Straits State Park

The location of this nice state park is hard to beat, located just over the bridge in the upper peninsula on the edge of St. Ignace.

The campground seems more used than other Michigan State Parks we've visited - the sites were adequate and the facilities were clean and functional.

Overall, this is a great location for exploring the local area.

Cellular service was very good on both AT&T and Verizon with good enough performance for basic streaming, even during peak hours.

What I enjoyed about this campground was the plantings surrounding our site and throughout the grounds (a bed of lily of the valley, wild yellow ladies slipper). The grounds were well kept. The bathhouse was well kept. The downside was hearing the jake brakes of trucks descending toward mackinaw bridge through the night.

This site bordered a cemetery and had a privacy screen on the fence, and was very wide.

Michigan state parks require a park pass in addition to the campground fee. Pass was 9 per day or 33 for the year.

To get from Mackinaw City to St. Ignace, you must cross the landmark Mackinac Bridge, which sits on the dividing line between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
Straits State Park is on the northern side along the lakes on the outskirts of the cute little lakeside town of St. Ignace.
One would think that with 270 camping spots there would be plenty of room for everyone, but this place books up on weekends so call ahead to reserve a spot.
We checked in on Friday, August 25, after making a reservation, and there were just a few empty campsites. The campground has sites of many sizes, suitable for tents up to 50 ft. rig pull-throughs. there is an upper and lower campground, the lower being closest to the lake. There is indeed lake shore camping, if you don’t mind being close to your neighbors with lots of kids playing nearby. The water views are beautiful.
We picked Site #249 in the upper campground, which was surrounded on 3 sides by cedar forest, level, shady and lovely, with an electrical hookup.
First thing we noticed was the road noise from Interstate 75, a bit of an annoyance but tolerable.
We headed out on our bikes and looped around all the campgrounds, circling down to the beach and lake access. It was a nice workout with some small hills. We then headed out of the campground to the town of St. Ignace, very picturesque with harbor lights, a boardwalk along the shoreline, and nice water views.
There are several private ferry companies located there which will be happy to take you on the 40 minute trip to Mackinaw Island, where there is a historic fort and museum and the Mackinac Butterfly House and Conservatory. Round trip for the two of us with our bikes was $72, plus admission to the attractions on the island also require a fee. We passed this time but it would be a nice day trip for a future visit.
We picked up a walleye fillet and headed back to the campsite.
Our campsite was $28 per night.

I spent a lot of time studying the map of the campground before reserving our site. Had I realized the tent symbols just meant no hookups I would have opted for one of those so we could have had a water view.

10A is the best site for privacy without hookups and a water-view that also gets enough sun if you have solar. 77A would be my second choice, though it has less of a water-view. If you have a generator, then my pick would be 18A.

I think our site 30 is the best site with electricity and privacy, though it is on a hill and backing in requires some maneuvering. We have a 27 foot trailer and got into the site without a problem.

We drove through the upper loops, and there might be a few decent sites up there, but I preferred the lower loops.

The showers in our loop were ok, a little dirty, but the campground was full. The water was hot and the pressure good.

Cell service in the area is not great, though I was able to work from our site without a booster.

We stayed here for a few days in our way to Wisconsin. We were in the lower section about 100yds from the beach. Nice sites. Some do not have much privacy so if the matters to you check the photos before booking. Bath houses in this area were brand new. The sites along the waters edge are non electric but would be just fine with some solar and a breeze which seems ever present. Cell signal was great. Campsite is just over the Bridge, easy to get to. Firewood is available as you drive in - loaded for you!

Nice state park. Paved roads, easy to get in. Sites are grassy and large. Lots of trees for shade. We stayed in the upper campground, which does not have a view of the Straits or the Bridge. Good 30 amp electric. Dump station was easy to access. Hiking trails all over, including some that give you very good views of the Mackinac Bridge. The campground fills up on the weekend, so reservations are probably necessary. During the weekend it's easier to get in. There is a rocky beach of sorts that some people were using to go swimming. Excellent Verizon 4G signal. Good OTA television. Close to St. Ignace and everything you could need or want.