There are many ways to enjoy a Wisconsin summer vacation, and our beautiful natural scenery provides some of the best camping in the Midwest.

Dozens of campgrounds around the state offer a variety of camping experiences. So head out with your family and friends to a countryside campground that offers inexpensive, fun-filled accommodations and organized recreational activities.

Peninsula State Park dnr.wi.gov
9462 Shore Road, Fish Creek, (920) 868-3258

If you enjoy hiking, camping, cycling, fishing or golfing, Peninsula State Park is where you want to be. Peninsula is one of Wisconsin's most popular outdoor attractions with more than 3,776 acres of woodlands, lakeshore and beautiful limestone bluffs. About three hours away from Milwaukee, Peninsula is a great park in the heart of Door County.

Peninsula is home to four different campgrounds of nearly 500 sites, some with lake views. Three group-camp areas are designated for tent camping only.

Fishing in this part of Lake Michigan is great for catching trout, walleye, smallmouth bass and perch. For those of you who have your own boat, Peninsula Park has two boat launches and a fishing pier for continuous lake access all summer long.

There are 19 miles of hiking trails in the park. Flower lovers are very fond of The Sentinel Trail. This trail offers many varieties of colorful plants and flowers, such as the Dwarf Lake Iris and the Yellow Lady-Slipper.

Peninsula State Park also offers nine miles of paved and gravel trails with designated bike routes. Rough, hilly, off-road trails are also offered for adventurous bikers.

One of the Peninsula's most popular features is a scenic 18-hole golf course. Reservations are highly recommended.

The Historic Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, established in 1868, is a great site to see. It stands over outlying islands and is open for tours daily.

Reservations for extended stay at Peninsula State Park are highly recommended up to 11 months in advance. During the week, $10-15/night for WI residents and $12-17/night for non-residents. For reservations call, (888) WI-PARKS.

Devil's Lake State Park devilslakewisconsin.com
S5975 Park Road, Baraboo, (608) 356-8301

Hop in your car and take a trip to Devil's Lake State Park in Baraboo. The Park has three public camping areas located on the north shore of the lake, and nine group camping areas on the south shore. Each campground is distinct from the other to suit each different camper's taste.

The Quartzite campground is located right on County DL and is recommended best for campers and RVs. The site is a mostly open area and was once a golf course. It’s also open year-round.

The Northern Lights campground offers a variety of different sites from secluded wooded tents to RV sites with extra long pads for large RVs. This site is close to the park amphitheater.

The Ice Age campground is the farthest site from the lake. To get here, you must first drive through Northern Lights and under County DL. This site consists of two main areas and has the most wooded tent sites.

Ice Age is the place to go for primitive camping without showers or electrical hook-ups.

The group camps, located on the south shore, are most often used for kiddie camp outings and scout groups.

Devil's Lake is also a popular hunting and fishing destination. The locals sometimes refer to it as "The Dead Sea" but fishing in the lake is actually quite good.

The park has two large swimming areas for you to enjoy with sandy beaches, picnic areas, hiking, biking and much more.

To enter the park you must purchase a current Wisconsin State Park sticker. You can buy these at the Visitor Information office or you may order from the DNR directly. To do this, simply send a check or money order to DNR Parks and Recreation, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 or by phone at (608) 266-2181 between 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. MasterCard and Visa are accepted.

Sticker fees are as follows:
For a Wisconsin resident: Annual: $25, Daily: $7, One-hour: $3
WI residents age 65 and older: Annual: $10, Daily: $3, One-hour: $3
Non-residents: Annual: $35, Daily: $10, One-hour: $3 Devil’s Lake’s camping fees range from $10-$15 for the 2006 season.