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Camping

Established Camping

East Harbor State Park Campground

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About

East Harbor State Park Campground is the largest in the Ohio State Park system. It offers Full Hookup, Electric, Non-electric and ADA sites. Pets are permitted at all sites. Other options include a Yurt (ADA), two Sherman Cabins (one ADA cabin), and Group Camping. Reservations are required and can be made online or by calling (866) 644-6727.

Located in Ohio on the sandy shores of Lake Erie awaits an enormous haven of fun, with tons of chances to recreate. Boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, and camping all attract flocks of visitors to East Harbor State Park.

Nature lovers will rejoice thanks to the dense population of waterfowl, shore birds, and other species of wildlife. Owing to the swampy, wetland climate, a host of migratory species regularly flock to the region. However, the land was not always this rich. It wasn’t until the draining of the Great Black Swamp that the land transformed into an agricultural oasis, producing regional varieties of fruits such as grapes and peaches.

Before European Settlement, East Harbor region was home to Native American tribes like the Ottawa and Wyandot Tribes. Stemming from the translation “trader”, the Ottawa tribe earned its title due to the geographic location of East Harbor. During the period of Westward Expansion, this park’s acreage was first the heart of popular trade routes for Native Americans.

As it developed, the region has long been valued for its recreational potential. In fact, Lake Erie is more similar (and exotic) to a tropical beach resort than you’d first think. This is due to the extensive range of plant and animal life, long sandy beaches, and the immense size of the lake itself. As a result of these factors, 1,831 acres were reserved and protected, to be known today as East Harbor State Park.

Camping at East Harbor is readily available with 352 electric sites. Furthermore, there are 160 non-electric sites available for a cheaper nightly rate. There are also an additional 51 full hook-up sites for those in Recreational Vehicles. Working Nomads and Van Dwellers will be grateful to find Wifi Available, however there is a small fee to use it.

Finally, there’s Dump Stations, Bathrooms, and Showers are routinely located throughout. For a more secure (and expensive) shelter option, there is one Yurt available for reservation. Book in advance, however, as it tends to be very competitive.

If you’ve got furry friends, you can take a breath of relief as pets are permitted on all sites. Moreover, Bike rentals are available as well as games and sporting equipment from the camp office/lodge. Get outside with your friends (any number of legs invited) and enjoy everything that East Harbor State Park has to offer.

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Location

East Harbor State Park Campground is located in Ohio

Detail location of campground

Coordinates

41.54546285 N
82.81256767 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Fair
  • Verizon
    Good
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group
  • Cabins
  • Tent Cabin
  • Yurts

Features

For Campers

  • Market
  • ADA Access
  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • WiFi
  • Showers
  • Drinking Water
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Sewer Hookups
  • Water Hookups
  • Pull-Through Sites
  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

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1 Star

46%
42%
10%
10%
10%

4.5

out of 5

48 Reviews

Emily T.
Reviewed Sep. 22, 2023

Has everything you need

Very popular campground, lots of people. Easy drive-up spots, fire pits, clean showers, bathrooms, and a camp shop. Really nice bike/walking bath out to the water.

Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Emily T., September 22, 2023
A
Reviewed Mar. 3, 2023

Just don’t

I had made reservations several months ahead of time, drove 6 hours just to get there and find the people in a neighboring site had their stuff into my site. I went to the office and the staff called a camp host to “evaluate” the host then came and told me he could move the fire ring and I could just put my tent there. No! I went back to the site, thinking maybe I could talk to the other people, and a group of them got up and started moving more things clearly into my site and threatening me. I went back to the store, crying asked for a refund. I left. Never did get all my money back. Will never return.

Month of VisitAugust
Fred L.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Oct. 1, 2022

Very nice campground

This campground is very large with lots of spots to choose from. The C portion has few trees, but if you choose a spot off one of the south circles, the sites are private. The bathhouse is very clean and well maintained. If you want quiet, it may not be for you because lots of families camp there. Quiet hours were, however, quiet! Trails are wide, grassy, and mowed, great for families who want to walk with children. WiFi is not strong, so don't plan on streaming a movie in the evening. There are plenty of things to do, though. My husband and I had a great time!

