An Epic Summer RV Trip to Michigan: Part Three (Magnus Park Campground and Petoskey)

On this week’s episode of The RV Atlas Podcast, we wrap up an epic three-part Michigan series with our friend Casita Dean May—and we’re ending in a place that feels like it should be impossible to find in 2026: a municipal campground on Little Traverse Bay with walkability into town, a bike path that can take you 26 miles, and waterfront sites for $40–$50 a night. This episode is the final stop on Dean and Laura’s 23-night Michigan road trip: Holland State Park (beach camping), Interlochen State Park (Traverse City and Old Mission Peninsula), and now Petoskey—for nine nights at Magnus Park Campground.

And the reason Petoskey was the “main event” is one of the best kinds of RV story: they were here because friends they love have been telling them for years, “You’ve got to come during the summer and spend some time in Petoskey.”

To listen to our interview with Casita Dean May please click on the media player above or subscribe to the RV Atlas wherever you get your favorite shows

Why This Trip Happened

This Petoskey stop was inspired by a friendship. Dean shared that his retired dean and mentor, John Bonaguro, and John’s wife Ellen caught the camping bug after Dean and Laura did. One upgrade led to another (as it always does), and now they’re the kind of retirees who camp six months out of the year, book 90-day stays, and spend their summers in Petoskey at Magnus Park Campground before heading to places like Arizona, Texas, or Florida for winter.

We love this kind of RV inspiration—because it’s not about gear. It’s about the way RVing deepens relationships and builds a life around places you want to return to again and again.

More About Magnus Park Campground

Magnus Park is a city park campground—a municipal park with RV camping, right on the bay. We’ve stayed in county parks and state parks and national park campgrounds, but city-park camping is rare enough that it still feels like a hidden category. And honestly? We wish more cities would do this. Because if you build a campground within walking distance of town, RVers don’t just camp—they spend money in local restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, and shops.

Magnus Park is the kind of place that makes you think: why aren’t there 50 more of these?

Where It Is and Why the Location Is the Whole Point

Magnus Park Campground sits on Little Traverse Bay, which is essentially an extension of Lake Michigan. Picture this: bay out your front windows, campground road in front of you, and then a paved bike path running along the shoreline—and Petoskey is right behind you.

Petoskey itself is a small city—about 6,000 people—but in summer it swells dramatically (Dean said it can jump up to 50,000 in peak tourist season). That combination is part of the charm: it has real small-town bones, but it’s set up for summer vacation life.

Sites and Hookups

Magnus Park Campground has 76 sites total. Of those, 36 are full hookups, and the remaining 40 are water + electric. The layout is a closed loop, and if you’re in the “right” line of sites facing the bay, you’re basically camping on the water with the kind of view that usually costs triple (or requires a year-in-advance booking strategy).

Prices That Feel Old-Fashioned

Let’s just say it: the pricing here is wildly reasonable.

• Full hookup sites: $40/night (non-peak) and $50/night (peak)

• Water + electric sites: $35/night (non-peak) and $45/night (peak)

• One cabin: $200/night (non-peak) and $225/night (peak)

• Peak season: Memorial Day through Labor Day

We love “old-school pricing,” and this is the definition of it—especially for a waterfront location.

Booking: The Quirkiest Reservation System We’ve Ever Heard Of

Magnus Park Campground has a reservation system that is truly unlike anything else we’ve encountered. You can’t book far in advance throughout the year. Instead, everything opens up in early January, and the first people who get access are the long-stay campers.

Here’s how it works:

• Day 1: people booking 90 days or more get first pick

• Day 2: people booking 30 days or more get next pick

• Day 3: everyone else gets access

So if you want a prime full-hookup bayfront site during peak season, you need to be ready when “day three” arrives—because the people doing the full summer up there are absolutely grabbing the best locations first.

Dean also shared something practical: you can book by phone, but it often goes to voicemail and may take a couple of days for a call back—so online booking is the smoother route.

How Dean Booked Nine Nights (Without Planning Until June)

This is the part of the episode that makes us respect Dean even more. He didn’t decide to put this trip together until late June, which is practically “last minute” in the campground world—especially for a place this popular.

The reason it worked:

• Most of their nights were after Labor Day, when there’s more availability

• They were willing to take a water + electric site instead of full hookups

• They had a smaller rig (a 17-foot camper and a mid-size truck)

Even with all that, they had to do the thing nobody wants to do on a longer stay: they switched sites mid-trip (four nights in one, five nights in another). It’s not ideal—but when the destination is this good, you can make peace with a little inconvenience.

Dean also ended up in a “small site” the first part of the stay, and we actually love that the campground warned him ahead of time. That kind of truth-in-advertising changes your expectations and keeps you from arriving annoyed.

Wi-Fi, Cell Service, and Staff

Magnus Park offers Wi-Fi, and Dean said it worked well for the basics—email, checking info, normal everyday use. Cell service was also strong on AT&T.

The staff at Magnus Park Campground stood out as friendly and present, but one funny detail Dean mentioned is that so many people return year after year that you can’t always tell who is staff and who is just a veteran camper chatting around a campfire. That’s a great sign of a loyal campground community.

