Pretty Lake Camp

Amazing nature and facilitites; friendly and cheerful staff; great food; lots of open space and fun activities.
If you're looking for a place to host a retreat, can't recommend PLC enough! I've been here 5 times, and looking forward to the 6th. :)

My volunteer organization hosted an event here, and it was wonderful! The staff are accommating and responsive. The space is beautiful, and easy to access. We will definitely look to Pretty Lake Camp for future events.

This is a magical place just outside of Kalamazoo. Heartstopping views, loads of activities, and a heroic team who keep everything on task and make each and every visitor feel welcome. If you're an outdoor enthusiast looking to hold a group event, this is honestly the best kept secret in Michigan. Strong social mission as well, ensuring that under-resourced young people have access to a camp experience at zero cost. If you miss the trees, the stars, and the water during your workaday lives, there's no better place for a restorative breather.

I came to Pretty Lake Camp for a writing retreat, and it was the best location for it! The retreat centre is so comfy, the food is SO GOOD, and it’s a beautiful location. Can’t wait to come back again.

The camp and lake are wonderful. There's a ton to explore around the campsite. I was also astounded to find out how spotless the trails and woods were. Not a single amount of trash was found during my weekend here. Phone service was somewhat hit or miss, but that might be a good thing to some people. Good thing the main building had wifi! I would love to come back again.

The Pretty Lake Camp venue is a true gem! The Hospitality Director, Paul, was incredibly helpful from our first inquiry all the way through wrapping up on the day of our event. Communication was excellent and he really did go above and beyond to make sure we had everything we might need. Our group utilized the dining hall for our end of season ice cream social and the set-up was perfect. Thanks for helping our swim club with a great experience.

Astoundingly helpful staff, amazing area, straight-up magical space here in West Michigan. We’ve played a music festival out there for a few years now and it remains a highlight of our year!

Five-star stay!
We stayed in the retreat center for a work retreat. Amenities are comfortable and cozy. Beautiful lake views in the main room near the fireplace. And the food!? The food was delicious and the variety of cuisine the chefs curated for us in a short weekend was excellent. The vegan options are flavorful and filling (and I’m not even vegan!). We highly enjoyed our stay.
10/10 recommend!

We had a full-staff retreat at Pretty Lake this month. The Pretty Lake staff member responsible for hospitality, Paul, coordinated all details for the event perfectly and accommodated last-minute requests in such a kind way, ensuring that all details were in place to make it a wonderful day for all.

The room was set up beautifully. Of course, the gorgeous view of nature and the ability to go outside for small group work and breaks was amazing. We were thrilled with the lunch provided by Pretty Lake catering. Everything was arranged in a lovely way. Everyone was able to find something that they could eat which tasted delicious, which is a success with the diverse dietary needs of all. Operations staff, Sonya, was most helpful in invoicing, adding items, and taking payment via phone. We value all that went into making the day so wonderful, including the grounds maintenance, building maintenance, hospitality measures, food service, and all the thoughtful touches to the day that made it a great day for all. Thank you, Pretty Lake staff. We will certainly be back soon!

Thank you,

We held a retreat at Pretty Lake and it was perfect! The staff was amazing to work with, the food was delicious (they happily accommodated all of our dietary needs!) and the scenery was gorgeous. Plenty of space for the attendees to spread out and areas to collaborate. I highly recommend the space for summer camp AND all of your retreat needs!

The Pretty Lake Camp Center was a terrific place to be in community with fellow Women of Color from MSU for our writing retreat. In reply to other reviewers who suggested that vegan and vegetarian food options were not sensible or undesired, I would say that my experience was completely different. Not only did I find vegan/vegetarian food options to be plentiful but it was truly some of the best food I've had at any retreat/camp center, which often limit options for inclusive dietary needs. Plus, I found fellow participants who eat everything to also enjoy the vegan options, noting how good the variety and flavor were. Truly, by prioritizing the least common denominator well with good veggie/vegan food, everyone else benefits too from better options. Further, the staff is always curating the meals with the perfect background music and build community with us in simple, consistent ways (e.g. greetings, offering condiments, listening to our requests). Beyond the food, the rooms are clean and modern for a retreat center, there is a beautiful cozy fireplace and the lake keeps your attention throughout the day.

Visited Pretty Lake Camp for a writing retreat and what a wonderful experience it was! The grounds are beautiful and the amenities are great. The best part of my stay here was the wonderful service and food (everything was so yummy!). Truly enjoyed my time here. Thank you Paul and Jai for your attention to detail and exemplary service.

Pretty Lake Camp is an incredible venue! I have used their meeting facilities several times. Upon arrival on the day of the event, the staff is there to greet you and make sure you have everything you need. Even though I've only used their meeting rooms, there is the added bonus of being able to enjoy the fresh air and beauty of the camp for our breaks and small group work (weather permitting of course!). The staff is so professional and friendly from start to finish. The communication is excellent, and they really go above and beyond to meet your needs.

Chef Jai and Paul are the bests hosts. Every detail of the menu and amenities has been clearly thought out with care and intention. The variety of food options made everyone feel included. We would highly recommend this for retreats.

Every year our group rents out the facilities for approx 100 people retreat-style event with music and activities. The staff has always been super helpful, supportive, and accommodating - and it's wonderful to know the money is helping the camp continue its mission of providing a camp experience for kids who might otherwise not have the opportunity. Highly recommended.

Spent couple of days at the IllinoisTech Sophomore Leadership Retreat! Great place to experience nature, do some group and team building activities :) the staff are cool!

The dedicated individuals who work at this camp understand that this may be the only "safe" experience that these kids have during the summer. Many children that attend Pretty Lake do not have the financial ability to send their kids to camp and this gives them that opportunity. Pretty Lake assures that these kids have the experiences of canoeing, swimming, sitting around a campfire, singing camp songs and encouraging them to be more. The camp is beautiful and continues to serve children in it's 101th year. I applaud Pretty Lake for continuing its legacy of providing a camp where all children, no matter financial ability or financial status can have a fantastic experience.

Excellent camp with abundant natural beauty and wonderful staff.

This place is so beautiful, everything is so fun, and everyone is so very very kind.

Great food, all 5 meals. So loved the wrap, taco bar and healthy breakfast. Thanks