Tucked away near the village of Grass Lake in Jackson County is Apple Creek Campground — a place that Matt McMullen and his wife have called their second home since setting up a permanent camping site in 2022.
- With gas prices being high, camping is an affordable getaway for many locals.
- Campers like Matt McMullen and his wife have a permanent camping site at Apple Creek Campground in Grass Lake.
- Co-owner of Apple Creek Campground hopes that other locals will choose camping as an affordable getaway.
McMullen said they used to travel and camp all around Michigan and Ohio, until they realized how much more affordable it was to stay close to home — though it may not feel like it.
"We got here and felt like it was up north. Like we had the same sense of being out in nature," McMullen said.
"It was just an easy pick because it's close," McMullen said.
Apple Creek Campground co-owner Tom Brennan is hoping more people share that feeling this summer, especially with gas prices being so high.
"Gas prices go up, everything goes up. Then people can't afford the Disney World vacations but they still already own the camper," Brennan said.
Not pulling the camper everywhere has also left more money in McMullen's wallet. I asked him if staying seasonal saves money.
"Well yeah. Not pulling the camper with it being seasonal and staying here, oh yeah definitely. I mean, eight miles to the gallon opposed to seventeen miles to the gallon. Eight miles to the gallon pulling the camper," McMullen said.
"Even if you're camping fifteen minutes from your house, you're camping and you're not thinking about all the stresses of life," McMullen said.
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