From towering sand dunes and scenic beaches to lush foliage and natural areas, there’s a beach for everyone in the Muskegon area.
Photo courtesy of the Muskegon County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Southwest Michigan is a great destination if you’re looking for variety, with its mix of exciting cities, charming artist villages and relaxing beach towns on Lake Michigan. Friendly locals invite you to spend some time on their beautiful beaches, dine in waterfront restaurants and visit attractions unique to this region.

Thrills, chills and spills are all part of family fun at Michigan’s Adventure amusement and water park in Muskegon. Photo courtesy of Michigan’s Adventure

Family adventures
For thrills, chills and spills, spend the day with the kids at Michigan’s Adventure, just north of Muskegon. Over 50 amusement park rides and attractions, plus a water park featuring wave pools, slides and kids’ play area. Top attractions include the “Shivering Timbers” wooden roller coaster and “Grand Rapids” whitewater raft ride. Visit www.miadventure.com for park hours and tickets.

A beautiful oasis within the city of Holland, Windmill Island features a 240-year-old working Dutch windmill and over 150,000 tulips in bloom each spring. Photo courtesy of the Tulip Time Festival

Known best for its “Tulip Time” festival, Holland comes alive each spring with rousing parades, klompen dancing, fireworks, carnival rides and entertainment. Oh, and don’t forget the six million tulips planted in its honor. For festival dates and details, visit www.holland.org.

Build, pretend, explore, play and learn at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum. In their popular bee exhibit, kids can listen to the buzz and smell the sweet honey made by the museum’s bees. A thick plexi-glass casing allows visitors to see the lifecycle of honeybees, watch the bees create beeswax, feed larvae and even hatch. Visit www.grcm.org to plan your trip!

The Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden is one of the horticultural gardens on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. This garden features over 56 individual theme areas that create a place of wonder, enchantment and delight for people of any age. Be sure to check out the Peter Rabbit Herb Garden and the Pizza Garden! The garden also has special family programs. Visit www.hrt.msu.edu/gardens for a schedule of activities.

Get outside and play
In Holland, splash, swim and slide in Michigan’s largest indoor aquatic center or go kayaking on Lake Michigan. Turn figure eights at the ice arena or stride across the Riley Trails. Roll a strike in one of the country’s only two-story bowling alleys, or “putt” your disc at Winstrom Park’s Frisbee golf course. The area has plenty to keep you active.

Muskegon County’s lakes and rivers, as well as Lake Michigan, are teeming with a variety of angling challenges. Anglers will find walleye, perch, bass, massive catfish and dozens of other species in Muskegon Lake.

Fishing, swimming, boating, sunbathing, golfing, biking, hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, hunting and more … you’re never more than a few miles from outdoor recreation in Grand Rapids. Even downtown, you’ll find the salmon-rich Grand River running alongside fine restaurants and rollicking nightclubs.

Of course, throughout the region, Lake Michigan is a hot fishing spot. Lake trout, brown trout, Coho salmon and the king of all Lake Michigan sport fish—the Chinook salmon—lurk in the lake’s deep water. Fishing licenses may now be purchased online at www.mdnr-elicense.com.

Outdoor activities are plentiful in Kalamazoo, no matter what time of year. Fish, swim or boat in one of Kalamazoo’s 83 lakes. Around every corner, there’s a park or trail with areas for picnics, biking, hiking or horseback riding. Of special note is the Kal-Haven Trail, which runs 34 miles from an old caboose on Kalamazoo’s west side to the Lake Michigan city of South Haven.

Some fun for the grownups
Explore Holland’s vibrant downtown and you’ll find a historic yet hip atmosphere. Trendy shops, brew pubs and street performers mix with fine dining and art galleries.
The southwest Michigan region includes the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail, and several wineries to tour and taste local vintages. Wineries in Michigan are “come as you are” with no pressure to sniff and swirl just right. Talk to the winemakers, and attend special events and tasting festivals. Visit www.michiganwines.com for locations.

The small towns of Harbor Country invite you to step away from the cookie-cutter stores of the mall and enjoy a world of personal attention and friendly service. The southernmost towns along Lake Michigan are filled with art galleries and boutiques, farm markets and antique stores. Find out more at www.harborcountry.org.

The Grand Rapids dining scene offers something for everyone with over 60 restaurants in the downtown area alone. Photo courtesy of the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Downtown Grand Rapids is compact, but full of big-city excitement, including a variety of restaurants, nightlife, theaters, and sports venues … all within walking distance. Don’t miss the state’s second most popular tourist attraction, the Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. The park is a collection of scenic gardens and outdoor sculptures. To plan your trip to Grand Rapids, go to www.visitgrandrapids.org.

Learn, explore, enjoy
Two new attractions will greet history buffs in Muskegon. The Depression house is a site of the Muskegon County Museum and tells the story of ordinary families living during the Great Depression, complete with fictional families and period appropriate furnishings and music from the era. The Muskegon County Museum of African American History features photographs, artifacts and documents to tell some of the undertold stories of the past.

Michigan’s State Capitol enjoys a well-deserved reputation as one of the nation’s most important historic buildings, as well as one of its most beautiful. Photo courtesy of the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Capitol Complex in downtown Lansing offers visitors a chance to learn about Michigan history and government. Michigan’s State Capitol, designated as a National Historic Landmark, has been authentically restored, right up to its inner dome, which rises 160 feet from the main floor. The Michigan Historical Museum, just two blocks away, houses 26 galleries spotlighting Michigan’s progress from prehistoric times to the end of the 20th century. Also in the complex, you’ll find the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Monument in front of the Hall of Justice, and the Supreme Court Learning Center. For details, visit www.lansing.org.
Some of the best beaches can be found in this region.

Sugar-sand beaches run up the coastline, many with trails, boardwalks and volleyball courts. Norman F. Kruse Park in Muskegon offers picnic shelters, dune overlooks, playground, barrier-free access and even a special beach just for dogs!

The fun doesn’t stop in the winter
For winter fun in Holland, you can toboggan down the slope of historic Van Raalte Farm, snowshoe your way around Sanctuary Woods, Dutch roll across the ice in Smallenberg Park, and double-pole through the DeGraaf Nature Center.

Winter in Muskegon is home to the unique Winter Sports Complex that features a 720-foot luge run, ice rinks and miles of groomed cross-country ski trails. Call 1-877-TRY-LUGE for reservations.

When the snow starts falling in late November, Kalamazoo becomes a winter wonderland. People flock to the local ski resorts and toboggan runs or head to the trails for snowmobiling or cross-country skiing.
Year-round, try out the “finest in vertical entertainment,” Higher Ground offers a 23-foot high artificial boulder-climbing room for your above it all experience.