Every summer, our group of dads and daughters gets together for an annual camping trip, and this year that tradition brought us to Camp Kettlewood in East Troy, Wisconsin. It is one of those weekends everyone looks forward to all year. We spend our days exploring, sitting around the fire, eating way too much good food, and making memories that seem to get better every year.
Most years, we choose a traditional campsite. This year, we decided to try something different and booked a stay at Camp Kettlewood. After one weekend, everyone agreed it was one of our favorite campouts yet.
If you are searching for a Camp Kettlewood review before booking a stay, here is what our group experienced during a summer glamping weekend in southeastern Wisconsin.
What Is Camp Kettlewood?
Camp Kettlewood is a vintage glamping campground in East Troy, Wisconsin, located on the grounds of a former Girl Scout camp. The property sits on more than 80 wooded acres and combines the nostalgia of summer camp with the comforts that many campers secretly wish they had.
Rather than rows of RV sites and crowded campgrounds, Camp Kettlewood offers a collection of unique accommodations including platform tents, group glamping sites, cabins, and even a vintage Airstream. The camp has preserved much of its history, including the original campsite names that date back to its Girl Scout days.
From the moment we arrived, it felt different than a typical campground. The setting was peaceful, the campsites were thoughtfully spaced, and everything seemed designed to help guests spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time dealing with the work that often comes with camping.
The History Behind Camp Kettlewood
For more than 50 years, this property served as a Girl Scout camp where generations of campers learned outdoor skills and created lifelong memories. When the camp closed, new owners Jeremy and Simona Ebner saw an opportunity to preserve its character while creating a unique camping experience for modern travelers.
Today, many of the original campsite names remain, along with the sense of adventure that made the property special in the first place. Walking the grounds, it is easy to imagine decades of campers gathering around campfires and exploring the woods.
That history gives Camp Kettlewood a personality that is hard to find at many newer campgrounds.
Why We Chose The Hilton for Our Annual Dads and Daughters Campout
When planning this year’s trip, we wanted something that would keep the fun parts of camping while making the weekend a little easier for everyone.
Our group includes both experienced campers and kids who are mostly interested in the campfire and s’mores. We wanted a place where we could gather together comfortably, have room for everyone, and spend less time setting up camp.
The Hilton turned out to be exactly what we were looking for.
Staying at The Hilton Group Glampsite
The Hilton was a perfect fit for our group. The site includes several furnished platform tents along with a screened-in gathering space that quickly became the heart of our weekend.
While the platform tents provided comfortable beds for many of us, we also brought along one large tent so all the girls could camp together. It ended up being the best of both worlds. The girls loved having their own space for late-night conversations and laughs, while the dads appreciated a comfortable night’s sleep after long days of adventure.
The screened-in gathering tent was one of our favorite features of the entire site. Outfitted with comfortable seating, string lights, and a coffee maker, it became our shared living room for the weekend. Every morning started there with quality coffee before the day’s activities, and throughout the weekend it served as the perfect place for card games, snacks, and catching up. The screened walls were especially appreciated in the evenings when we wanted to relax without worrying about mosquitoes.
The platform tents themselves were surprisingly comfortable. Between the real beds, fresh air, and peaceful surroundings, everyone slept well, which is not always guaranteed on a camping trip.
The Hilton also includes many of the amenities that make camping easier, including electricity, a refrigerator, a propane grill, cookware, and other thoughtful touches that allowed us to spend more time enjoying the weekend and less time managing camp chores.
Camp Kettlewood even provides golf carts to help guests ferry their gear to and from camp, another example of how they make camping feel effortless without taking away any of the fun.
The Showers Everyone Talked About
If there was one amenity that received universal praise from both the dads and daughters, it was the bathrooms and showers.
After a day spent paddling the Fox River, everyone appreciated being able to clean up before settling in for the evening. The modern bathrooms and open-air showers were a major upgrade from what you find at many campgrounds. This is not the sketchy shared shower house at most state parks. This was a well maintained shower space with both cold and warm water and soap and shampoo provided. No trudging along a shower cart.
It is amazing how much better a campfire feels after a hot shower.
Things to Do Near Camp Kettlewood
While Camp Kettlewood is a destination on its own, its location also makes it a great base camp for exploring the area.
Pizza on the Farm
One evening, we headed to Pizza on the Farm for dinner.
Located just minutes from Camp Kettlewood, it was the perfect choice for our group. Instead of worrying about cooking after a busy day, we enjoyed fresh pizza in a relaxed outdoor setting and live music.
It was an easy and memorable way to kick off the weekend.
Canoeing the Fox River
Just 30 minutes from Camp Kettlewood, Fox River Canoe Adventures offers a fun way to experience another side of southeastern Wisconsin. Our group set out on a three-mile paddle down the Fox River, expecting a relaxing float, but Mother Nature had other plans.
A steady wind turned the trip into more of a workout than we anticipated, and there were definitely moments when everyone had to dig in and paddle a little harder. Even so, the scenic river views, time on the water, and shared challenge made it one of the most memorable parts of the weekend. By the time we reached the end of the route, we had worked up quite an appetite.
Lunch and Live Music at Bobberz
Our canoe trip ended at Bobberz, where we grabbed lunch and enjoyed live music on the patio.
After a few hours on the river, it was the perfect place to relax before heading back to camp. Good food, live entertainment, and a laid-back atmosphere made it an easy stop to recommend.
Custard and Classic Cars at Gus’s Drive-In
No Wisconsin summer weekend feels complete without a stop for custard.
We made our way to Gus’s Drive-In, where we enjoyed frozen treats and checked out the collection of vintage cars on display. It was a fun stop that both the dads and daughters enjoyed.
Is Camp Kettlewood Worth It?
For our annual dads and daughters campout, absolutely.
Camp Kettlewood delivered everything we enjoy about camping while eliminating much of the work that usually comes with it. The Hilton gave our group a comfortable place to gather, the amenities made the weekend easy, and the location provided access to some great local adventures.
Most importantly, it allowed us to spend more time together and less time managing camp logistics.
When we started planning this year’s trip, we thought Camp Kettlewood would simply be a comfortable place to stay. By the end of the weekend, it had become a big part of what made the trip memorable. Between the comfortable accommodations, excellent facilities, nearby activities, and evenings around the fire, it felt like the perfect setting for another chapter in a tradition our group looks forward to every summer.
WeWisconsin Tip:
If you stay at Camp Kettlewood, plan one day around the Fox River. Start with a canoe trip through Fox River Canoe Adventures, enjoy lunch at Bobberz afterward, then finish the day with custard from Gus’s Drive-In before heading back to camp for a relaxing evening around the fire.