SiteC154
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Fred L., October 1, 2022
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Fred L., October 1, 2022
Erin L.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Sep. 24, 2022

Beautiful but busy

Very beautiful but spaces are close together. I stayed near the playground and the kids were there until late. Not a quiet campground, if that’s what you’re looking for.

SiteA091
Month of VisitOctober
not S.
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2022

Lake Erie travels

We tent-camped in well-shaded loop D, which is a non-electric tent area. Loop D is much smaller and more private than the larger non-electric area (loop A). If you're in a camper, then the area next to loop A (loop B)  is your best bet for shade. We loved our stay here. It's a great base camp for exploring the area and the beach is just a short drive. I wish the bathrooms in the non-electric loop were updated,  but they were cleaned on a daily basis. Daily nature programs for kids at the campground 's excellent nature center were great. Take the ferry to Put-in-Bay while you're at East Harbor, or take a road trip to the Mad River & NKP train museum in Bellevue.

SiteD9
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by not S., August 5, 2022
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by not S., August 5, 2022
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by not S., August 5, 2022
  • (19) View All
Gary V.
Reviewed Jun. 17, 2022

East Harbor SP three nights

Campground is very well organized and maintained. We were in Section C which seemed newer and didn't have as well developed trees as Sections A and B

Sitec 113
Month of VisitJuly
Nicole D.
Reviewed Sep. 11, 2021

Close quarters

Campsites are pretty close to each other. In the rustic area a group plugged their extension cord into the bathouse and ran it to their site. Multiple generators running all night long. We moved to the electric side and our neighbors were about 25 feet away and the site flooded in the rain... but, it was close to the islands and cedar point.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Nicole D., September 11, 2021
M
Reviewed Sep. 6, 2021

A great weekend of fun!

We went tent camping for the weekend and really enjoyed it! Many tent sites available and rather spacious sites. The beach was full since it was Labor Day weekend, but clean and shallow for kids to easily play. Clean bathrooms and shower houses and lots of places to ride our bikes. A nice place to stay if you want to take advantage of the lake, Sandusky or the Lake Erie islands.

SiteA063
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Mike B., September 6, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Mike B., September 6, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Mike B., September 6, 2021
  • (4) View All
j
Reviewed Sep. 4, 2021

East Harbor State Park

This is a gem of State Park. The sites are clean and flat, plenty of shaded areas for tent campers. Great park to ride bikes and stroll around

SiteA165-A168
Month of VisitOctober
J
Reviewed Sep. 3, 2021

East harbor state park

Very clean. Close to everything you need close to ferry clean showers camp monitors were friendly sites are paved. 50/30 amp hookups Our site was just a standard electric site. They do have 150 full hook up sites or more. We made our reservations late we were not really concerned about water or sewer as we planned to use the camp ground facilities anyway. Fresh water is available to fill your holding tanks. Dump stations are easily acceptable as are water filling stations Big Boopers restaurant is a great place for breakfast lunch or dinner. If you do t feel like cooking it’s about a 10 min drive. Campground has very good WiFi. We have Verizon had very good reception inland and I. The islands. Bass island is a fun day trip. Sites were level left to right. Had a slight pitch front to back.

Site199 loop c
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Jeffrey , September 3, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Jeffrey , September 3, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Jeffrey , September 3, 2021
Dan T.
Reviewed Aug. 14, 2021

East harbor

Great campground with a great family interaction. Beware that back in sites aretight to get into.

Month of VisitJuly
Megan M.
Reviewed Aug. 11, 2021

An RV field

I had to leave early, this place is so crowded and chaotic. The sites with electric hookups are basically one giant, exposed field with no trees. The tent-only non-electric sites are tiny- the size of the parking spot, one picnic table and a 12x12 space for your tent- if that. That's it. I had three other people's tents literally within arm's reach of my small tent. I left early because one tent contained a teenage boy who coughed horribly for 24 hours straight- five feet away from my pillow. 

