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Michigan Lakeshore
Ludington Harbor.
Michigan Lakeshore
“There are many superb views
along 7-mile Pierce Stocking Drive
in Sleeping Bear Dunes National
Lakeshore, but my favorite is the
Lake Michigan Overlook."
Michigan Lakeshore
Sunset over North
Pierhead Lighthouse
in Ludington.
Michigan Lakeshore
Big Sable Point Lighthouse,
Ludington State Park.
Michigan Lakeshore
Fall colors along
Valencourt Road in
Manistee County.
Michigan Lakeshore
St. James Harbor
on Beaver Island.
Michigan Lakeshore
The Mormon Print Shop Museum
on Beaver Island.
Story and photos by Darryl Beers
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Land of the singing sands
The world’s largest freshwater dune system sets the stage for the charming towns and stunning scenery on Michigan’s west coast.
I was about 10 years old when I joined a busload of my peers for a day of frolicking in the waves at an expansive beach on lower Michigan’s western shore. I don’t remember exactly where that beach was, but I vividly recall how much fun we had. And I’ve been visiting that splendid shore as often as I can ever since.
The coastline’s signature attraction is known as the singing sands, for the squeaky sound you’ll hear as you walk across them. Visitors and locals alike delight in endless miles of swimming beaches and over 300,000 acres of dunes—the largest freshwater dune system on the planet.
You’ll find the most prominent of these dunes in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, on lower Michigan’s northern tier. The dunes there, towering as high as 400 feet, are ideal for hiking, biking, climbing or simply sightseeing. Sleeping Bear Dunes is also home to lush forests, clear inland lakes and unique flora and fauna, which combine to make it the most beautiful place in America.
Do you doubt the authority of such a sweeping statement? Well, consider this: In 2011, Sleeping Bear Dunes won that exact title in a vote by almost 100,000 viewers of ABC’s Good Morning America.
My favorite city on Michigan’s western shore is Ludington, largely because it’s so much fun to get there—via a 4-hour cruise aboard the SS Badger, a magnificently refurbished car ferry that first set sail in 1953. From mid-May throughout late October, the ship carries passengers and vehicles across the lake between Ludington and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
The focus for recreation in Ludington is Stearns Park Beach, which offers some 2,500 feet of sandy shore and was named one of the country’s best beaches by USA Today.
My favorite drive in the area is Highway M-116 north out of Ludington. Though only about 6 miles long, the road hugs the shoreline with its never-ending sand beach on one side and vast stretches of dunes on the other.
The road ends at Ludington State Park, which by most accounts is Michigan’s most popular. I’ve spent countless hours combing the beaches here and hiking to the historic Big Sable Point Lighthouse. At 112 feet, this light is one of the tallest in Michigan. From May through October, it’s open to the public for the
arduous but rewarding climb to the top.
But there’s much more to the lower Michigan Lakeshore than singing sands and sparkling water. The city of Holland hosts its Tulip Time Festival each May, when millions of these brilliant beauties bloom at once. I fondly recall childhood trips here, where I was dazzled by the display of colors and patterns in both the tulips and the Dutch costumes of the performers.
Two other nods to Holland’s ethnic heritage are Nelis’ Dutch Village, which re-creates the Netherlands of the 1800s with 10 acres of authentic architecture, canals and gardens, and the city’s remarkable
DeZwaan Windmill. Built in the Netherlands in 1761, the historic mill was dismantled, shipped here in pieces and painstakingly reassembled in 1964. It’s the only authentic working Dutch windmill in the U.S., still grinding flour that is sold to tourists, bakers and restaurateurs.
Not far from the site of all this Dutch influence, Michigan’s west coast also boasts more than its share of elegant Victorian architecture. In the later 1800s, steamships brought a huge influx of visitors from
Chicago. Seeking a summer refuge on this breezy shore, many built ornate second homes here. Scores of these 19th-century houses survive, and many have been converted into cozy bed-and-breakfasts.
A bit to the south, many Chicago painters and sculptors were drawn to the communities of Saugatuck and Douglas. The art colony continues to thrive, with so many galleries and outdoor sculptures on display that the area proudly calls itself Michigan’s “art coast.”
