Hazel Green sits in the bluff country above the Upper Mississippi, where boat launches dot the shoreline from Potosi, Wisconsin down to Dubuque, Iowa and the backwater channels hold walleye, sauger, catfish, and panfish. The Great River Road (Highway 35) strings the launches together, and Dubuque’s riverfront, about 15 minutes from Hazel Green, is where the marina services cluster. This guide covers where to put in, what swims here, and where to park your rig between river days.
One honest clarification first, because the search results get muddy: Coconut Cove RV Resort by RJourney in Hazel Green isn’t a marina, and if you searched for a similarly named coastal park with aqua lodges, that’s a different property in a different state. This Coconut Cove is a Wisconsin RV resort wrapped around a private 13-acre lake, with kayak, paddleboard, and paddle boat rentals, lake fishing, and a floating water park. It makes a strong base camp for Mississippi River boating; it just won’t slip your cruiser.
Boating the Upper Mississippi From Hazel Green
The river west of Hazel Green runs wide, braided, and genuinely productive. Public launches dot the shoreline from Potosi down to Dubuque, so you can pick your pool and your put-in based on wind and water levels rather than driving an hour. The backwaters are the draw for anglers: walleye and sauger around current seams, catfish in the deeper holes, and panfish stacked in the sloughs. Pleasure boaters get bluff scenery that holds up against any stretch of the Upper Mississippi.
For slips, fuel, and full marina services, head to the Dubuque riverfront, about 15 minutes from Hazel Green, where the city’s marina infrastructure sits alongside the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. The Great River Road makes the scouting easy: drive Highway 35 from Potosi south and you’ll pass overlooks and access points the whole way. Call ahead on water levels in spring; the Mississippi makes its own schedule.
Paddling and Lake Time at Coconut Cove
Back at the resort, the water is calmer and a lot closer to your awning. Coconut Cove’s 13-acre lake rents kayaks, paddleboards, and paddle boats at $25 for 2 hours, $40 for a half day, and $65 for a full day, which beats trailering anything for a casual evening paddle. The lake holds fish too, so a few casts before dinner at The Clubhouse is a legitimate plan.
The floating water park is the lake’s loudest feature: inflatable obstacles, slides, and splash zones, with wristbands sold separately from your site reservation. Add the sand beach, the pool, and the tiki bar with weekend bands, and the resort covers the family while you fish the river. To be clear about what it doesn’t have: no boat ramp, no slips, no trailer launch on the lake. The Mississippi handles the big water; Coconut Cove handles everything after you pull the boat out. The season runs April 15 through October 15.
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Coconut Cove RV Resort by RJourney
Coconut Cove RV Resort by RJourney sits at 1549 Bluff Rd in Hazel Green, Wisconsin, where Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois meet above the Mississippi River. Downtown Dubuque is minutes south and downtown Galena is minutes east. The resort wraps a 13-acre lake with a floating water park as the centerpiece, surrounded by full hookup RV sites, 10 cabins, and 4 glamping pods, plus a full-service restaurant (The Clubhouse), a tiki-themed poolside bar, and live weekend bands. One thing to know up front: this is a seasonal resort. It runs April 15 through October 15 and closes for the winter, so it is not a year-round option. What it is is the warm-season anchor for the area, the destination stay when your trip lands inside that window. For winter camping, see the year-round parks listed below.
Sites & Hookups
During the open season, RV sites come with full hookups: water, sewer, and 30/50-amp electric, in both pull-through and back-in configurations, each with a picnic table. Because every site has its own full sewer hookup, there is no separate dump station on the grounds (if you need dump service, it is $50 to use an available site). Tent and car camping are not permitted here; this is an RV, cabin, and pod resort. For guests who want the resort without towing a rig, 10 cabins and 4 glamping pods put you steps from the water park and lake. Extended-stay and monthly options (starting at $900/month) work for seasonal campers locking in for the summer.
One honest note for trip planning: these full hookup sites run April 15 through October 15, not in winter. If you need a site in the cold months, the year-round parks in the competitors section below are your move, with the understanding that they typically run electric-only and shut off individual-site water once it freezes.
