Very clean and lots of activities to do for kids there's swimming pool and a nice lake for swimming…read morewith a vey clean beach Huge activities building with so many games for kids would highly recommended to anyone with kids or just to get away Our whole family loved the place and will definitely go back again soon. Thank you

My family had to leave this campground after a really rough night. The mgmt did not enforce quiet…read morehours and we were kept awake until 7am by the campers next door doing nitrous balloons and other drugs. When we addressed this with the owner the next day he was extremely rude and I felt physically threatened by his demeanor. They did not offer us an alternate site or refund. Avoid this place if you want a family atmosphere.

Camp Wandawega is a flawlessly re-created 1950′s summer camp. At $250 a night (plus a $60 airbnb…read moreservice fee), you can step back in time. Located in Elkhorn, WI about 90 minutes from where I currently live, on the way there, I drove by the place I used to camp as a kid and by towns I have met my parents in to go antiquing. Where many of the sites on the way were well-known to me, pulling into the camp site was familiar because it was like driving to the set of Moonrise Kingdom. Really, it was like plopping into any Wes Anderson movie. I could very clearly imagine children with their names emblazoned on sleeping bags and wooden tennis rackets being used as swords by campers. When I first arrived, I was early (although the reservation said there was a flexible check-in time). The cleaning lady was arriving in two hours, so I read outside for a while of (what would be) my cabin. The breeze was nice and my book was distracting, but then I started paying attention to a couple who were dipping their feet into the lake at the end of the dock while eating oranges AND drinking orange juice (?!?). That is commitment to Vitamin C, if I ever saw one. Once I moved past my internal giggle at the scurvy-free couple, I glanced at my phone and saw that time had slowed to a crawl. How can a morning at home go so fast and an hour at camp go so slowly? It is like that scene in The Jerk where he says the first day seemed like a week. Camp Wandawega is quite quiet, except for the crazy chipmunks. Sometimes, you can hear the muted, but distinctive click of the flagpole outside. Often, I caught myself looking to see if the crinkle of leaves or branch breaking was a person, but it was almost always a chipmunk (or, not to be out done, squirrels). If the chipmunks weren't there or if flags didn't move, I would have thought I was frozen by some witch's autumn spell. Overall, it seemed like it shouldn't all be there- the details. It felt like it all should have been swept away in a flood or be permanently planted in someone's dream, not surviving as well-preserved as it all is. There is no internet that I could connect to. I didn't need air conditioning or heat, but they are a window cooling unit and a floor heater respectively; nothing major to protect you from the elements. You are here to be (at least, a little) outside. There is a rope swing and open-air showers. There are old bikes and bird houses. The traditional camp colors of burnt red, forest green, and stark white are everywhere. Uneven stairs and rocky hills force your attention even while you walk casually around. The camp was at one point a brothel. Well, it was a speak easy, a distribution center for organized crime, a brothel, a lake resort and a church camp before the current owners bought it and renovated it to its current state. While at Camp Wandawega, what I felt was a constant pang of that very specific camp feeling. The anxiety before arriving your first time. The waiting of ONE MORE YEAR before your next camp experience always seeming like forever. The addiction in the autonomy and the freedom of no parents or siblings. You just being who you are. Someone good at archery. Someone who loves sitting on a dock. Someone who swings in a hammock. Someone who naps. Someone who hikes. While there, I got invited to a fire on the beach by one couple. At another point, a couple taking engagement photos came by to use the canoes. Untroubled people came and went. Some times a fish would come up to ripple the water in their hunger. The lily pads provided a little buffer from the reflection of the sun. There was the constant smell of a fire burning somewhere. What I recommend doing while at Camp Wandawega: -Eat PB&J. You can go into town for food, but why bother? -Sneak iced coffee or coffee grounds and a French press into the communal kitchen. -You don't really have to sneak, but sneaking around seems very camp-y. -Take a nap. Or several. -Read the books at the end of the bed (A Very Modest Cottage and Found, Free & Flea) by Tereasa Surratt. They will provide more information on the renovation of the property and the care of one of the cottages specifically. -Go on a walk around the whole site. You will find tipis (or teepees) and other fun finds. Just bring your hiking boots. -Canoe. (Language side note: canoe is a noun and a verb. English is so quirky.) -Sit with the liquor of your choice by a fire or just sit by the lake for a while. -Go on a bike ride. -Take pictures. You can't really take a bad one. During my time here, the bees were about. Flies and ants, too. Twice, a spider dropped down (seemingly from the sky) onto the book I was reading. Also, I am 99.9% sure there was a raccoon outside of my cabin door one night. Camp Wandawega is a natural and authentic place which makes it an ultimate place to reflect and assess. Yes, you have to constantly check your wine for bugs, but that is part of the magic of being fully present, isn't it?

