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5 Things To Do In Grand Haven

Things To Do In Grand Haven

When I am not traveling I enjoy exploring the other small towns near my hometown. Grand Haven, MI is about 30 mins away from my hometown of Holland, MI and it is also located right on Lake Michigan. I enjoy exploring these small towns and seeing what makes each town unique. These are 5 of my favorite things to do in Grand Haven.

Swim At The Beach

Going to the beach is definitely one of the best things to do in Grand Haven during the summertime. Even though the water of Lake Michigan stays pretty cold all summer, it feels good to swim in the lake on a hot sunny day. Grand Haven State Park is a beautiful beach and it’s not too far from the downtown area. There is also a nice pier with a lighthouse that you can walk out on too.

The Grand Haven pier
On the rocks at the Grand Haven pier

Have Some Ice Cream

There are two good ice cream shops in Grand Haven that I know of. Dairy Treat is probably the most popular ice cream shop in Grand Haven. It is located right across the street from the boardwalk and Pronto Pups. Every time I have been there it has been very busy. They have a pretty basic ice cream menu but it is popular because of the location. One thing to know about Dairy Treat is that they only accept cash. Pronto Pups is a very popular corndog stand. Every time I have driven by the line has been down the street. Pronto Pups also only accepts cash. Another great ice cream shop in Grand Haven is Skoops. This is more of a traditional ice cream shop with lots of different ice cream flavors to choose from. This ice cream shop is less well known since it is not near the beach or downtown area but, their ice cream is really good. Having ice cream is one of my favorite things to do in Grand Haven (or any place during the summer) and both of these ice cream shops are great choices. If you are more of a frozen yogurt person there is a popular frozen yogurt shop in downtown Grand Haven called the Pump House. I have never been there before but I have heard it is really good and it is really cute inside.

Enjoying ice cream at Dairy Treat
Having ice cream at Skoops
Ice cream at dairy treat

Visit Downtown Grand Haven

One of the best things to do in Grand Haven on your first visit is to explore the downtown area. Downtown Grand Haven has lots of cute little shops and restaurants. One of the shops I really like is Patricia’s Chocolates. Patricia's Chocolates is located right on the main street and all of the different chocolate flavors are delicious. My favorite chocolate squares are the Saigon cinnamon and the Madagascar vanilla. There are two restaurants in downtown Grand Haven that I thought were good and worth mentioning. The first restaurant is The Toasted Pickle. This restaurant serves mostly sandwiches and other lunch foods. They also have great milkshakes. The other restaurant I would recommend is Pavillion Wharf Deli & Grill. This restaurant looks like a dollhouse from the outside. It is super cute! They have lots of burgers, sandwiches, and salads. I had one of their burgers and it was really good.

Having lunch at the Pavillon

Drink Coffee at Jumpin Java

One thing I enjoy doing when visiting a new town is to check out the local coffee shops. My favorite coffee shop in Grand Haven is Jumpin Java. This coffee shop is located in downtown Grand Haven. I know I already mentioned downtown Grand Haven but I thought this place deserved its own paragraph. As you might have guessed, Jumpin Java is a frog-themed coffee shop. They have creative drink flavors and all of the drinks have frog themed names. Some of my favorite drinks there are the Peace Frog (mocha and caramel) latte and the Fire Belly (raspberry white chocolate) latte. I also had their seasonal lavender mocha latte and that was very good too. There are also great smoothies and frappuccinos at the Jumpin Java. This is one of my favorite things to do in Grand Haven so I have to go there every time I visit. If you are looking for a place to have coffee while in Grand Haven then this is the place to go.

Having coffee at Jumpin Java

Explore The Nearby Trails

If you are an outdoor person like me, you should definitely add exploring the nearby trails to your list of things to do in Grand Haven. There are two really great places with trails to explore in Grand Haven. The first place is Kirk Park. This is located about halfway between Holland and Grand Haven. This is a nice easy trail that leads to a beach area. Kirk Park also has an off-leash dog beach area. The other trails I enjoy in Grand Haven are at Rosy Mound Natural Area. These trails also eventually lead to the beach. These trails are much longer and contain a lot of stairs. If you don’t mind stairs then this is a great place for a hike. The beach is beautiful and there are two nice outlook points with seating.

The trails at Kirk Park
The beach at Rosy Mound Natural Area

Ever been to Grand Haven?

Have you ever been to Grand Haven? What are your favorite things to do in Grand Haven? Are there any restaurants or other things that you would recommend me to try next time I am there. You can check out the post about my hometown of Holland, MI here.

Touring Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Visiting Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The final stop of our road trip around Wisconsin and Michigan was at Picture Rocks National Lakeshore. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located in Michigan's upper peninsula in the city of Munising. We did not get to see much during our visit. We arrived in the evening and were only staying for one night. 

Stopping At Canyon Falls

Before arriving at Pictured Rocks we had the chance to stop at Canyon Falls. We were driving from the Porcupine Mountains so it was right on the way. Canyon Falls is a small roadside park with a hiking trail that leads to the waterfall. This park is located in the town of L’Anse in Michigan’s upper peninsula. Canyon Falls is a large waterfall followed by a gorge. It has also been known as Michigan’s grand canyon. The waterfall was beautiful and definitely worth the 10-minute hike if you have the time.

Visiting Canyon Falls

Arriving At Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

We arrived in Munising (the town where Pictured Rocks is) in the early evening. Our tour of Pictured Rocks was scheduled for 7 pm so we had just enough time to set up our tent a get a snack before heading to our tour. We stayed at the Wandering Wheels campground. This is the only campground in the area and it is a KOA campground. This was actually my least favorite campground on the trip. Compared to the others we stayed at it was not as clean and seemed to be more crowded. The campsites seemed smaller and they were very muddy.

