You don’t need to go to a fancy, overpriced spa to get some R&R. You can enjoy many activities while camping that require little but some alone time and some focused concentration… in some of the most beautiful places in the state. Disconnecting from our daily routines and immersing ourselves in nature can be restorative, help us to relax, and improve our ability to concentrate.

 

Outdoor Yoga

Attend a class or, if you’re well-experienced, listen to a class. Avoid conducting yoga through the use of a screen if you can, as separating the mind and body from technology will enhance your practice and rejuvenate your mind. Here are just three examples of where you can find classes in Michigan. Your campground may host classes on occasion or know of a local business that does.

  • Lavender Hill Farm, Boyne City: There are two options here. “Yoga in Bloom” takes place outdoors on Fridays and Saturdays from late May until late August, from 9-10 am. Or, you can do Candlelight Yoga in the barn on Tuesdays from 7:30-8:30 pm. Tickets for either class ($20) can be purchased online or at the farm and Pre-Registration is required.
  • Yoga in the Vines, Traverse City/Suttons Bay: This one-hour yoga class is held at two very special wineries: Mari Vineyards on Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City and Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay on the Leelanau Peninsula. Choose from Friday Sunrise Yoga (7:15 – 8: 45 am, includes a drink following the practice) or Sunday (9:15 am- 11:00 am). Registration is required.
  • Sunset Yoga at Lookout Park, Grand Rapids (May 12-August 18): Discover your inner yogi in a class that builds strength and body awareness. Class will begin with gentle movement and breathing, progressing to standing sequences and finally ending with calm resting poses all while enjoying a spectacular view of Grand Rapids at sunset. This is part of the Free Outdoor Summer Fitness Series, which requires no registration, so drop in if you’re in town!

Read

Escape into the pages of a good book while swaying gently in a camping hammock. It’s a simple pleasure, yet incredibly restorative. According to Baylor College of Medicine,  “Reading helps to reduce stress and anxiety and takes your mind away from other things happening in your environment. Cultivating a quiet space to focus and be present in the moment promotes mindfulness. Reading and mindfulness can overlap in terms of emotion regulation, stress and the benefits on the brain.” Set yourself up in a comfortable chair outdoors or bring along a book to the beach. Select from several titles by (some) Michigan authors Jim Harrison (True North), Mitch Albom, or the infamous Ernest Hemingway. Kids may enjoy a Michigan Chillers book by Christopher Wright or Jumanji by Michigan native Chris Van Allsburg.

Hammock

Camping hammocks are lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to pack— definitely a worthy addition to your gear. Dr. Steven Park, a head and neck surgeon and member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, says that the ideal sleeping position is lying on your back with the head slightly elevated. This is the natural position of a hammock, which also happens to optimize blood flow to the brain and provide an unobstructed breathing pathway to your lungs. You can put a hammock up practically anywhere whenever you feel like, but here are a couple suggestions of places that might bring hammocking to the next level.

  • De Tour Peninsula Nature Preserve, De Tour Village : Located on the eastern portion of the Upper Peninsula, and covering 145 acres and three miles of Lake Huron coastline, this preserve offers diversity and beauty.
  • Ocqueoc Falls in Presque Isle County: Eleven miles west of Rogers City is Ocqueoc Falls, the largest falls the Lower Peninsula. It’s a popular swimming spot that also has six miles of trails surrounding it via three marked loops. Visit the falls, but perhaps choose to avoid them to go find a quieter spot at which to string the hammock.

At the campsite, a hammock can be a relaxing hangout spot, or a space where preteens or teens can retreat to for some quiet time.

Journal

You don’t need to be anywhere “special.” Where you are at the current moment is what makes it special. Take time each day to write about your experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Use a standard pen and notebook on which to jog your thoughts – it’s a different, more relaxed feeling that using a computer or voice to text. If nothing comes to mind, start with simple observations. The point is to pay attention to your surroundings. Use your senses to explain through writing what you see, hear, feel, etc. Journaling is a powerful tool for processing experiences and emotions. Don’t type if you can help it. Some journals come equipped with prompts. Simply trying to answer one, even if you aren’t “inspired” is a good exercise on bringing forth thoughts. Journaling is an ancient pastime… much of what we know about the past came from the journals of others long ago. Journaling, according to Berkeley, is useful in that it helps to “disclose emotions rather than stuffing them down.” The practice also helps us to better organize thoughts and feelings, examine those things more completely, and help to make them understandable. Everybody’s focus will be different. Write about what matters to you, what you love, and what you’re trying to figure out. The best part? You don’t need to bring a lot of gear in the RV to make it work.

Stargazing

The BBC Sky at Night Magazine published an article regarding the mental health benefits of stargazing. It cites a study from 2024 that “found that people with a greater connection to the night sky had better mental health and felt happier.” The main reasons? Nighttime stargazing is less distracting and stimulating than other activities that take place during the daylight hours, helping to further reduce feelings of stress. Experiencing awe, which happens very naturally if you take the time to stare at the vastness of the night sky, is also beneficial for mental health. According to the BBC article, “Feelings of awe have been shown to reduce inflammation, lower the heart rate and increase the presence of the hormone oxytocin, boosting positive emotions. But one of awe’s most important implications is in our sense of self. When we engage with something awesome, something bigger than ourselves, it helps reduce focus on the self.”

Michigan is home to several dark sky preserves and parks, exclusive areas intended for stargazing and star walking to your heart’s content. They include Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Keweenaw Dark Sky Park and Dr. T.K. Lawless Park; and the state parks of Lake Hudson Recreation Area (Lenawee County), Negwegon State Park (Alcona County) , Port Crescent State Park (Huron County), Rockport Recreation Area (Presque Isle County), Thompson’s Harbor State Park (Presque Isle County), and Wilderness State Park (Emmet County).

Watch a sunset

Michigan sunsets are just one of the million reasons we love this state, especially if you have the perfect perch on the shoreline of one of the Great Lakes. These Picturesque Hiking Trails Across Michigan and 16 Great Lakes Beach Destinations will lead you to some ideal destinations in the state from which to watch a glorious sunset. But beyond the simple beauty of the sunset, sitting down and waiting for the “big event” is good for us. It helps us to slow down, to be able to reflect, to be in silence. Those are much needed in this busy and overwhelming world.

Walking

“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles,” according to a sentiment attributed to Mary Davis. Walking can be easy or challenging, take place on the beach or in the forest. You can take a short walk around the campground or walk for hours along a trail. Michigan is the perfect place to do it, too: It’s home to hundreds of trails, which run the gamut for scenery, each of which shares a miracle or two with us as we pass on through. Walking keeps our bodies active in a low-intensity way, keeping our muscles trim, improving our heart health, and enhancing our pulmonary function. It’s good for our mental health, too, as we tend to feel better when we exercise and spend time outdoors. Here are 12 walking trails worth exploring.