by Carly Simpson | Sep 7, 2022 | Live Here, Outdoors, Towns | 0 comments

Take one more family camping trip this summer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—and leave the tent at home.

“Furnished” and “camping” don’t often appear in the same sentence, but at Au Train Beach Campground in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, that’s exactly what you’ll find—right across the street from a long sandy stretch of Lake Superior beach. Hello, paradise.

Operated by Paddling Michigan, which is headquartered in nearby Munising, the Au Train Beach Campground has safari tents, yurts and tipis in addition to a few rustic campsites if your fam really does love sleeping on the ground. Furnishings include bunk beds, futons, solar-powered lighting with a USB port to charge devices, outdoor charcoal grills and picnic tables. The larger “grand yurts” even have full electricity and mini-fridges. Ice and firewood are for sale. Just bring your sleeping bag and cookware.

What makes Paddling Michigan even cooler is its water adventures and boat tours. Take the kids on a guided hike and paddle at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, or book a Grand Island boat cruise. Reservations are available à la carte or make it really easy with vacation packages that bundle canoeing, several meals, a kayak tour, boat cruise and two- or three-night stays.

Get there: M-28, 13 miles west of Munising. Campground open May thru September.

Photo by Uncle Ducky Outdoor

Photo by Uncle Ducky Outdoor

Photo by Uncle Ducky Outdoor

Explore Au Train Songbird Trail, a two-mile interpretive hiking loop. In the forested areas, you may see chickadees, cedar waxwings and nuthatches. From atop the observation platform, look for ducks, shorebirds, eagles and osprey. The birds are most active (and vocal) in the mornings; walk then for a woodland concert.

Paddle your way down the Au Train River Canoe Trail. Here you’ll find 10 miles of slow-moving river to explore free of rapids and portages, making it a safe and fun experience. Watch for blue herons, kingfishers, muskrats and turtles along with walleye, perch, suckers and bullheads. And in fall, the salmon run.

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MyNorth.com is the online home of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine, the flagship publication of MyNorth Media, a Traverse City, Michigan company dedicated to sharing stories and photos about vacations, restaurants, wineries, the outdoors and more from Traverse City to Sleeping Bear Dunes and up to Mackinac Island.

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Photo(s) by Uncle Ducky Outdoor