Sandra Thomas

Some seasons fill the calendar, and some seasons fill the heart. Our 2026 season at Happy Camper did both. As the year winds down, we keep coming back to one simple message: thank you. Thank you to everyone who chose Sandy’s Up-North Sanctuaries for a little escape, a quiet reset, a family adventure, or a few days where the only real decision was whether to soak in the hot tub now or later. Happy Camper is already booked from October 20 through the end of our 2026 season, and that feels like...

There is a short, golden pause in Northern Michigan when the trees seem to glow, the air smells like leaves and woodsmoke, and coffee tastes better because you are drinking it outside in a sweatshirt. That moment is fall color season. It is beautiful. It is cozy. It is also famously brief. If you have been waiting for a reason to plan a fall getaway, this is it. Happy Camper at Sandy’s Up-North Sanctuaries gives you a peaceful private place to enjoy the reds, oranges, and golds without the...

View from the Hammock at Happy Camper!! The calendar may be moving toward fall, but there is still plenty of time to squeeze in another Up North escape. September brings warm afternoons, cooler sleeping weather, fewer crowds, and a slower pace that makes every hour feel like vacation. Whether you can slip away for a weekend or settle in for a longer stay, Happy Camper offers a cozy home base for enjoying the season between summer’s rush and autumn’s full-color show. Kayaking Without the...