We have been coming for years and loved it, but this year it has been nothing but MEAN! They don't…read morecare about their customers, VERY RUDE and just not worth the energy. Sad to see such a fun place become so bad. I do not recommend doing business with Northern Exposure.

I have camped a lot of places in Michigan, this place by far my #1!!! The view of the lake wraps…read moreall around the campground it's beautiful! Nice convenient camping store, clean beach and the bathrooms are brand new and very clean! I will definitely come back!

Easy to find, good communication. Good amount of bathrooms and trash cans spread out. Campsite was…read moreclean. Personally prefer above ground campfires for ease of physicality and cooking

For any outdoor enthusiasts exploring around Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore...I highly…read morerecommend staying here at Empire Township Campground!! Yes...I discovered it through the trusty ole app on my phone called CAMPENDIUM! In fact, I've used Campendium to locate plenty of campsites, RV Trailer Parks and rest stops along my plenty of travels these last few years. Definitely...if you're an adventurer...download Campendium. And what's great about it is that you can find campsites at the last minute/spur of the moment. That's how I came upon this Empire Township Campground. After driving all day to Sleeping Bear Dunes...I knew I needed a place to camp out because there weren't many accommodations offered in the area. Campendium mentioned to just show up here and it's first come, first served. I visited back in late May of this year 2021. The camp host was very friendly. She mentioned had I visited over the weekend, the campsites would have been full. So fortunately, I showed up on a Tuesday evening and there were plenty of spaces available. There were 60 campsites for me to choose from. The host handed me a map and told me to pick a site that was unoccupied and then return to the entrance where she'd secure my reservation. I picked Site #6 located right near the shower house. It was $25 per night for primitive camping. Having already planned out my Sleeping Bear Dunes itinerary ahead of time...I booked for 2 nights here for $50. So...I'd spend the first night here, hang out all day at Sleeping Bear Dunes Lakeshore the following day, return back here for my 2nd evening, and then finish up my explorations of the area the last day and eventually move onto my next destination. For being here for 2 nights...I surprisingly planned out everything perfectly! Here are some details about this Empire Township Campground... It's located 5 miles outside the Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitor Center and the quiet little town of Empire, Michigan. My cell phone reception worked perfectly so I was able to watch a movie inside my tent one night before going to sleep. They have 3 showers. But...bring quarters with you as they charge .50 cents for every 3 minutes of hot water use. I used $1.50 and took my time cleaning off for 9 minutes. Outside the shower house there were a few electrical outlets which allowed me to plug in my phone and generator to grab some power. They actually offered AMP Power at some sites. In fact, I probably should have paid extra (which I'm sure wouldn't have cost much) for the accessible AMP Power. Oh well, my bad. My campsite #6 featured plenty of space and room. I felt like I was in the heart of nature and far enough away from other campers to have some privacy. The whole setting here was really pleasant. The camp host does sell ice to keep drinks cold as well as firewood to ignite flames for chilly evenings. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. Also, charcoal grills are allowed as well. One night I barbecued some hot dogs during a scenic sunset. There's also dump stations for RV's. For locating this Empire Township Campground...simply plug the name into Google Maps and you'll have no issues finding it. They have real toilets for when using the bathroom, not vault toilets or porta potties. That's always a nice aspect. I can't think of anything else to say other than my 2 night experience here was quite memorable for all the good reasons. For anyone interested in getting ready to explore the UP (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan and heading north, I highly suggest making Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore a priority to visit and choosing this Empire Township Campground as a your place for enjoying nights in the great outdoors.

I will always highly recommend this wonderfully beautiful campground! The lots are spacious, It has…read morea beautiful little lake with kayaking, paddle boarding, and two great beaches for swimming. The owners are truly some of the kindest and friendliest people you'll ever meet, and they make you feel right at home. We absolutely love this place and can't recommend it enough!

TLC has come a long way, the community is super welcoming and friendly, the staff is attentive and…read morecaring, my wife and I and the kids loved it so much we're seasonals! Would highly recommend!

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.