During my first visit to these twin cities, I was fascinated to see the Saugatuck Chain Ferry in action. Built in 1838 to haul horses across the Kalamazoo River, the boat—said to be the only hand-cranked ferry still running in the U.S.—is now a tourist attraction, carrying passengers and bicycles. The ferry is still run by a crank attached to a chain along the river bottom; it takes about 200 cranks and five minutes to cross the 100-yard-wide river.
Farther to the north, Traverse City, which sits at the base of Grand Traverse Bay, lays claim to being the world’s cherry capital. Its weeklong National Cherry Festival, held every July, draws a massive crowd of about 500,000 with everything from pie to parades.
The city is also home to three tall ships: the schooners Manitou and Madeline, and the sloop Welcome. Through educational and recreational programs, these three working replicas of 19th-century vessels immerse visitors in maritime history.
My favorite drive in this locale follows Highway M-37 north from Traverse City through Old Mission Peninsula, which last year made USA Today’s list of the nation’s most scenic coastal routes. The trip is especially grand in the spring, when both sides of the roadway are awash in cherry blossoms.
The same climate that makes cherry trees thrive here is also a good one for European grapes, so vineyards abound along the route. The 18-mile drive through the peninsula ends at Mission Point Lighthouse, a magnificent place to photograph.
Northeast of the peninsula, not far from the tip of lower Michigan, is the fisherman’s paradise of Walloon Lake, where the young Ernest Hemingway spent many summers at his family’s cottage. Devoted readers can follow in his footsteps on a self-guided “Hemingway tour” of the area.
Accolades for Michigan’s west coast would not be complete without mentioning three islands off the northern shore. North and South Manitou islands are part of the Sleeping Bear lakeshore and are accessible by ferry service from Leland, a historic fishing community. They have no permanent residents, and no vehicles are allowed—but hiking, backpacking, picnicking and rustic camping are permitted.
I cherish the memory of the two peaceful nights I spent camping on South Manitou. I was planning to get to bed early so I could photograph the island’s lighthouse at dawn, but I found myself unable to resist one of the most incredible nights of stargazing imaginable. A good night’s sleep had to wait until I returned to the mainland.
Then there’s the very different but also inviting Beaver Island, Lake Michigan’s largest island, with a year-round population of about 650 that swells to some 3,500 on summer weekends. A ferry running out of Charlevoix takes people and cars to and from the island. The isle has an intriguing history of Mormon settlement and an influx of Irish fishermen.
Whatever its other attractions, and there are many, it’s those beautiful beaches that keep luring me back to this special part of Michigan. I have no doubt that anyone who, on a warm summer evening, strolls barefoot on the sand and basks in the glowing light of a Lake Michigan sunset will realize that they’ve found themselves in God’s Country.
Darryl’s Fab Five views
1. One of my absolute favorite Lake Michigan views is from the deck of the SS Badger as it enters Ludington Harbor. I always rush to get a spot on the bow railing, where I can look nearly straight down at the harbor lighthouse and wave back at the friendly folks who gather on the pier to welcome the ship into port.
2. I was looking for a place to have breakfast in St. Joseph when I stumbled on Lake Bluff Park, whose elevation offers unparalleled views of the St. Joseph River, Silver Beach and the lake. This is the perfect place to enjoy an idyllic sunset in the company of Constance and Hope, the two elegant female figures at the base of the 142-year-old Maids of the Mist Fountain.
3. I’ve gotten wet more than once watching the waves crash into the steel breakwaters at Point Betsie Lighthouse. The scene is particularly stunning late in the day, when the setting sun lights up the thousands of water droplets flying through the air.
4. Climbing the winding staircase to the top of the 100-foot-tall South Manitou Island Lighthouse isn’t easy, but the reward is a glorious vision of the island as it curves into the seemingly endless blue waters of Lake Michigan. Believe me, the tired legs are worth it!
5. There are many superb views along 7½-mile Pierce Stocking Drive in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, but my favorite is the Lake Michigan Overlook. It sits nearly 450 feet above the lake, with majestic dunes visible far into the distance—and it’s a relatively easy hike from the parking lot.