I like being on the move a lot. My daughter plays volleyball all year round – during the fall, it’s school volleyball, so we travel amongst the northern town. During the winter and spring, club volleyball takes us to many places in the state (Detroit, Grand Rapids) and beyond (Indiana). And during the summer, it is beach volleyball. So it for that reason we were at Grand Haven State Park for a day at the beach. Though there was not much swimming, there was a lot of sun and sand – about eight hours’ worth of them.

There is one lesson I learned from our time there – get there early. Arriving on a Sunday morning around 8:30, there were plenty of spots. By 10:30, there were lines out to the road trying to get in, and they never stopped. When we left at 4:00, there were still lines out to the road. If you are hoping to spend a day at the beach, get there early. And hope there isn’t a volleyball tournament – we take up a lot of room.

Grand Haven beach

Though most of the day was spent watching matches, we did get a smidge of swim time. I also took a trip to the lighthouse. There has been a lighthouse in Grand Haven since 1839, though the current lighthouse is from 1893. It’s a pleasant walk to the end of the pier, but watch out when you reach the end. The concrete was very slick with algae. I recommend shuffling to avoid a spill.

Grand Haven lighthouse

I had never spent much time in Grand Haven during my youth – we just weren’t a lake-going family, which has changed since I have become an adult. But I can see why so many people make the trip – the beach is huge and even with the enormous amount of people there, plenty of room on the sand and the water was available. I don’t understand the appeal of the campground, though. No trees provide shade, just a bunch of concrete spots, one next to the other, like an RV parking lot. But to each their own.

This summer, the beach house is closed, so you’ll have to make do with the port-a-potties. There were lots, so no problem there. Because the snack bar is also closed, there were three food trucks if you don’t feel like buying your own food. And on your way out of time, stop at the Dairy Treat for some ice cream before your beach day is done.

Dairy Treat, Grand Haven

Pentwater

We all have those spots that are special to us, and Pentwater is one such spots for us. We first started going to the area (as a family) when my daughter was very young. We would rent a cottage south of town in Shelby and make trips into Pentwater and Silver Lake and other great beach towns in the area.

This year, we were coming to Pentwater from our new home in Traverse City, taking a break from our home in a resort town to visit a resort town. We stayed at the Channel Lane Inn, just across the street from the channel that connects Pentwater Lake with Lake Michigan. If you enjoy watching boats, this is a good place to sit and relax. It is also a great place for a stroll or, in my daughter’s case, a smooth ride on a skateboard.

Channel

The big draw of the town is Mears State Park – specifically, the beach. The beach is large and the water is shallow enough to wade quite a ways before being over your head. (I’m 6’2″, and despite being fairly distant from shore, I didn’t go out far enough to be completely submerged.) It’s one of those beautiful beaches that the eastern shore of Lake Michigan is known for, and despite the crowds , there is always a spot of open sand.

If you are not in the mood for the big-crowd scene of the main beach, a narrow strip of sand runs north along the shore. This strip has gotten even narrower in recent years, but there are still plenty of space for a beach blanket and cooler.

Mears State Park

I’ve noticed a trend lately, from time spent at Pentwater, Traverse City, and visiting friends in Port Huron – the boat invasion. As you sit on the beach, enjoying a clear view of the lake and horizon, here come the boats to anchor as close as they possibly can to your spot. Nothing says relaxing day at the beach better than wall-to-wall boats, each with their own playlist. Is there a place online I can purchase torpedoes? Asking for a friend.

Downtown Pentwater is made for shopping. If you’re in the mood for lake-related knick knacks, you are in the right spot. T-shirts and ice cream can be found is large amounts. Which is not to say you can’t buy nice things – there are several shops with high-quality stuff, several of which we visited and to which we made a generous contribution. Also, Cenzo’s, the local market, has ready-made sandwiches to take to the beach if you’d prefer to limit your fried food intake, at least for one meal.

If you’re there early enough, you will not be able to buy much – perhaps coffee – but it is peaceful.

Downtown Pentwater

I want to single out one store, Storybook Village. This children’s book and toy store where 6th Street curves and turns north into Hancock Street, Storybook Village was the favorite place for us to buy books when my daughter (now a teenager) was younger. These are not your normal kids books, but really interesting stories with nice artwork, many of which you will not find in a big chain bookstore. If you have young children in the circle of people you buy for, definitely give SV a visit.

And my personal favorite way to end the day in Pentwater is with a sunset over the lake. Sunset over water just never seem to get old.

Pentwater Sunset

Category: Lake Michigan

Weekend in Pentwater

Pentwater