Marble Beach State Recreation Area

You don't have to head for the ocean to hang out at a beautiful beach! Marble Beach on Spirit Lake in Iowa has everything that sunbathers (and their canines) seek -- along with excellent fishing, all kinds of water fun, and ample forests that are great to explore all year round. 

To set up camp here, you'll need to snag one of the 221 campsites in the recreation area, 102 of which offer electric hookups. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, and drinking water is available throughout the grounds. For trailers and RVs, a dump station is also accessible on-site. All of the restroom facilities are currently undergoing a major renovation, so things should be bright and sparkly upon the reopening in fall of 2019. Nightly rates to stay here start at $6 per night for a basic site during the fall, winter, and spring, and jump to $11 in the summer months. For electric sites, the fees are $16 during the busy season and $11 all other times of the year.

While you're here, you're probably going to spend at least some of your time near the water, even if the weather isn't warm enough to jump in. When the summer heat is blazing, most campers spend their days lounging on the beach or paddling away on the water -- but if you want to take things up a notch, powerboating is permitted here as well! Casting a line into Spirit Lake may see you pull out a bluegill, perch, pike, bass, or countless other fish, as the lake is a natural haven for many species. To get your pooch some exercise during your stay, head to the paved trail and explore the park, or take to one of the many paths that intersect with this main walkway.

As with most state areas in Iowa, canine visitors must stay leashed while camping and must not go on the designated swimming beach. As always, do your part to keep pets permitted by picking up after your pupper during your travels.

For a great beach getaway, check out Marble Beach State Recreation Area next camping season!