If I could give 6 stars I would. We stopped by without a reservation. Registration is DIY...you…read morecall and a lovely young lady named Amy will answer and talk you through making payment and filling out forms. Amy was great to work with...with a great sense of humor and was very adroit at suggesting places to get ice; a.bite to eat etc. She was like the magical hotel concierge you luck out and get when all.of your travel plans are falling apart. We loved the campground. It had direct access to the Betsie River, showers and bathrooms were very well.maintaimed a clean...hot water was never a problem. There's Frisbee golf and horseshoes available..firewood was a generous amount for the money. There's 400 acres of state land to the north directly abutting the property. Mostly trailer and tent camping ( we had hammocks and were allowed to choose the spot we liked with the best trees for setup). They do have a canoe and kayak livery that currently only operates on weekends. I rarely gush over a business that doesn't bring me hot delicious food and cocktails...this is an exception to the rule. Hands down one of the best camping experiences. I have been disperse camping the last few years in order to avoid people and some of the issues that come with group camping ( loud drunk ppl...fascist property managers etc) this was about as good as family camping will ever get and the location is incredible. There's a very clean Mobil gas w a pizza place about 2 miles from the campground...and plenty of activities in all direction. Thank you so much for helping make our fishing trip camping headache free and amazing.

it's got everything you need their website was a little confusing( booking wouldn't work) but when…read morewe got there amy figured it out with us. fire wood is a little expensive that's it.

Top Notch place for us retired people who just want a quiet, clean place to stay as a jumping off…read moreplace to go and explore. Stayed in a cabin that was clean, comfortable with a picnic table for outside cooking, and a good size fire ring. Breakfast on site, firewood and ice. Clean restrooms and showers. No nonsense rules, clean and friendly.

We loved our 2-night stay at BRC. The property is well-kept, and clean. The camp store is a…read moredelight! It is well-stocked with unique, local items that you might find in a gift shop in the area. There is a breakfast/lunch cafe which we did not get to try but looked great. The owners do the cooking with fresh, local ingredients. We took advantage of the kayaking that they offer. It was one of our favorite activities of our week-long trip to northern Michigan. My husband and I were the only two people on the river at the time and it was perfect! The Bestsie river is a fairly narrow river that flows through a nature preserve. It was chock-full of Herron, Kingfisher, and waterfowl which were awesome to see. We will be back when we return to our beloved Michigan!

Great place to camp a week or so and do outdoorsy stuff or go to the casinos, Traverse City,…read moreSleeping Bear Dunes and some small but bustling towns on the shores of Lake Michigan. The facilities are very modern, well kept and you have plenty of room on your flat gravel site. The bathrooms are excellent as are the showers. They don't have a store per se, but there is a gas station, convenience store at the exit to the park. There is a section with seasonal campers, but week to week rigs also are in their own section. There are sites with some shade, but not so many trees to make it hard to pull through or have your awning open. The people were a mix of young people, older couples and families. We would stay there again.

Place is very clean, groundskeepers here do an awesome job. Would recommend this place, seems like…read morethey're usually pretty well booked so call in advance

If I could give zero stars I would. My wife and I had a reservation at this campground over the 4th…read moreof July weekend. My wife ended up in the hospital with a life threatening illness. So I called the campground to cancel. This lady running this place was quite special. Of course I asked about a refund and really didn't expect to get one and that's fine. However the lack of compassion was quite amazing. As if I was making this up. It was unreal. You might think twice before going to this place.

The campground itself was nothing special, but the real problem was the host. She was incredibly…read morerude and seemed to enjoy making everyone's stay miserable. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.

We stayed two nights at Paradise Cove Campground in July of 2021. My husband and I were looking to…read moreget away for a weekend last minute and after calling around to a handful of places for camping which were all full (last weekend of the Cherry Festival), I reached out to Jerry of Paradise Cove and he was happy to host us. He and his wife, Barb, were so incredibly hospitable and kind - they checked the sites before we booked to make sure they weren't too wet (we had just come off a week with a lot of rain) and that they would accommodate our camper. He met us at the drive when we arrived to make sure we got parked okay (sites are on the smaller side, about 20 feet wide with large trees in between). And he even brought up a fire ring and firewood to our site when we asked about a place to have a fire! As they also own the Paradise Cove restaurant and marina just down the street from the campground, I'm sure they are busy folks and that makes this level of customer service that much more special! Currently the campground is under development, so only a portion of their current 16 sites are ready for use (some don't have electric service and they don't currently take tent or pop-up campers as there are no bathroom facilities). The view of Lake Leelanau from sites 1-10 is beautiful, the road the sites share with the residential neighborhood was quiet and peaceful, and it was a perfect jumping off point for the adventures we wanted to have in the Traverse City, Old Mission Peninsula, Leelanau Peninsula, and Sleeping Bear Dunes area. We look forward to seeing how the campground grows and to a return visit!