The noise at night NEVER stopped- dogs barking in all directions all through the night, cackling bachelorette parties until sunup, screaming children until 2am and starting back up again at 5am. You name the kind of noise, this campground had it, nonstop day and night. 

I'm giving it two stars because the lake is pretty, and there are some nice hiking trails along the water. The huge beach has completely washed away, so people had to cram into the tiny area that's left near the point of the peninsula. 

Bathroom cleanliness was below average for a state park, probably because of the crowd. I never saw a ranger or a cleaning person the entire time I was there. 

The only time I'd recommend this park is in September, after kids have gone back to school, and during the week only. Unless you want to be crammed into a chaotic party scene, then go ahead, you'll love it.

Darwin N.
Reviewed Jul. 25, 2021

BIG State Park

Just got back from a 2 night mid week break. Huge campground. Friendly staff. Kids everywhere so be careful and drive slow. Not very buggy considering all the water nearby.

SiteA140
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Darwin N., July 25, 2021
Jacqueline F.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Jul. 16, 2021

Lots to see and do!

Unfortunately it rained most of our stay here, so we didn’t get to explore as much as we wanted. It’s an awesome campground with lots of amenities! There is a disc golf course and beach area on the campground. Near it are a water park, lovely farmers market (highly recommend) and a cute little ice cream parlor called purple carrot! The laundry was some of the cheapest I have found $1 to wash and $1.50 to dry. Clean facilities and great host! Would definitely recommend!

SiteC95
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Jacqueline F., July 16, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Jacqueline F., July 16, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Jacqueline F., July 16, 2021
  • (6) View All
K
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2021

Comfortable spot, friendly host

We camped here after going to Cedar Point rollercoaster riding for the evening. We came in at about 11pm and it was easy to find our site and hook up to power. The dump took forever because there were tons of people and one malfunctioning dump and one malfunctioning fresh water. But it was the July 4th weekend so….

Site119
Month of VisitAugust
Amanda S.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Jul. 9, 2021

RV park, not Campground

We stayed for 10 days in September, in a site that was surrounded by a moat and then the pond beyond that. You talk about mosquito haven!! We were so bombarded by mosquitoes that we went to Wal-Mart for 100% deet bug spray and sprayed our clothes, tucked our pants into our socks, wore gloves over sleeves and my dogs were so traumatized that they attack all bugs now regardless of of they are parasites or not. The campsite fit 3 tents comfortably and 2 cars. We had one of the private sites at the end of the lanes of RV sites. During the week, we were the only ones there and had all of the park to ourselves. Come Friday though, the entire park filled up with RVs with lights, music and children screaming. This is a great park for those who love to show off, with different LED lights, extravagant light fixtures and fenced areas for their dogs. We will never go back based on the mosquitoes alone and the fact that we don't like the hustle and bustle of RV life.

SiteC153
Month of VisitOctober
Aileen K.
Reviewed Jun. 21, 2021

Great for kids

Tightly packed sites but people were quiet and respectful. Great for biking around campground and to the beach a mile or so away. Free public beach has a dog beach and a small combed swimming area. The water is shallow, has a sandbar and is good for kids of all ages. Would camp again just to ride bike to the beach!

SiteA096
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Aileen K., June 21, 2021
Sarah R.
Reviewed Jun. 7, 2021

Great location!

East Harbor State Park was a huge park with good amenities, and several places to access the water. They have several fishing areas, a beach, and boat ramps. They also have a huge camping area.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Sarah R., June 7, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Sarah R., June 7, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Sarah R., June 7, 2021
  • (4) View All
E
Reviewed Apr. 1, 2021

May-June 2019

Last time I came here was in 2019. Words cannot describe how great this camp ground was. The wild life In the area was abundant making hikes in the afternoon great especially near sunset when the deer in the area started to come out. Also watching the sun set and rise on the beach/ swimming area was a great experience. The location of the camp ground puts you right on Lake Erie and close to great locations such as Put in Bay, Kelly’s island and cedar point.

