Memorial Day at Walnut Hills

Memorial Day Camping at Walnut Hills: Parades, Crafts and a DJ

Memorial Day weekend opens the summer at Walnut Hills Family Campground in Durand, with a golf cart parade, a kids’ bike parade, tie-dye, trivia and a family movie night. Dates and the full schedule for this year are on the Walnut Hills events page.

Book your siteSee this season’s events
Fri to Monholiday weekend
2 paradesgolf carts and kids’ bikes
DJ dance partySaturday night
Movie nighthosted by our seasonals

What a typical Memorial Day weekend looks like

Last season’s schedule is a good guide. The lineup shifts a little each year, so check the events page before you pack.

Friday: decorate your cart

Most families pull in on Friday. The weekend starts with the golf cart decorating kickoff: sign up at the camp store and start planning your cart for Sunday’s parade. Bring flags, streamers and anything red, white and blue. No cart? Golf cart rentals are available at the store. If you bring your own electric cart, it needs a cart pass and proof of insurance.

Saturday daytime

  • 11 AM kids’ craft (sun catchers last season)
  • 1 PM tie-dye at Pavilion 1, with shirts sold at the store
  • 2 PM kickball by the dog park
  • 4 PM family scavenger hunt at Pavilion 2

In between, kids rotate through the beach, the playgrounds and the arcade.

Saturday night

The first big DJ dance party of the season runs from 7 to 10 PM at Pavilion 2. Families come down after dinner, little kids dance up front, and the music wraps up in time for everyone to settle in before quiet hours at 11.

Sunday: parade day

  • 11 AM kids’ bike decorating
  • 1 PM three-legged race for adults and kids
  • 3 PM kids’ bike parade
  • 5 PM golf cart parade, lining up outside the store parking lot

The decorated carts are the highlight of the weekend, and there are always plenty of people lining the route to wave.

Sunday evening

Family trivia runs from 6 to 8 PM. Then, from 9 to 10 PM, there’s a family movie night sponsored by our seasonal campers. Bring chairs and blankets. It’s a relaxed way to end the busiest day of the weekend before Monday’s pack-up.

Monday: Memorial Day

Monday is a slower morning. Check-out is 11 AM. If your site isn’t booked behind you, late check-out until 5 PM is available for a flat fee, so ask at the store. It’s a nice way to get one more afternoon at camp before the drive home.

Book early for Memorial Day

Memorial Day is one of the first weekends of the season to fill, so book early. Our rates are dynamic, which means holiday weekends cost more than an ordinary weekend, and full-hookup and riverfront sites cost more than standard sites. You can see your exact price by choosing your dates on the Walnut Hills rates page.

If you’re flexible, the weekend right after Memorial Day is one of the lower-priced weekends of the summer. For more on timing your reservation, see booking peak-season campsites in Michigan.

Getting to Walnut Hills

Walnut Hills sits just outside Durand, off I-69. It’s about 40 minutes from Flint, about 50 minutes from Lansing and about an hour and 45 minutes from Detroit, so you can leave after work on Friday and still have the fire going before dark. There’s no office check-in: your license plate opens the gate, and if you’re arriving after hours, call the store to pre-check in.

Good to know before you come

  • Quiet hours run 11 PM to 8 AM, and golf carts park for the night at dark.
  • Kids and bikes are back at the site by dusk.
  • Outside firewood isn’t allowed in Michigan, so pick up firewood at the camp store.
  • Visitors register at the store and leave by 10:30 PM on weekends.

Planning to drive in the parade? Our guide to golf cart friendly campgrounds in Michigan covers rentals and bringing your own cart.

Questions

When is Memorial Day weekend camping at Walnut Hills?

It runs from Friday through Memorial Day Monday. This year’s dates and times are on the Walnut Hills events page.

Do I need to book ahead for Memorial Day?

Yes. It’s one of the busiest weekends of the year and books up early, so reserve as soon as you know your plans.

Can I bring my own golf cart for the parade?

Yes, if it’s electric. Guest-owned carts need a $25-per-night cart pass, proof of liability insurance and a signed waiver. Gas carts aren’t allowed.

Is there food at the campground?

There’s no restaurant, but the camp store carries groceries, ice, firewood and scooped ice cream, and food trucks visit on weekends from Memorial Day through September. Check the events page for this year’s trucks.

Is there a minimum stay on Memorial Day weekend?

Any minimum for your dates shows up in the booking system when you choose them.

Ready to book?

Rates vary by date and site; see our rates page.

Book your site

Walnut Hills Family Campground · 7685 Lehring Road, Durand, MI 48429 · (989) 634-9782