I love Michigan, and I love Lake Michigan! I realize there are multiple bodies of water between that lake and me, but I feel pulled toward it like a magnet.
Laketown Beach, Holland
We had a free day with the kids, and we were already over on the west side of the state, so we decided to go to the beach. I wanted to go to a new beach, and we found Laketown Beach online. It had warnings like: this dune is really steep! Even teens were struggling! So we knew it wouldn't be packed!
True. There were about 10 parking spots, and so we lined up on the road. It was a very short walk on a dune, and it wasn't bad at all. The beach itself was very small, so we were in the water in the private areas a lot. Very few people there!
We all swam and played catch in the water, went for walks - very enjoyable. On the way back up the dune when we were leaving, it was like normal dune walking, and then at the top third, it was like the sand was mushy. I think it was just so steep that you would take a step and move downward. Ha! Totally worth it.
Douglas
The next weekend we went on our annual family trip to Lake Michigan with Kris' family. His parents Mike and Joanna, sister Meghan and her husband Jon and three kids, Anna, William, and Benjamin, plus our family. The Wardins started doing this as a Christmas present, and it's so fun! We are so thankful!
Our house this time was decorated so beautifully and so different. Lots of flamingoes, lots of nice touches. The house had a Monopoly game table, a karaoke setup complete with mirrored ball, beach supplies, and even bikes! There were deer that came to eat from the mulberry tree all the time, and unlike when I see deer at home, I wasn't filled with rage that they were eating my plants.
Douglas Beach
Even though we've spent a lot of time in Saugatuck and Douglas, there are always new places to see. Douglas Beach was the closest to our house - just a six minute bike ride. It's a small beach, and on the walk back the boys and Mike went to the Root Beer Barrell for a root beer float.
Yacht Club
Our house was also within walking distance of the Tower Harbour Yacht Club, where we liked to walk to see the super nice cars in the parking lot and the boats on the dock.
Golfing and putt putting
The guys went golfing at the Ravines Golf Club, which they loved and was less expensive than playing at home! We took the kids to putt putt at Saugatuck Mini Golf.
Red Dock
This was advertised as a floating restaurant, but it just seemed like it was on the end of a dock. Regardless, it was nice to eat right on the water! Very low key. Lots of people had boated to eat here, but this was another place we could walk from our house.
Oval Beach
This used to be my favorite beach, but honestly I don't know if I went there on weekdays or what. It is always so busy now. I couldn't bring myself to walk to dunes because it was so hot - in the 90s - but Cole and Max did it. They said they were the only ones there and it was so hot it burnt your feet. It was delightful swimming here, but just really crowded too.
Saugatuck Dunes State Park
Mike suggested going here, and I was pretty sure I'd never been. Then we went on the 0.8 walk on a wooded trail to get there, and I KNEW I'd never been. If I had taken toddlers there it would have been difficult! But this was no big deal with so many adults and big kids. You walk on a nice path to the beach, and since it is a long walk, there aren't very many people there. And then the beach is HUGE and nice. This was my favorite of the trip.
Downtowns
I rode bikes with the boys to downtown Saugatuck for ice cream and the sunset, and I ran to downtown Douglas with Meghan, Jon, and Kris. Both were cute little Lake Michigan tourist town downtowns with cool shops, ice cream, interesting art, and early closing times.
Dairy Dayz
We always go here, and it's always good, giant, and inexpensive ice cream!
It was a great time with wonderful people in one of my favorite spots in the world. See you soon, Lake Michigan.
