Nestled in the heart of Pulaski County lies Rising Sun Campground, an oasis meant for a relaxing getaway right on the Tippecanoe River. Owned by Savannah Malone and her husband, Ryan, the campground offers a variety of activities for people of all ages to come together for some fun under the summer sun.
“We are a smaller, family-owned and operated campground right on the Tippecanoe River in Monterey,” Malone said. “We offer float trips, canoes, kayaks, and tubes. We also have a pool, a beach, activities on the weekend, and are very family-oriented.”
Rising Sun’s most prominent feature is its ideal placement on the waterfront. The unique location allows guests to spend an enjoyable afternoon basking in the sun as they float down the river to other locations across the campground and the waterway, among other aquatic activities.
“There are a couple of things in particular that distinguish Rising Sun from the normal campground,” said Pulaski County Department of Community Development Executive Director Nathan Origer. “It's not just on the Tippecanoe River; they actually have river floating opportunities as part of what they offer there. They have kayaks and canoes that you can rent for different time periods, such as a two or five-hour option, and they will take you to one of a couple of locations. They will let you float on the river back to the beach at the campground.”
Additionally, Rising Sun comes equipped with many campground staples – a shower house, a laundry room, a camp store, etc. – but there’s so much more to be discovered. Consider some friendly competition in a game on the basketball court, an afternoon playing pool, or action-packed arcade games in the rec hall. In the evening, grab your blankets and snacks as you wind down with a movie at the end of the day.
“They have both your normal amenities and also ones that go above and beyond on site,” Origer said. “They have a pool, like a lot of campgrounds do, but they also have an outdoor movie screen for movie nights. They have basketball and all the rec hall, and they really make it a place where you can come and you will not be bored since there’s so much to do there.”
Origer’s statement also stands true for the younger visitors, who can spend their vacation having the time of their lives on the campground’s recently added playground and gaga ball pit.
“A lot of the schools have that, and we have a couple of kids who are in school,” Malone said. “We were thinking of things to add, and both of them were like, ‘Gaga ball!’ It's super popular, and every kid at the campground has just loved that addition. A lot of kids can play at once, so it's nice for that, too, and no one feels left out.”
Rising Sun has a packed calendar in the coming months filled with exciting events for adults and kids alike. Some of the highlights include celebrations on all the major holiday weekends – Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day – as well as some other unique events sprinkled throughout.
“Some of our bigger events are our holiday weekends. Those are always full of fun activities for adults and kids,” Malone said. “We usually have bands, and then we also have our ‘Camp-A-Ween’ weekend in October, which is really popular. We have a new event this year that we're doing for the first time, which is a Touch A Truck event. We have the Monterey Fire Department coming here to bring a fire truck. We're going to have some tractors – and hopefully some police cars – and other local people will be coming with food trucks as well.”
With much in store, start making your plans for a visit today! Space is filling up fast. Seasonal sites are currently on a waiting list, but Malone noted primitive camping with electric and water is available both on the weekends and during the week on a first-come, first-served basis. For those looking to swing by for just a day or two, the campground offers a $5 day fee and $10 overnight fee for adults.
Whether you’re looking for a peaceful vacation with downtime to lounge around or an exciting getaway with an itinerary filled to the brim, it all begins at Rising Sun. Be sure to check it all out for yourself soon.
“We would love to see people come out,” Malone said. “It's very family-oriented. We always have activities going on on the weekends for kids and adults, and it's just a great place for families to come and make memories.”For more information on Rising Sun Campground, visit risingsuncamp.com.
