Michigan needs some love. The Labor Department recently announced that it was the first state in 25 years to have unemployment top 15 percent. Though I will probably have to leave the state I've lived in for as long as I can remember in order to find a job post-graduation--and even though the winters are too long--it's hard for me not to miss Michigan this time of year. And of course, the best thing about the Great Lakes state is, well, all of the lakes. Fresh water (no salty residue), climbing up sand dunes and watching the sun set over Lake Michigan, nights that are cold enough to warrant a sweatshirt, lighthouses... these are the images the phrase "West Coast" evokes in my mitten-shaped state.
These towns are so beautiful that I was reluctant to encourage people to visit lest they become overcrowded, but my pride in my home state prevailed. I want people to know that Michigan isn't only the nexus of the diminished auto industry; it's a beautiful state full of friendly people where you don't have to clear out your wallet to have a fabulous trip. Make your way from the south end of Michigan's west coast to the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula with these personal favorite spots.
These towns are so beautiful that I was reluctant to encourage people to visit lest they become overcrowded, but my pride in my home state prevailed. I want people to know that Michigan isn't only the nexus of the diminished auto industry; it's a beautiful state full of friendly people where you don't have to clear out your wallet to have a fabulous trip. Make your way from the south end of Michigan's west coast to the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula with these personal favorite spots.
- You won't find any strip malls or McDonald's restaurants in Saugatuck, known as the Art Coast of Michigan. Local artists and galleries thrive here, but the vibe is hardly pretentious. A pleasant afternoon can be spent perusing the shops and admiring the boats docked along the marina, which conveniently runs past the Mermaid Bar and Grill. Situated on the delta where the Kalamazoo River meets Lake Michigan, the focus in Saugatuck is on the water. And Oval Beach is the place to get your fix. This secluded spot is still unspoiled, so please leave only your footprints. A 140-mile lakeshore drive is all that separates this getaway from Chicago, the hub of the Midwest--it's not much more than the trip from Manhattan to the Hamptons.
- Holland, Michigan is on the map for its annual tourist attraction, Tulip Time, a festival celebrating Dutch culture that takes place when the flowers are in full bloom during the first week of May. Hope College, a small private school situated downtown, makes Holland an official college town; however, it is also ideal for families. Eighth Street is where you'll find shopping--jbandme is great for women's clothing, but you can find something for outdoor fanatics, musicians, bookworms, and antique lovers here. Take the kids to the old-fashioned Eighth Street Grille for their soup bar, or head to the Alpenrose for a more sophisticated evening. Locals argue over whether the pizza is better at Fricano's or the newer Skiles. Another local favorite: Captain Sundae. Beaches are a short drive away--Tunnel Park has a playground for the kids and Holland State Park, next to the channel from Lake Macatawa to Lake Michigan, is the place to go for camping and the lighthouse.
- Grand Haven's claim to fame is its role in American Pie 2. Although not entirely full of college house parties, this Lake Michigan town does tend to be dominated by a younger crowd, especially during the upcoming Coast Guard Festival. This year, the festival runs from July 24-August 2, and includes a parade, car show, a carnival, craft fair, Coast Guard ship tours, and more, culminating in a night of fireworks. Camp at Grand Haven State Park--you can't get any closer to the beach than this. Walk along the boardwalk that takes you from the end of the pier, next to the lighthouse (photo above), alongside the channel on your way to downtown. Head up to Harbor Drive, which mimics the shoreline; the main drag starts at its intersection with Washington Avenue. Dine at K2, a pizza place on the second floor above the fancier Kirby Grill, where you choose the ingredients of your wood-fired pizza, from the sauce to the type of cheese to the toppings. For dessert, walk to any of the local ice cream shops; you don't need a map to find one, just look for the crowds.
- From south to north, Muskegon, Ludington, and Manistee all have excellent state parks, lighthouses, and beaches. Muskegon's park is best for camping. Basketball players: sign up for the three-on-three Gus Macker tournament in Ludington, where most courts are set up alongside the beach. Invest in some waterproof/sweatproof sunscreen. The Huron-Manistee National Forest is perfect for outdoor activities.