I am so thankful for Damon and Angela at Platte River Pines. I stayed here for my wedding weekend…read more Friday night with the girls, and got ready all day Saturday there. Damon and Angela got us extra mirrors to do make up and hair. Was totally relaxing and got some amazing pre-wedding photos. We came back saturday night to stay, also had some other family stay in another cabin as well for the weekend. They are amazing people always have smiles on their face and accommodating your needs in any way. Coffee is ready and brewed for the guest to enjoy. Outstanding beautiful scenery down by the river, and a clam fire to end the evening relaxing. Huge thank you from the Smoker's. 6-9-18

If you are looking for a low cost private cabin, as opposed to a hotel room, centrally located to…read moreeverything in Honor, MI, this is your place. The owners Damon and Angela are real friendly, and want to make sure your stay is a good one. The cabins are old and may be a little creeky, but the insides are lean and updated with new bath fixtures, new kitchens with new cabinets, sink, counters, stove and fridge. They have been busy remodeling and cleaning them up. They are only 1/2 hour to sleeping bear, Traverse City, or Glen Arbor.They are on the Platte River, and Damon will drive you upstream, drop you off with tubes so you can cruise back to the cabins. There are firepits eveywhere for you to relax quietly, and even chat with neighbors or the owners if you like. There is your own private deck on the river you can sit and relax at, with a fiepit nearby. They told us some great places to go fishing. They have free wifi.

We've camped here for years, but since the new owners took over, the experience has gone downhill…read morefast. The bathrooms are dirty, pool is slimy, there are no trash cans, and they nickel-and-dime you for everything. The owner is rude and seems more interested in reminding everyone she's "the owner" than actually running a business. It's clear they care more about money than guests. Don't waste your time or money here.

Great place! Well tree'd! Clean all the way around! Great staff! Highly recommend this place.read more

This kayak trip was absolutely beautiful, and so peaceful. This is the place you want to go if…read moreyou're not super interested in floating the Platte with everyone and their brother! Lots of wildlife, crystal clear water and very few other people! The owners of Alvina's were wonderful to work with. Could not have been more kind and helpful! Truly a one-of-a-kind float!

We rented some kayaks and went on the river / Green Lake. Amazing experience, and the sisters were…read moreso sweet and personal, helping us get on and off the kayaks, and explaining everything thoroughly. Price is reasonable too, would come back here again for sure. Thank you for a great time!! :)

We made reservations months ago. It was highest rated campground in area…read more It's has really mature trees & lots of shade. It's great destination if you had kids. The manager is a very awesome dude.He went beyond call of duty to assist us. They have really good WiFi ( great for streaming tv) This place is open year around for skiers & snow activity. They said lots visitors come for wineries in winter.

I first came here for tent camping 9 years ago and had a good experience with friends. We decided…read morewe would come back with our kids and it was worth it! Booking was tricky. I knew they booked up for summer in January but I called in December to ask for a specific date and they didn't have an answer. Booking was over the phone, which seems outdated. We booked 3 nights and would have easily booked a 4th if anyone had told our group (3 separate families) that the fun activities like a glow parade and foam party happen on Saturday night. We'll definitely keep that in mind for the future! We were one of very, very few tent campers. There are no reduced costs for tents. All sites are gravel. We stayed at 2 locations - site #7 which had a bright streetlight on all night,, and site #122 which was darkness. A con of #122 was that the fire ring was next to the wall so you couldn't place chairs completely around it. Overall, there were so many wonderful activities that really made this place awesome for kids! The man made lake included inflatable trampoline, slide, and climbing tower, the pools had basketball hoops, there was a jump pad, pickleball courts, bike trails, Cornhole (BYOB - bring your own bags), sandpit dodgeball, a playground and scheduled activities/crafts. There are a few on-your-own-time activities like a scavenger hunt that took a decent amount of time because the campground is huge! They have coin-operated showers (10 minutes for 1.00) but all 3 times I tried, at different times of day, it was still a not-warm shower. The lodge had a decent selection of food. My kids enjoyed corn dogs and I loved the crispy chicken tenders! Ice cream is naturally delicious. Overall, great experience! Maybe their next enhancement will be mini golf...