What's On-Site
The centerpiece is a floating water park on the 13-acre lake: inflatable obstacles, slides, splash zones, and open swimming. A swimming pool sits at the heart of the resort, ringed by lounge chairs and the poolside tiki bar. The Clubhouse serves lunch and dinner, the Coconut Cove Bar runs tiki drinks poolside, and on weekends live bands take over the pool deck. Beyond the water there is lake fishing, kayak and paddleboard rentals, morning yoga, golf cart cruising, outdoor movie nights, a jumping pillow, a sand beach, and a playground. Practical amenities cover a 24-hour laundromat, ADA-accessible facilities, showers, a fenced dog park, propane sales, and a camp store. All of it runs during the open season, April 15 through October 15. Note: water park access requires a wristband purchased separately from your site reservation; call (608) 716-7933 to confirm current rates before you arrive.
What Guests Say
Coconut Cove holds a 3.8-star rating across 507 verified Google reviews. The consistent positive themes: the water park is the draw families drive hours for, the food and drinks from The Clubhouse and the tiki bar come up again and again as a real convenience, and the staff get repeated mention for going out of their way. Seasonal campers point to the resort-style atmosphere, the 13-acre lake, and the community feel that builds over a summer. The critical themes worth flagging for honest expectation-setting: add-on costs that were not obvious at booking (water park wristbands, extra-guest fees) have surprised some guests, and pool and beach crowding on peak weekends comes up. Our recommendation: call (608) 716-7933 before you arrive for a full cost breakdown so your total spend matches your expectations.
Other Campgrounds Near Hazel Green, WI
<p>If you’re chasing water over amenities, these 2 parks are the area alternatives: one on a stocked trout creek, one with a pool and year-round calendar.</p>
Swiss Valley Campground
A Dubuque County Conservation campground on 62 wooded acres along spring-fed Catfish Creek, which the Iowa DNR stocks with trout. Winter camping is allowed year-round, though site water hookups are shut off in the cold months, so plan for holding tanks. Electric sites, a dump station, modern restrooms, showers, WiFi, and a nature center one mile away with cross-country ski trails. Roughly 30 percent of sites are reservable online; the rest are first come, first served. Visit website.
Creek Valley Campground
A family campground open year-round with a choice of full hookup or electric-only sites, plus a pool, trails, themed weekends, and a seasonal community. One of the few area parks offering full hookups outside the warm season. Confirm which utilities are live in the cold months before booking a winter stay. Visit website.
Things to Do Near Hazel Green, WI
The Mississippi River defines the western edge of the tri-state area, with bluffs, scenic overlooks, and backwater channels running for miles. Fishing targets walleye, catfish, sauger, and panfish, and boat launches dot the shoreline from Potosi to Dubuque. In the warm months, Coconut Cove’s 13-acre lake adds kayak and paddleboard rentals, a sand beach, and the floating water park. Spring-fed Catfish Creek at Swiss Valley runs cold enough for stocked trout into the shoulder seasons.
The tri-state area has more trail access than most visitors expect, and much of it stays open through winter. The Heritage Trail in Dubuque County runs 26 miles along a converted rail bed. Mines of Spain Recreation Area south of Dubuque covers 1,400 acres of bluffs, prairies, and forest with Mississippi overlooks and winter hiking, and the Swiss Valley Nature Preserve offers groomed cross-country ski trails when snow falls. Horseshoe Mound Preserve near Galena delivers one of the best three-state views in the region.
Downtown Dubuque, Iowa is minutes away and home to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium and the Fenelon Place Elevator, the world’s shortest, steepest scenic railway, both open year-round. Downtown Galena, Illinois is one of the most photographed small towns in the Midwest, with an entire Main Street of 1800s brick buildings full of boutiques, wine rooms, and restaurants, plus the Ulysses S. Grant Home. Galena leans into holiday shopping through the winter, making it a strong cold-weather day trip from any year-round campsite.
Seasonal Guide for RV Travelers Near Hazel Green
Summer (June through August)
Peak season and the heart of Coconut Cove’s calendar. The floating water park runs full-time, live bands play every weekend, and the regional calendar fills with the Galena Balloon Race, county fairs, and rodeos. Daytime highs reach the 80s and 90s. Book 3 to 4 weeks ahead for weekend stays, especially around the Fourth of July.
Fall (September through mid-October)
Fall color along the Mississippi bluffs is spectacular. Crowds thin and weekday availability opens up while Coconut Cove’s restaurant and bar keep operating toward the October 15 close. Temperatures cool into the 50s and 60s, ideal for hiking the bluff trails before the seasonal parks shut for winter.
