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

What this episode covers

Bayfront Camping at Magnus Park Campground  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.