also has a mowed pathway around the perimeter and a paved bike path to leading to the beach / resort area.

Ohio State Parks - Maumee Bay State Park