My friends and I were supposed to go to a music festival out of the state last fall but of course…read moreplans changed, so we decided to book a camping weekend at Orchard Beach State Park instead. Located in Manistee, there is plenty to do nearby but unfortunately the weather was pretty rainy for most of the weekend we were there. The access to the beach was closed due to erosion but there are other beaches available. Checking in was easy and there is onsite ice and firewood for sale. The host site was awesome with lots of books for use and a whiteboard with local info. Our site had water and electric hookup, so we were tucked in amongst several RVs and motor homes. The campground was very quiet, which was nice! The restroom facilities were clean and functional, although one had a small set of stairs leading into the actual bathroom area which made it not so accessible. We were on spot 95, which is right near the highway. We knew this going in and could see from the photos that it didn't look that close. Well, it was pretty close, and very loud with road noise. This wasn't a big deal for us but if noise bothers you I'd skip this part of the campground. Another thing to note is that some of the sites hold water when it's been raining, so maybe not the best for tent camping. Our site seemed ok but it was mostly dirt so it did get a little muddy. Nothing too terrible, though. Overall we enjoyed our stay but this definitely wasn't my favorite of the state parks we've visited or camped at. There is a nice lookout point over the lake that made for some nice photos, and getting into town was easy.

Small compared to other state parks across Michigan, but a stunning state park nonetheless located…read moreon bluffs above Lake Michigan! The campground is wonderful and we really loved that it was one that was more underrated and less trafficked. We had a prime camping spot with an uninterrupted view of the lake and even though the weather we had during this weekend wasn't the best, we made do with cozy time in the tent, did a hike through the state park that was lovely and well maintained, and explored the nearby downtown of Manistee, of which Orchard Beach State Park is located just 5-10 minutes north! A wonderful weekend and state park in my books!

Much has changed since I came her as a small child. Now there are lovely Adirondack chairs, a fire…read morepit, a fish cleaning station, a walkway, and of course the beach. There is also an old school playground with the slides of death, as we used to call them. There are bathrooms and picnic tables, too!

Beautiful park, great for sunset. We loved the older playground equipment. We loved the river walk…read moreso close to the beach

Such a beautiful place to see! Great for finding sea glass. My husband and I enjoyed seeing the…read morepeaceful water with only one other couple there! Recommend 100% even saw a black squirrel

Overall enjoyed exploring this beach! There is not a staircase down near this parking lot so it's a…read moremix of walking in dirt/sand to get up and down. On the beach: There is a bunch of stuff that washes up here! You can find petotskys, beach glass, unakite, and other rocks! It really just depends on the time of day and how many other people are here

Overall great beach! They clean the sand regularly and it's an expansive area to explore. You can…read morewalk on a pier out into the water or wander the beach shoreline. If you collect beach glass or rocks you'll need to wander quite a ways down to start finding stuff.

Large parking lot right next to the beach. I also like that there was a Hampton hotel with a lot of…read morerooms with a balcony facing the water right across the parking lot from the beach. So many pavilions for families to eat at, play grounds, parking lots, the restrooms were clean for a beach and there was a place to get food and ice cream. Wishing the weather was not so chilly or we would have stayed longer. Definitely a place to be if you're in the area.

I got to see my first redwood/sequoia trees here. I am so grateful I was able to experience the…read moretrees here and learn about how they thrive here despite usually growing well in California. They have proven to do well in the extremely diverse weather changes that Michigan can bring. If I could come back here every week I would because it just made me so happy. Science was always hard for me, but the unit in high school where we learned about nothing but trees for a month was the only one I enjoyed. Definitely come here if nature, or specifically trees, is your thing

What a special place !! Besides having the most scenic and peaceful beach, they also have a…read morefabulous arboretum. We met the properties manager, what a great guy, he gave us the history and took time to talk to us. We just loved this piece of heaven !!

Came for the week for a family trip and had a great informative staff that helped us with getting…read moreour ice cream for all the kiddos! I didn't get her name, but she was very sweet and informative on doing bonfires on the beach and suggested any additional recs for us! Ice cream was a delight, all the kids were energized with sugar!

Great food. Funky concession style, perfect for summertime dining. Eat at the beach or take it…read morehome!

Golf and crafts…read more The Red Szymarek Park was purchased by the city of Manistee in 1912 and over the decades has become more and more popular. The park has a nice picnic area with lots of tables and grills as well as a simple playground, bike rack and some easy hiking paths. In 2009 a disc golf course was installed and has become extremely popular. Since the entire area is covered with large trees it's well protected from the sun. In the summer and fall the park is home to lots of arts & craft shows as well as animal rescue events. Usually attracts pretty large crowds and because of the rustic and scenic location is a lovely area. The Red Szymarek Park isn't particular large but it's not far from the Manistee beaches and other parks. A cool place for individuals and families to spend some time.

Honor Trading Post was our go-to for kayaking down the lower Platte River! Everyone was so nice &…read morehelpful, it really made the trip down the river a memorable experience. The livery had all the essentials for your trip; water shoes, sandwiches, cold drinks, ice, souvenirs, and so much more! They were stocked with whatever you needed. The team unloaded our kayaks & brought them down to the river with us, along with our paddles & life floats. For the record, they have plenty life jackets for whoever needs them. Any child under the age of 6 is required to wear one. The river flows gently & most of the trip is shallow enough to touch, I never felt in danger without a life vest. My favorite parts of the river were paddling through Loon Lake, the crystal clear water, and the end of the trip where the Platte meets Lake Michigan. The dunes were breathtaking & the kids absolutely loved it! We will definitely be back. Honor Trading Post was my livery of choice!

I booked a kayaking trip on the Platte River for my (almost) 10-year-old son and I. It was easy to…read morereserve everything on their website (we actually booked the morning of our trip.) The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. My son had only been kayaking one other time, and he loved being in his own kayak. The river was slow and calm, perfect for a child to learn how to kayak. Parts of the river did get quite busy (we went on a beautiful Saturday) - there was one area where we navigated around a group of about 50-60 "innertubers." We packed up a couple of sandwiches and purchased some drinks and a cooler at the Trading Post before parking our car at the end of the river (at Lake Michigan.) I loved how at the end of the trip, we could hop right out of the river and into our car. One of the staff members drove us back to the drop-in spot (they had already prepared our kayaks for us to hop right in!) Note: there is an extra $25 fee involved to park your car in the lot at the end of the river. Would highly recommend booking with The Trading Post for anyone looking to check out the Platte River! We were staying in Glen Arbor, and it was only a 30-minute drive away.

This is the second year we stay at this camp site and we love it. The first year i had campnsite…read more108 which is by the volleyball net and over night we had some random people walking through out site to get to the play ground. But other then that, no noise complaints and we had a good time. This year, we reserved site 117. This site is a water front with power. Only thing i have to complain about this site is that the firepit ring is too close to the water, so the bottom of the pit is covered in water. However, despite this issue, i called the office and they were able to come here and fix the problem right away. They went back to their garage and got us a portable firepit so we can enjoy our vacation. Super friendly staff, 2nd time i enjoyed their stay... and already reserved for next year !!!

Great place for a weekend getaway! New owners are super friendly and accommodating. Great spot for…read morefishing, or taking your boat out. Bathrooms are nice and clean. They took out the quarter machine for the showers, but I wouldn't mind either way - a hot shower is a luxury item when camping. Insta Launch Campground is definitely a place I'd like to go back and stay again.