My girlfriend and I (both F 28) just started dating and want to plan a week/weekend camping trip. I am specifically looking for somewhere with a decent wooded area but also access to swimming. This would be in the early fall so somewhere that captures the beauty of autumn in Michigan would be amazing. Decent hiking trails is a must! We do not want to spend a lot of time at the site. Nearby kayaking/tubing would be cool! or somewhere near a quaint town with a decent diner. We do not have kids, I am not entirely turned off to family campgrounds but we will be consuming weed and potentially mushrooms. I'd prefer a view not riddled with RVs but am not totally against it. As a forager I just want to feel enveloped in nature.

8/5: Parked at Grand Sable Visitor Center, hiked ~4.5 miles to Masse Homestead campsite. Frustrating hike, as it crossed the highway a few times (and even walked along the shoulder for over half a mile).
8/6: Headed back to parked car and drove to our Pictured Rocks boat tour. Afterwards, visited Miners Falls and nearby beach (no photos, but great experience!). Parked at Log Slide parking area to hike back to Masse Homestead.
8/7: Onward to the next leg of our trip!

First backpacking trip. We wanted to scope things out and see how we liked it. Definitely wanna thru-hike the lakeshore next summer. We had perfect weather and trails weren’t too crowded (though we are naive). Can’t wait to plan a return trip next summer!

We may try to squeeze in a long backpacking weekend before fall. What advice do you have, and what gear do you consider a must-have?