ADVENTURES IN FAMILY CAMPING

by CHRIS LOUD

This tip-of-the-peninsula park makes for a wild (at heart) weekend escape.

Our decades-old tent flapped uncontrollably in the steady Lake Michigan wind. We had one pole in place out of approximately 4,000 poles that still needed to be secured. The only thing keeping it from blowing across Grand Traverse Bay was my 22-month-old, stomping around on the still flat parts of the tent, giggling hysterically every time we pleaded with her to do literally anything else. The parents with similar-aged kids who arrived well after us at the campsite next door were already sipping on drinks and roasting dinner on their roaring fire, as their children played quietly in their fully set-up tent. I hated those people, and I still do if I’m honest.

Eventually, with our 4-year-old using all her muscles to hold one corner of the tent and my wife and I stretched in several directions keeping it all together, we had just one more pole to place. As we looked around desperately for the final piece, our toddler found it, picked it up and casually handed it to her mom, redeeming herself. The tent was set. And every moment that followed proved again and again that camping with small children is kind of hard, but 100 percent possible, and 200 percent worth it, especially at a place like Leelanau State Park in Northport.

Get There

To reserve a site at Leelanau or other Northern Michigan state park gems, including Indian Lake, Tahquamenon Falls, Petoskey, Hartwick Pines, Interlochen and North Higgins Lake, book at midnrreservations.com.

time. Luckily, most sites are not too far from a restroom. Besides the beach (where the shallow water is perfect for wading and swimming), the main attraction for kids is the large, artfully designed playground—truly one of the best in the region. Other adventures to try: biking the roads around the park, visiting the historic Grand Traverse Lighthouse and its kid-friendly exhibits and walking the nearby trails, which are accessible for even the tiniest hikers. And if your kid is like mine—always begging to fly a kite on days when the wind is virtually nonexistent—I recommend getting in some solid sky time at the park. It’s not like it’s the top of Mount Washington, but at the very tip of the Leelanau Peninsula there’s often a steady breeze, ideal for kite flying.

On this Father’s Day weekend, the campground was full, yet didn’t feel busy. We were lucky to score a site on the beach, but there are so many easy ways to access the water that it’s really not necessary. In fact, a nice wooded site within a short walk to the beach might be even better—kids can play around in the woods, you can stay shaded on hot days and, you know … shelter a bit from the wind. Also, take note of your distance to the vault toilets, because this will undoubtedly become important at the most inconvenient

The beauty of Leelanau State Park is that it’s quiet and easy, but kids feel like they’re isolated on a wild island, far away from everything. And so do parents. In reality, you’re only a 10-minute drive from Northport, where you can get almost anything you’d need.

We’ve found that if you camp with small children, the occasional parenting struggles are a small price to pay for that look in their eyes when they truly feel like they’re on an adventure—and they have you to thank for it.

Chris Loud is co-founder of The Boardman Review and lives in Traverse City with his wife, two young daughters and two dogs.

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