We stayed twice last year and it's nice to see how they improved. New owners are really nice…read more Amazing views!

They claim to be family oriented. But allow guests and employees to drive golf carts and other…read morevehicles. Well, impaired and drinking, And seem to encourage the behavior all while having Benzie County sheriff's department in their back pocket.. Definitely a fun place, but not safe. I have several videos that I have taken just this weekend, July 2023 There has been several accidents Involving minors driving golf carts and atv's in the past. The employees don't even follow their own rules Which encourages others to do so as well.

Third year. Same site, noise level is terrible. No rules enforced. Speed limit is 7 mph. No one…read morepays attention to that rule. Round and round golf carts and side by sides ride up and down the unpaved, dusty roads. Maintenance guy has radio in golf cart up full volume. Manager Terry seems nice. Odd that several seasonal residents leave before the weekend because of noise. It's impossible to have a conversation at campsite.

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!

My first time at Arcadia was when I was 5 years old in the 1940's. "RKD" is a…read morespecial place. I spent vacations there during my growing-up years and then, when my own family was growing up, my husband and I spent time there with our daughters. One of my girls even worked there one summer when she was in college. I'm planning a trip there this summer with one of my daughters and her family. It's a great combination of time with God, family and friends. We now live on the East Coast....so you know we are definitely enthusiastic fans. Hope to see you there in August.

I love going to camp, though camp isn't really what you are doing there. The food is amazing, the…read moreview is the best, the activities for families are well thought out.

Stayed here in July with my two kids. Friendly front desk, comfy beds, nice strong AC in Cabin 9…read more I've stayed in lots of cabin places like this, in this price range, and this was by FAR the cleanest. It was small and basic but had everything we needed. Towels were actually fluffy! The pool was an excellent bonus. Seriously though, the cabin was so spotless I think they must have done updates recently. And the location was convenient to a few places to eat and an easy drive to Sleeping Bear Dunes. I don't fish but they seemed to have a nice set up and it's right on the river.

I recently spent a week at Betsie Riverside Resort, a charming escape nestled alongside a tranquil…read moreriver. The cabins and facilities are undoubtedly the highlights of this place. Each cabin is well-maintained, offering cozy interiors that perfectly complement the serene natural surroundings. The resort's attention to detail is evident, with clean and comfortable accommodations that provide a genuine sense of relaxation. The communal areas, including the indoor pool/spa, playground, and fire pits make for a perfect family getaway. However, it's worth noting a few aspects that potential visitors might want to consider. The owners are quite vigilant, with surveillance cameras placed throughout the property. While this does contribute to a sense of security, it feels intrusive, particularly if you're looking for a more laid-back and private getaway. The owners make it no secret they actively watch the cameras and will provide real-time feedback of guest's activities. The owners also have extreme cleaning requirements for checkout. If you do not meet these requirements they will send you a followup email containing details and pictures of your transgressions. For example, there is an unwritten expectation to clean the toilet before leaving even though a toilet brush is not provided. I have never encountered such expectations at other resorts, vacation rentals, or hotels. Additionally, the owners have a clear preference for individual cabin rentals. Large groups and children are discouraged, which might be a consideration if you're planning a family vacation, reunion, or a group trip. This focus on maintaining a serene environment may not suit everyone's vacation plans. However, if you're a retiree looking to go fishing or kayaking this is your place. This was our second summer at the resort and will be our last. Our family group rented 6 cabins, some traveling from out of state. Our group ranged from grandparents to young kids. We are a fairly quiet group that doesn't "party", nor do we stay up late. We did our best to stay out of other guests way and share the communal areas. The owners made us feel like a bother and unwelcome during our stay. We cleaned up after ourselves and cleaned the cabins before we left. Even still, we received emails after our stay indicating toilets were not cleaned and a couple of crumbs were left on a counter. While I can appreciate the owners' high standards for cleaning and grounds maintenance, they do not have enough staff to maintain those standards and instead push the responsibility onto their guests. Overall, Betsie Riverside Resort is a lovely destination for those seeking a peaceful retreat in well-kept surroundings. Just be mindful of the owners' preferences, expectations, and the presence of active security camera monitoring if you're looking for a more relaxed and private experience.