Lake Michigan Beach Vacation
Love beaches? Well, the Lakeshore spans 170 miles. Why not take a week or so and visit all of the beachtowns? Here is a great travel plan for you.
Start up north in the Ludington area and make your way south. (If you live near Manitowoc, Wisconsin I’d suggest taking the SS Badger over to Ludington. The kids will love it. You can also bring your car if you’d like. To learn more go to http://www.ssbadger.com ). On the beaches in Ludington you can surf, sun bathe, take a stroll or swim. What I love most about the Ludington beaches are the dunes (Here’s a tip, go dune hiking or enjoy a dune ride at Mac Wood’s Dune Rides (http://www.macwoodsdunerides.com in nearby Silver Lake. It is such a blast!). One beach in Ludington is the Stearns Park beach which has a swimming area, picnic area, playground, miniature golf, volleyball and shuffleboard. Now I don’t mean to be bias, but I love Lake Michigan! If you go to Ludington, be sure to visit the Ludington State Park – 5300 square feet of sand and beauty. Views are just breathtaking. Now another idea is to drive your RV or bring a tent and camp out. The Ludington State Park is the place for this but be sure to make advance reservations. In the summer it gets very busy.
Now, head on down to my neck of the woods – Muskegon. (If you live in the Milwaukee area, start your trip here. Take the Lake Express Ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon. It is such a fun and relaxing ride). Ludington to Muskegon is a little less than an hours drive. In 1996 my husband and I moved to Muskegon from Detroit. My fondest memory of our first day in Muskegon was our visit to Pere Marquette (a beach in Muskegon). What a beautiful site! The water was such a beautiful blue and there were surfers, roller bladers and both kids and adults flying kites. There is much more to do on this beach than just swim. You can walk the pere to the Muskegon Lighthouse, enjoy the sand volleyball courts or enjoy the boardwalk. Pack a picnic lunch or enjoy beach concessions such as Blimpie Subs or eat at Captain Jack’s on the beach. If you want something a little upscale, you can walk over to Docker’s for some great cuisine. Don’t worry about leaving the dog at home. Let him stroll on the doggie beach on the far south end of the beach. But be sure to bring a leash and be prepared to clean up behind him or you might be ticketed. Although there are many beaches on the Lakeshore, Pere Marquette Beach is the only nationally certified “clean beach” on the Great Lakes (www.visitmuskegon.org/beaches.htm) and my favorite beach. End your day in Muskegon by taking a dinner/dance cruise on the Port City Princess (www.portcityprincesscruises.com) . While in the area you should also check out the other beaches. Remember this is a beach vacation! If you like fishing try the Blue Lake State Park. Thinking about saving on the hotel bill and opting for the campgrounds instead? Well, Muskegon State Park should be your choice. There is over 1,165 acres on Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake. The campgrounds have been updated. Ladies, they have nice restrooms and shower facilities. Go fishing on the pier, take a swim, take the kids to the playground or take a hike. There is something for the whole family. Oh yes, be sure not to let the kids know about the amusement park just ten minutes away from Muskegon. You might have to make a detour.
Although you won’t want to leave Muskegon, you have to in order to catch the other beach towns. My next favorite place is actually only 10-15 miles from Muskegon. It’s called Grand Haven. Grand Haven is such a cool town! Everything is only about a Ã?½ mile from Grand Haven City Beach. This is an added plus. You can walk from the beach to Snug Harbor and grab a bite to eat. There are also great coffee houses and ice cream shops in the area. The beach is almost as beautiful as Pere Marquette (yes, I’m bias) but is a lot smaller. Have you heard about the World’s Largest Musical Fountain? Well, it is a synchronized light and music show which takes place not far from the beach. This would be a wonderful ending to a great day on the beach. Be sure to consider staying at one of the quaint bed and breakfasts in downtown Grand Haven. Go to http://www.grandhaven.com for a show schedule and lodging information. Want to take a peak at the beach. There is a live web cam at http://www.lakemichigancam.com (the picture updates every ten minutes).
Get up early in the morning and make your way south over to Holland, Michigan. Ladies, be sure to stay away from all of the shopping outlets. Remember this is a beach trip, right? Visit Tunnel Park known for it’s tunnel through a dune. Be sure to bring your camera. This is a great place for photographers. To get the best view, climb the dune stairway (get in shape at home before you try this). Later, head over to Holland State Park. This is also the best beach in the Holland area and I believe one of the largest for the Lakeshore. Let the kids build a sandcastle while you watch the sailboats and water enthusiasts. Kick back and relax and watch the beautiful sunset on Lake Michigan. At Holland State Park you won’t have a care in the world. This is also a good place to set up camp for the night. Again, be sure to make reservations.
What’s next on our beach adventure? How about Saugatuck? It’s just about 15 miles or so south of Holland. Now Saugatuck is what I would consider a more upscale and tranquil beachtown. This would be a great “luxury” stop for the ladies. Spend the day at Saugatuck’s Oval Beach. It was ranked one of the top 25 beaches in the world by Conde’ Nast and among the top five in the USA by MTV (information from www.saugatuck.com). This beach is noted for it’s cleanliness. (If you are taking young children you might want to skip this stop. Saugatuck is a very liberal town and the beaches are known for very liberal swimwear and somewhat x-rated shows – if you know what I mean). Lodge at one of the many waterfront/beach hotels or cottages such as the Ship N’ Shore or the Rosemont Inn Resort (has beach access and offers whirlpool rooms). The rooms might be a little pricey but come on hubby, this is your sweeties “luxury” stop.
Oh no, our trip is almost over! Now, let’s travel about 30 miles south to the resort town of South Haven, another great town surrounded by Lake Michigan. There you can visit many beaches (www.southaven.org) – Packard Park Beach, South Beach & Riverfront Park or North Beach. I’d recommend spending some time at South Beach. Put some burgers and brats on the grill, then take a walk out to the lighthouse. When it cools down a little, head next door to the Waterfront Skate Park and let the kids show you their latest skateboard moves. If you don’t want to participate, I’m sure it would be fun to watch. Want to camp on Lake Michigan? Try Covert Park Beach & Campground or Van Buren State Park. Not up for camping? Stay at the Sand Castle Inn Bed & Breakfast, just a walk from the beach (www.thesandcastleinn.com) .
Our last and final stop on our beach vacation is St. Joseph, Michigan. This is one of the “big cities” on Lake Michigan. St. Joseph is nestled on the banks of St. Joseph River and overlooks Lake Michigan. This is a great stop for families with young children. Your children will never forget this visit. From May thru October this year you can see 50+ life size carousel horses on the streets of downtown St. Joseph (for more information or to view the horses on line visit (www.goswm.com) . Follow the tour map which will lead down to Silver Beach. On the tour you might also want to stop by the Chocolate Cafe’ for a treat. Known for beach volleyball, Silver Beach was rated one of the top ten family beaches by Parent’s Magazine. Men’s and women’s bathhouses, pavilion, south pier, bike racks, playground equipment, volleyball nets and a 1,600 square foot beach (www.swmichigan.org/beaches.htm). There are many cottages you can rent on the beach. You can stay in a cottage near the beach as there are several rentals to choose from (http://www.goswm.com/go_htm/southwest_michigan_guide/michigan_lodging/st_joseph_michigan/st_joseph_rentals/beachrentals/index.htm#1 – for more information).
Well, our trip is over. It’ll take about 4 hours or so to head back to Ludington if you need to take the ferry or 3 hours or so if you’re heading back to Muskegon. With gas and airline prices increasing by the minute, I hope you’ll consider my little beach adventure.