Winter (mid-October through March)
Coconut Cove and the area’s river parks are closed. Year-round camping near Hazel Green means Swiss Valley near Dubuque or Creek Valley, with reduced utilities and cold-weather setup. Galena and Dubuque stay busy for holiday shopping, indoor museums, and breweries, and the Swiss Valley preserve opens up for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Spring (April through May)
Seasonal parks reopen, typically mid-April. Coconut Cove’s season starts April 15. Cool, variable weather warming through May, with the water park and pool coming online as temperatures hold. A good window to explore Dubuque and Galena before the summer crowds.
Practical Tips for RV Travelers Near Hazel Green
Coconut Cove and most area parks run April 15 through October 15. If your trip falls in that window, book Coconut Cove. For mid-October through March, use a year-round park like Swiss Valley or Creek Valley instead.
Highway 35 from Potosi south passes overlooks and river access points the whole way to Dubuque. Drive it once before you commit a morning; wind and water levels decide which launch wins.
For casual lake time, the on-site rentals ($25 per 2 hours, $40 half day, $65 all day) beat trailering a boat you'll use for an hour. Save the trailer for the Mississippi.
In season, water park access requires a wristband purchased separately from your site reservation. Call (608) 716-7933 for a full cost breakdown so your trip budget is accurate from the start.
Railroad tracks run near Coconut Cove. You will hear trains, especially at night. Regulars stop noticing after the first night; light sleepers should bring earplugs or request a site farther from the tracks.
Dubuque and Galena are each worth a half-day year-round, with indoor museums and historic Main Streets that work even in winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there marinas near Hazel Green, WI?
The closest full marina services cluster along the Dubuque, Iowa riverfront, about 15 minutes from Hazel Green, with slips, fuel, and access to the Mississippi. On the Wisconsin side, public boat launches run from Potosi down the Great River Road. Hazel Green itself sits up in the bluff country, a short drive from the water rather than on it.
Does Coconut Cove RV Resort have a marina or boat ramp?
No. Coconut Cove’s water is a private 13-acre lake with kayak, paddleboard, and paddle boat rentals, lake fishing, a sand beach, and a floating water park; there’s no boat ramp or slips. Boaters use it as a base camp: launch on the Mississippi 15 to 20 minutes west, then come back to full hookups and dinner at The Clubhouse.
Where can I launch a boat near Hazel Green, WI?
Public launches dot the Mississippi shoreline from Potosi, Wisconsin down to Dubuque, Iowa, all within a short drive of Hazel Green via the Great River Road (Highway 35). Pick your put-in by wind and water levels; spring runoff can move ramps in and out of play, so check conditions before you hitch up.
What fish are in the Mississippi near Dubuque and Hazel Green?
The backwaters and channels in this stretch hold walleye, sauger, catfish, and panfish, with the sloughs and current seams doing most of the producing. If you’d rather skip the trailer, Coconut Cove’s 13-acre lake offers fishing on-site, and spring-fed Catfish Creek at Swiss Valley is stocked with trout by the Iowa DNR.
Can I rent a kayak or paddleboard near Hazel Green?
Yes, on-site at Coconut Cove RV Resort. Kayaks, paddleboards, and paddle boats rent on the 13-acre lake for $25 per 2 hours, $40 for a half day, or $65 for a full day during the season, April 15 through October 15. For paddling questions or current availability, call the resort at (608) 716-7933.
Is this the same place as Coconut Cay RV Park and Marina?
No. Coconut Cay RV and Marina (with its aqua lodges) is a different, similarly named property in another state. This guide covers Coconut Cove RV Resort by RJourney in Hazel Green, Wisconsin: a tri-state area resort on a 13-acre lake near Dubuque, Iowa and Galena, Illinois, with RV sites, cabins, and glamping pods.
Plan Your Hazel Green RV Stay
If your trip falls between April 15 and October 15, Coconut Cove RV Resort by RJourney is the area's standout: full hookup RV sites, cabins and glamping pods, a floating water park on a 13-acre lake, an on-site restaurant and tiki bar, and live weekend bands, with Dubuque and Galena minutes away. For winter camping, book a year-round park nearby and put Coconut Cove on the calendar for next season.
See all site types, rates, and live availability on the Coconut Cove RV Resort page.
Check Availability (608) 716-7933