AMAZING. This is an awesome place with rich history dating back nearly 100 years ago. The tree…read morehouse is soooo cool, there are many options as far as areas you can stay in. Teepees, old Army tents, the old "dormitories," and small cabins. We were here for a wedding over the weekend (which is rare from what I hear), and the place was recently renovated (in the last 5-7 years or so). This is a very rustic place with a historical feel. In the 1920's during the prohibition years, it was a speakeasy (my favorite part of their history), but there is much more. To learn more about the history check out, www.wandawega.com. This place is also a very well kept secret. I grew up less than 10 miles away from Wandawega, but had only heard of the lake not the "Camp" or "Resort." This place is meticulously decorated, clean, historical, rustic and all-around awesome.

Pinewoods Campground is a beautifully wooded campground within the overall Kettle Moraine State…read moreForest Southern Area. I've been camping here every late September, for a few years, and it's truly a gem of the Wisconsin system. Pinewoods has 101 campsites, flush toilets, vault toilets and showers. There are no electrical sites at this campground. A playground is next to the shower building. And news to me- This campground offers a designated area for those who want to enjoy the peace and quiet that nature has to offer. Loop 1 is a 24-hour quiet zone, meaning no pets, radios or mechanical device noises are allowed, ensuring a peaceful visit. The facilities are clean, there are a few large group sites, and a few hike-in sites. While my small crew prefers the hike-in sites, honestly the regular sites have ample privacy, nestled between the tall pines of this area. There is great hiking nearby, whether it's the Scuppernong trails or the Ice Age Trail, horse riding, Ottawa Lake, and some of the best mountain biking in the State (Emma Carlin and John Muir Trails). Not far from Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago, Pinewoods Campground is a great getaway!

Our family loves camping here and walking the many trails they have. If you plan on camping here…read morewith a group, you'll have to book a year in advance because those spot fill up fast.

Our family loves to camp a few times a year, and most recently we tried Ottawa for the first time…read more Overall I think it was a lovely campground! It's Situated conveniently between Milwaukee and Madison, serving as more than just a campsite, but a great spot to hike, fish, and swim. It's a really big park (literally 100 sites!) so there is plenty of peaceful outdoor space to enjoy. We were lucky enough to snag an electric site, which comes in handy for our RV. Beyond the RV we had two tents, and everything fit comfortably. This site in particular was tucked back close to the lake, but I can see how the outskirt sites closer to the highway might be not as well enjoyed. This campground is fairly wooded with plenty of shade which we appreciated. All of the grounds are well-kept, including the paved pathways throughout. We loved the various playgrounds for our kiddos too. The lake itself has a fishing pier, solid sand area for swimming/hanging in the warmer months, a boat launch, adjacent restrooms that are clean, and lots of walking paths surrounded. All in all, it was a goodie and we had an enjoyable time.