Andrea F.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Feb. 5, 2021

Quiet in Winter

Only 6 campers in the entire park. A nice bike trail leads from the campground to the beach. The park is very clean and well maintained. In the winter all of the bathrooms and shower houses are closed but a porta potty is available. Also all the water is off except at the check in office there is a hose for potable water.

There’s lots of wildlife at this park. We saw lots of deer, squirrels and eagles.

This park is definitely worth the trip in the off season, but I am not sure it’s for us peak season.

  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Andrea F., February 5, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Andrea F., February 5, 2021
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Andrea F., February 5, 2021
  • (8) View All
N
Reviewed Nov. 7, 2020

Disappointing

Campsites are super close to each other, people arrived late and were extremely loud trying to park their campers and fifth wheels, someone decided to turn their generator on at 4:30am. Possibly just a bad weekend to end up here-didn’t end up staying for our whole reservation.

5Keplers
Reviewed Sep. 13, 2020

Beautiful but too cramped for our taste

Beautiful area. Very clean. Didn’t need laundry facilities but at least they have them. Very easy to park our dualy truck and 43’ Momentum 5th wheel in spot B-033. B loop was great for pull through spots. Super cute play grounds all around, one even 10 feet from our site. Friendly campers around however the site were a little close to each for our taste. Lots of tree shade around which made it nice to go for walks in the sun. Would return for sure.

  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by 5Keplers , September 13, 2020
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by 5Keplers , September 13, 2020
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Mary B.
Reviewed Sep. 3, 2020

Love this place

A great campground in Ohio. So clean and so many things to do. Campsites are close together but they do honor quiet hours. Great trail around the lake and a fun and challenging disc golf course.

E
Reviewed Feb. 1, 2020

Lake Erie gem

One of the premier state parks in the state of Ohio, on the shores of Lake Erie. Plenty of things for the kids, and fishing, boating, and hiking here. It can get busy in the summer but well worth the trip, make reservation for the weekends in the summer and enjoy what the area has to offer.

Daniel & Heather U.
Reviewed Nov. 26, 2019

Average...

Beautiful, large state park. Unfortunately the entire beach is literally gone due to lake Erie being roughly 3 feet high (usually a massive beach). The campsites are average size but the park is very clean and family friendly. Being a higher traffic park, a lot of sites had mud with straw from the grass not being able to grow where your camper door is. When booking make sure you check pictures or Google maps. A lot of sites have zero shade and are basically in a large field. We prefer shade and the more private sites. Wifey says the bathrooms were above average (most important for her).

SiteC20
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Daniel & Heather U., November 26, 2019
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Daniel & Heather U., November 26, 2019
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Daniel & Heather U., November 26, 2019
  • (20) View All
D
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2019

Nice campground

This was a very clean park and very large campground. The only negative is your in section c it’s very tight. We had a very wet spring which left some very deep ruts at are camp site and its August and the ruts are still there. And at the dump station the hose that is use to flush black water tank were cut off so flush black water tank was not available. But as big of a campground it is the people were respectful and very friendly. I will go back but camp in sections a or b.

Jennifer Z.
Reviewed Aug. 4, 2019

Great campgound on the shores of lake Erie. Close to cedar point.

Its very busy! Some sites are super small, and you may not be able to fit a regular sized tent on it.  Find a site along the edges.  A ton of RV's.  Can get a little loud with partiers, so if you want peace and quiet you may need to look elsewhere.

Páťa K.
Reviewed Jul. 22, 2019

Nice!

Clean and full service! Really good

  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Páťa K., July 22, 2019
Emily C.
Reviewed Jun. 27, 2019

Pretty

It was a very nice campsite for my friend and I to stay the night. We picked a tent spot near the bathroom and shower. Very clean besides some bugs— but they didn’t bite! Very quiet at night too!

  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Emily C., June 27, 2019
  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Emily C., June 27, 2019
Tom M.
Reviewed Jun. 6, 2019

Great campground!!

Nice large campground with many types of sites, we have camped rustic in our tent to our camper. They also do a really nice Halloween weekend for the kids.

  • Review photo of East Harbor State Park Campground by Tom M., June 6, 2019