Why This Park Worked So Well for Dean and Laura

One of the most heartfelt parts of the episode was Dean’s explanation of why this trip—and especially this park—fit their current season of life. Their dog, Gibbs, is older now. That changes the type of travel you can do. Hardcore hikes and long adventures aren’t always realistic.

Magnus Park Campground gave them the best of both worlds: stunning views and easy movement without needing rugged terrain. The paved path behind the park meant they could still get fresh air and exercise, still explore, still sightsee—without pushing beyond what works for their family right now.

The Little Traverse Wheelway: The Feature That Makes This Place a “Slam Dunk”

The paved bike path is one of the biggest reasons Magnus Park Campground feels like a gem.

The Little Traverse Wheelway runs right behind the campground along the shore. From the park:

• Turn one direction and you can ride toward Charlevoix

• Turn the other direction and you can ride through Petoskey, past Bayfront Park, toward Petoskey State Park, and even all the way up to Harbor Springs

Dean said it’s about 26 miles end-to-end. He rode 12–15 miles in a day on a regular bike (and noted that many people were on e-bikes). This is the kind of summer RV travel we love most: park the rig, hop on a bike, stop for coffee or a beer, stare at the water for 15 minutes, and let the day move slowly.

Petoskey Stones: The “Treasure Hunt” That Brings People Here

Petoskey stones are the state stone of Michigan, and the history is fascinating. They’re fossilized coral shaped into pebble-like stones through glaciation. People come to the area specifically to hunt for them, and it’s gotten popular enough that you’re limited to 25 pounds of stones.

Dean even mentioned a 93-pound Petoskey stone that’s on display elsewhere in Michigan. If you’re traveling with kids, this is an easy, memorable activity that doesn’t feel like “an attraction.” It’s a treasure hunt.

Day Trips and Scenic Drives Near Petoskey

Harbor Springs

Harbor Springs is just north and feels like a magazine cover. The homes along the water are stunning—early-1900s architecture that looks like it belongs in design magazines. The downtown is small but charming, and the whole place feels like a summer escape.

The Tunnel of Trees

This is the “surreal beauty day.” Starting in Harbor Springs, you can drive north along the Tunnel of Trees—a 20-mile scenic stretch often listed as one of the most beautiful drives in America—ending in Cross Village. Along the way:

• Good Hart General Store is a classic stop

• Trillium Woods Coffee is an unforgettable roadside coffee shop in the woods (great coffee, but also a unique and quirky vibe)

Charlevoix

Dean didn’t get to spend time here due to weather and schedule changes, but the drive-through alone was enough to know it deserves a visit. Charlevoix has a lively, pedestrian-heavy downtown and is known for its whimsical mushroom houses—organic, fairytale-like architecture. It’s also close to Fisherman’s Island State Park (rustic camping only).

Wilderness State Park and Mackinac Country

If you keep going north past Cross Village, you can reach Wilderness State Park near Mackinac City. Dean described it as huge, with hundreds of sites and all kinds of camping options, plus a lighthouse and designation as a night-sky preserve. They didn’t push that far on this trip, but it’s clearly on the “next time” list—along with Mackinac City, the bridge, and the UP.

Food, Beer, and Donuts: The Petoskey Short List

If there’s one theme across this entire Michigan trilogy, it’s that great camp days start with coffee and end with something delicious.

Johan’s Pastry Shop

Old-school bakery energy, excellent donuts, and the kind of place you go twice in nine days. Dean and Laura made it a ritual—sometimes with a donut eaten on the walk back to camp (we will not judge).

Petoskey Brewing Company

A reliable stop for beer and food, located on the north end of town and easy to reach by bike.

Side Door Saloon

A recommended spot from the Bonaguros, with an old-school interior vibe (Dean described mahogany and red leather) and solid food.

Duffy’s Garage & Grille

Here’s the surprise: the best pizza of the entire trip. Pizza isn’t even in the name, but the pizza was exquisite. This is one of those “trust the local place” moments.

Pond Hill Farm

This was described as a “do everything” stop: café, winery, brewery, market, kid-friendly, farm animals, trails, pizzas, and a vibe that works for families and dog owners. It’s on the same route you’d take toward Harbor Springs.

Dean’s Big Takeaways from the Whole Michigan Trilogy

At the end of the episode, Dean shared that if he could only pick one area to revisit, he’d choose Traverse City, simply because they didn’t have enough time there.

But if he had to pick a favorite campsite, he might actually choose Holland’s beach campground—even though it was on asphalt—because the surf was right there and beach camping was so unique for them.

And for pure campground accessibility to town + water + biking + views, Petoskey (Magnus Park) felt like a slam dunk.

Final Thoughts on Magnus Park Campground

Magnus Park is the kind of place that reminds us why we love “hidden gem” public camping. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t need to be. It delivers on what matters: location, access, affordability, and a vacation rhythm that makes you slow down.

This three-part Michigan series has done exactly what we hope a great RV podcast series does: it makes you want to pick a date, open a map, and start building your own version of this road trip. If you’ve been sleeping on Michigan as an RV destination, consider this your sign.

We’ll see you at the campground.