We had a quick stop at the Ottawa Recreation Area while trying to find the entrance (and hiking…read moremaps!) for the Kettle Moraine State Forest's Southern Unit. The entrance was unmanned (Wednesday morning in early May), but we entered with our Wisconsin Parks Annual Pass. We were pleased that, between the maps at the entrance station and displays there, we were able to figure out where we would hike next. (Not at Ottawa Lake). We continued on to check out the recreation area. There is a small lake that features a fishing pier, pet swim area, boat launch, shelter, clean rest room, horseshoes, and short waterfront walking path (no pets). There's also a longer pet trail that is not waterfront. There does not appear to be a trail around the lake. We were one of only a few cars in the parking area though the car next to us had at least a dozen fishing rods in the grass. Suddenly, a long line of cars pulled into the lot, filled with teenagers who would be users of all of the fishing rods! The main feature of the recreation area appears to be the campground, with showers, flush toilets, water spigots, and dump stations. (Seasonal).

We love this local place. Always friendly faces. Food is good, drinks are good. They have machines…read moreand pinball. Plenty of parking.

Super cool place tucked out of the flow of traffic with a beautiful view of Turtle Lake. Our…read moreserver, Jaylean, was absolutely amazing! Friendly, attentive and prompt! The Old Fashions were yummy, especially the first one made by the older gentleman wearing a green hat..... that was definitely delicious! Three of us had the Cod fish dinner and my husband had the BLT... EVERYTHING was amazing!

This is my 3rd season at Bark river campgrounds and I love it here. The lodge has great food and…read morethe pools clean. Weather your swiming, sitting around a fire or fishing in the pond, this place is great and family friendly.

Staff is awsome , great activities for the kids , zero , complaints , have fun ,it's summer !!!!…read moreGodbless America!!!

I love this place. their cheese curds are great. the beach is also pretty fun with the floats they…read morehave there

Beautiful! Private and secure…read more Management is . Very helpful!! Family owned and operated.

Staff is ALWAYS friendly. Great place for a family to camp. Lots of activities for kids and adults.read more

Sometimes, life is cruel…read more It certainly was for the family whose son drowned when I visited the Happy Acres Kampground this July. Fire trucks, ambulances, and searchlights scanned every inch of the property on Saturday evening until the authorities made their tragic discovery. The incident took place in the "private pond," which is (or was) open to guests for swimming, boating, and fishing each summer. The water appeared to be treated with a blue anti-algae solution, which made the water opaque and all but impossible to see through. Young children splashed around and slung mud at me with no supervising guardians in sight. I flinched and jumped as imperceptible fish bombarded me underwater, leaving red marks on my skin. The pool on site is a tad less disconcerting, complete with a sunny lounge chair deck and plenty of tolerably clean water for children and their families to enjoy. The nearby shower facilities are less ideal; the showerheads will activate only if you insert a quarter first. My traveling party did not bring any coins with us, and the front desk never warned us that we would need currency to clean off at night. I advise management to warn guests ahead of time that their tokens will be necessary, or else install a shower system worthy of the 21st century. Despite its flaws, it's hard not feel fortunate while taking in the Happy Acres' miles of wooded hiking trails, or enjoying a stroll past ornate trailers and RVs all decked out for the warm season. The atmosphere is joyful--even giddy enough to hold a "Christmas in July" festival complete with decorations, Santa hats, and a holiday movie screening. Needless to say, little kids will have plenty to do while visiting this property. The location of Happy Acres is conveniently close to the Richard Bong Recreational Area, and just a few minutes further from Kenosha. Chicagoans looking for a place to relax for the weekend--or longer, based on the many permanent-looking motorhome setups I observed--need only drive an hour to reach it. What's more, firewood and other camping supplies are sold in a gift shop for flighty travelers such as myself who forgot to pack a few essentials. The indoor bathroom facilities appear to be well maintained, but the portable toilets could do with some hand sanitizer and fly traps. Electrical and water hookups at each site make for a convenient camping space. While bug spray is useful, I never found the mosquito situation to be bothersome. Furthermore, I commend the management for their environmental stewardship in collecting recycling from every camper. This service is more than many businesses bother to offer. To their credit, the staff here did their best to ensure dignity and privacy for the family who lost their son. My deepest condolences are with them. As a swim-at-your-own-risk institution, no lifeguards are on duty anywhere. As one of only a handful of camp grounds in the county, the site is assumedly vital to the local economy. I don't believe the business is personally responsible for this tragedy, and hope Happy Acres survives to see another year.