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Midwest => Michigan Renaissance Festival => Topic started by: Orphena on August 06, 2013, 05:31:55 PM

Title: Best Place to Camp?
Post by: Orphena on August 06, 2013, 05:31:55 PM
So, m'lord and I are HOPING to make it out on Labour day to visit you fantastic people again.... but due to finances, may have to do the camping thing instead of a hotel. I've started some research as to availability, etc, but wanted your opinions!

Where do you camp? We are tent camping - no hookups required.
Can we set up tarps? Are there HOT showers?

Tips and experiences would be most welcome!

Also -is the faire still doing a bring canned goods and get a free ticket for that weekend that they have done in the past?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Best Place to Camp?
Post by: Wickedvox on August 06, 2013, 06:44:22 PM
Orphena here are a couple links:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10365---,00.html (http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10365---,00.html)
http://www.destinationoakland.com/Pages/default.aspx (http://www.destinationoakland.com/Pages/default.aspx)

There aren't many privately owned campgrounds except for a KOA on Grange Hall road. That of course has *all* the amenities, and the price to go with it. We camped at the Holly State Park two years ago, in the rustic portion...in the humid mugginess...Holly is very swampy...there were bugs. Mind that you watch the placement of the campsites when you look at the site maps. If there's water near it try to get a site on the other side.

Oh! Groveland oaks has NO SHADE on 95% of their sites! They've planted young saplings on a wide open plain and that's it. Be forewarned.

Hope that helps!
Title: Re: Best Place to Camp?
Post by: Wickedvox on August 06, 2013, 06:47:36 PM
Also, last year they switched the food charity they used to use. Instead of a free ticket you had to donate a certain number of cans and get half off each ticket...if I remember rightly.
Title: Re: Best Place to Camp?
Post by: Jade on August 06, 2013, 08:45:21 PM
It's only 5 off  this year.  I  haven't used this myself,  but I do keep seeing it on their fb  page.. http://offers.cbslocal.com/deal/40264/up-to-52-percent-off-at-michigan-renaissance-festival?s_campaign=Deals_Twitter_SocialMedia (http://offers.cbslocal.com/deal/40264/up-to-52-percent-off-at-michigan-renaissance-festival?s_campaign=Deals_Twitter_SocialMedia)
Title: Re: Best Place to Camp?
Post by: flidais on August 12, 2013, 12:46:35 PM
We have camped at the Holly Rec area for at least two weekends a season for I'd say 5 years now. We really like it.
We have a pop up and camp in the area with electric.  I see you are tenting it, but I would suggest paying a little more for the electric sites if you can.  They, in my opinion, are more shaded and a little more private than the tent area.  I have noticed that they are filling up fast for labor day weekend, so it'll be slim pickings I'd imagine at this point. 

Have fun!
Title: Re: Best Place to Camp?
Post by: Orphena on August 13, 2013, 09:55:05 PM
Thanks for all the suggestions! We ended up booking at the KOA. The state parks require a recreation passport ($30) which made that rather pricey. The KOA also offers breakfast, which means less groceries for us. We ended up with a site with electricity, as there are none there without. Since we are setting up Thursday, I'm hoping we'll have the luxury of picking a site that suits us, before the rest of the park fills up!