- The Traverse City area, in the northwestern Lower Peninsula, offers a check mark for almost every item on your vacation wish list: beaches galore, locally produced wine, inland lakes, state parks, art galleries, festivals--it's swimming in charm, culture, and natural beauty. Although you missed the National Cherry Festival this year, you can still make it in time for the Traverse City Film Festival, held from July 28-August 2 (Madonna showed up last year). Sailors and boaters: Torch Lake, just east of Grand Traverse Bay, is your North American playground. At about 20 miles long, there is room enough for all kinds of water sports, and the lake is a blue that is usually only found in the waters of the Caribbean. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (photo above) is home to the Manitou Islands, 35 miles of coastline, and, of course, the best sand dunes around. Even Lance Armstrong would get winded sprinting to the top of the tallest dunes, but the view is worth it--and running down is always fun. Just south of Sleeping Bear, near Frankfort, Point Betsie Lighthouse watches over a serene, Cape Cod-esque scene. Leelanau State Park sits at the tip of the mitten's pinky finger, the perfect place to set up camp.
- Farther north, Charlevoix, Harber Springs, and Petoskey each offer beautiful lakefront, cute downtowns, and gi-normous vacation homes. Too many people around? Take the ferry from Charlevoix to Beaver Island, a remote island with a peculiar history. Irish flags are all over the place, but it hasn't always been that way. The first European settlers of America's Emerald Isle were actually French, though they abandoned the island in 1603. James Strang, a Mormon leader, declared himself king of Beaver Island in 1850. Six years later, residents whose wives opposed his strict dress code attacked Strang; he died from the wounds. Go to the Old Mormon Print Shop Museum if you'd like to learn more of the local lore. After Strang's followers were forced off the island, Irish fishermen moved in. About one-third of the island is allocated for state wildlife research and few roads outside of St. James, the only village, are paved. A word of warning: don't use body wash with sugar in it because the no-see-ums (biting flies so small they seem invisible; otherwise called Ceratopogonidae) love it, and the result isn't pleasant.
- Mackinac Island lies in the no-man's-land between the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. And it seems to lie in a parallel universe where tourists in T-shirts and shorts ride around in horse-drawn carriages--as cars are prohibited on the island. Biking is the best way to see Mackinac, although everyone seems to know it so you probably won't have the roads to yourself. Lakeshore Boulevard circles the island in a mere eight miles. Grand Hotel is Mackinac's stately icon. Built in 1887, it has a porch that is longer than two football fields laid end-to-end. My parents worked there one summer while they were students at Michigan State University, my dad as a night auditor and my mom as a waitress. Get there by driving from Mackinaw City across the Mackinac Bridge (one of the world's longest suspension bridges, at five miles, and the only way to drive from the Lower to the Upper Peninsula--at least, without leaving Michigan) and picking up the ferry in St. Ignace. Or, if you want to skip the bridge all together, take the ferry straight from Mackinaw City to the island.
Photos: Grand Haven by J.S.W. via Flickr and Sleeping Bear Dunes by Stacy A. Niedzwiecki via Flickr
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Lake towns are great to visit if you are working on geology science fair projects. This is because they have easy to access strata layers that have been eroded and deposited by the lake.
As a part-time resident of Traverse City, MI, I concur with what you have said about my town and the other fantastic lake towns in Michigan. Thanks.
Michigan is a wonderland of beautiful and accessible lakes! I love how much there is to see and do -- if you pulled a random activity out of your head, chances are you'd find a Michigan lake (probably a few) that had it.
Lakelubbers.com offers an ever-growing lakes database, with tons of free information on all there is to see & do on lakes around the world. Come on over, read a bit about our Michigan lakes, and let us know if your favorite isn't on the list.
this is certainly dreaming house for many people!
I too moved post-graduation and miss my pleasant peninsula at this time of year. Glad to see Michigan getting a little love.
I just read this and cannot wait to plan my next trip to Michigan! I've never been but all of the places you mentioned sound quaint and beautiful. Beaver Island's history especially intrigued me, I can't believe that man named himself a king of the island, talk about "strange!"
brilliant article - i grew up on the sunset coast and just LOVE all of these towns. such beautiful beaches and friendly people make me happy!
Thanks for all the comments everyone! Another cool festival in another great Michigan lake town is coming up: the National Blueberry Festival in South Haven, from August 6-9.
I love JB and Me, I have worked there for almost 4 years and am so proud that they contribute to Holland. It is truely a special and beautiful place. Alpen Rose is amazing and I love the new Cityvu hotel (yummy yummy happy hour!)
I have always thought Michigan to be a cold place (even the shape of the state being a mitten encourages this viewpoint), but after reading this article, I am ready to get in my car and go! Great suggestions on what to do and see!
What a gorgeous part of the country! Thank you for sharing - the Beaver Island story is great.
Thank you for putting a positive spotlight on Michigan by writing about one of the (many) reasons we stay! Though we may have 15% unemployed we still have 85% employed and those people are enjoying the beauty that is Michigan in the summer.
I agree with Sam. We may have a 15% unemployment but 85% is still working. MICHIGAN is an absolutely beautiful state and every place I have visited all I want to do is come home to MI.
Everyone that I know that has left the state miss the natural beauty and are eager to come back.
Great article! I think I'll stay. We do have a beautiful state.
Muskegon State park best for camping?? Clearly you've never been to the Ludington State Park. One of the most difficult parks to get into because of it's popularity, mix of rustic and modern camping, and nicely wooded camp sites. Muskegon's camping isn't even in the same league.
If you could only visit one place, and were married and have one smal child, would you go to Holland, or Grand Haven?
Matt M: Although you can't lose with those two towns, I would say Holland is the better destination for family activities. Again, kids love Tunnel Park--it was one of my favorite places as a child. There's a playground and you walk through a tunnel to get to the beach. Very cool for kids. Also, Treehouse Books is a sweet children's bookstore on Eighth Street (the downtown area). If your child likes amusement parks, Dutch Village, a step back into the Netherlands of over 100 years ago, complete with a Dutch chair swing ride and shopping for mom, can make for a fun afternoon--beware: it is a bit cheesy. Let me know if you're looking for any other suggestions!
In regards to Holland, there are so many other interesting things to do and see. Downtown has won awards for it's beautiful shopping district. In the winter, many of the streets and sidewalks are snow and ice-free thanks to a snowmelt system that pumps hot water through miles and miles of tubes underneath the streets and sidewalks of downtown Holland. Kollen Park has recently gone through a major renovation and is an amazing place to play with the kids, walk the new boardwalk along Lake Macatawa or see an amazing fireworks show before Tulip Time or for the 4th of July!
I recently moved away from Holland due to the unemployment situation mentioned in the article, but I cannot wait for the opportunity to move back to that amazing town.
There's a great website set up by the Holland Visitors Bureau for more information.
http://www.holland.org
Count me as one who likes the Muskegon State Park better than the state park in Ludington (the Muskegon State Park just south of Giles Road). I like it better BECAUSE it is less crowded and the camp sites are larger. The campgrounds are similar, but the Muskegon park is a little more wooded and just seems "cozier."
Regardless, you can't go wrong with either!!!
Great article and good to see some love for my favourite little village, Saugatuck.
I'm a frequent visitor, just can't seem to get enough of those delectable pies from Kalico Kitchen, or homemade ice cream from Kilwins.
The natural beauty of the place is hard to resist too. There's so much to do and see you'd need a week just to scratch the surface.
The quaint shops and galleries are fabulous - I adore the architecture - but the food is what keeps me coming back, they've got some really great restaurants.
They also have so many options for lodging. I've stayed in numerous places over the years, it's been hard to choose just one.
Of course no visit would be complete without a walk along the boardwalk or a glass of wine at Coral Gables Crow Bar!
Go to Saugatuck's visitors website, I've found really good information there:
http://www.saugatuck.com
I was so excited to come across this article. My husband and I just got back from a Michigan road trip - actually, we were in Saugatuck the day the article was posted. We visited (or at least drove through) nearly all of the towns you mentioned and, for the most part, loved them all. Saugatuck, Traverse City and Petoskey were definite favorites. We also really enjoyed Leland and Glen Arbor, which aren't on the list.
Our full trip report can be found here: http://www.townsandtrails.com/michigan-road-trip-full-trip-report/
I have lived in West Michigan for 30 years... I can validate that all the waterfront towns mentioned and more are great places to visit. They are the kind of towns that you need to visit twice... the first time to get a feel for the land and the second time to visit the secret little place the locals tell you about. We think about vacations it's hard to rule out spots in Michigan. Out favorite is Sleeping Bear National Lake Shore in Glen Arbor. The UP has some great little shore communities too.
JK
I LOVE MICHIGAN it is the best state i was born and raised in South Haven Michigan and i am now living in Kentucky and i've been here since semptember of 07 Kentucky sucks michigan rocks!!!
Sarah, you certainly captured the essence of Michigan. It's one of the best places in the world (in the summer), especially the coastline of Lake Michigan. I'm an ex-Michigander and I really miss "my" lakes. A small tip to those who are going to make the trip to the lakes, wait until August. They need some warm summer nights to make the water "get-in-able," as they are pretty darn cold otherwise.
Whenever I'm abroad and trying to explain where I'm from, I always bring up American Pie and how it's the same beach where Stifler and the gang get a beach house.