Touring Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

In order to get the best view of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, we went on a boat tour. We went with Pictured Rocks Cruises. Since we arrived in the evening we went on the 7 pm sunset tour. This tour provided us with amazing views of the lakeshore and information on the lakeshores history. I would definitely recommend this tour if you want to be able to see all the colorful rock formations that make Pictured Rocks special. Sadly it starting raining during our tour and we did not get to see a sunset. It gets very cold on the boat so make sure to bring a jacket even if it was warm outside. We went in the middle of July and I was freezing on the boat even with a large sweatshirt on.

A cute waterfall near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Things To Do Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

There are many great hiking trails and waterfalls to explore near Pictured Rocks. We had planned to spend the afternoon visiting some waterfalls before going home. When we woke up it was pouring rain and the water had leaked through our tent. We quickly packed our things and decided to go home instead of hiking in the pouring rain.

Have You Been To Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore?

Have you ever been to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore? What are your favorite hiking trails? What is the best waterfall to visit? Are there any other activities you would recommend I do there if I visit again?

Want To Hear About The Rest Of My Road Trip?

The first stop of my road trip was at Devil’s Lake State Park in Wisconsin. You can read about my experience camping and hiking in Devil’s Lake here. The second stop of my road trip was on Madeline Island in Wisconsin. You can read about my experience camping on Madeline Island and touring the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore here. The third stop of my road trip was in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan’s upper peninsula. You can read about my adventures camping and hiking in the Porcupine Mountains here. I hope you enjoyed reading about my road trip. It was a really fun trip and I enjoyed sharing my experience and tips with you. Where should I go on a road trip to next?

Camping and Hiking In The Porcupine Mountains

Visiting The Porcupine Mountains

The third stop on my Michigan Wisconsin road trip was in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The Porcupine Mountains are located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in the town of Ontonagon, Michigan and is 60,000 acres of woods and waterfalls. We camped in the Porcupine Mountains for two nights. 

The Porcupine Mountains Campground

We stayed in the Union Bay campground. The campground had a small beach area but we did not visit it. This was our favorite campground that we stayed in. The bathrooms were clean and there were nice private shower rooms. The sites were open and had a few trees. However, the campsites were close together. We got to the Porcupine Mountains late on the first day. We only had time to set up our campsite before it got dark outside. Everyone at the campground was really friendly and were willing to help us when we had questions about things. This campground also had a camp host.  The camp host couple had games, hot chocolate, coffee and area information available to share.

Camping at Union Bay campground in the Porcupine Mountains
Kissing a bear in front of the Porcupine Mountains outpost

Porcupine Mountains Outpost

Right outside of the campground was the Porcupine Mountain Outpost. This is the shop for the Porcupine Mountains. They sold ice, firewood, ice cream, and gift items. I purchased a sweatshirt and a long sleeve shirt. I also got some magnets and a cool coffee mug. After our hike, we stopped by the Outpost again to get some soft serve ice cream before heading back to the campsite for the evening. An important thing to know is that there are no other shops nearby.

Hiking In The Porcupine Mountains

Before going on any hikes we went to the visitor center to get a map of all the different trails. The visitor center was about a 5-minute drive from the campground. An important thing to know is that you have to drive to all of the different trails.

Hiking In The Porcupine Mountains: Lake of the Clouds

The first hike we did was to the Lake of the Clouds overlook. It was an easy 5-minute hike to the overlook point. There is a parking lot nearby so it is very accessible. We chose to do the overlook instead of hiking down to the Lake of the Clouds because it was shorter and gave us more time to go on other trails too. The overlook provided a beautiful view and we were able to see the whole lake.

The Lake of the Clouds overlook in Porcupine Mountains

Hiking In The Porcupine Mountains: Presque Isle River

We also hiked the Presque Isle River trail and saw the waterfalls. The Presque Isle river contains the Manabezho, Manido, and Nawadaha waterfalls. There is a parking lot near this trail and all of the waterfalls are close to the start of the trail. There is also a nice viewing platform on the trial to view the waterfalls from.

The Presque Isle River in the Porcupine Mountains

Hiking In The Porcupine Mountains: Summit Peak

The last hike we did was Summit Peak. This is an observation tower and is the highest point in the Porcupine Mountains. To reach Summit Peak it is about a 15 min hike to the observation tower. This trail is pretty easy and flat but its long. Once you reach the observation tower there are lots of stairs to reach the top. If you have trouble with stairs then this is not the trail for you. The view at the top of the observation tower is amazing and makes all of the stair climbing worth it. From the top of Summit Peak, you can see all of the Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior. On clear sunny days, you can see the Apostle Islands and Isle Royale from the top of Summit Peak. We were able to see the islands on the day we went.

At Summit Peak which is the highest point in the Porcupine Mountains

Have You Been To The Porcupine Mountains?

Have you ever been to the Porcupine Mountains? What are your favorite hiking trails there? Is there anything you would recommend I would do if I go back to the Porcupine Mountains

Looking at the trail map in Porcupine Mountains

Want To Read About The Rest Of My Road Trip?

You can read about the first stop of my trip in Devil’s Lake State Park here. The second stop of my road trip was on Madeline Island and you can read about that here. The last stop of my road trip was in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and I will be posting about that soon.

 

10 Things To Do In Holland, Michigan

Things To Do In Holland

I am excited to tell all of you more about my hometown of Holland, Michigan. Holland is a little beach town in West Michigan.  Holland is best known for beautiful beaches, the tulip time festival, and Hope College. These are 10 of my favorite things to do in Holland.

Go to the Beach

Going to the beach is one of the best things to do in Holland. Holland State Park is probably the most popular beach in Holland. It is right next to the ice cream shops, dune dogs, and the campground. At the Holland State Park beach, there is a pier, ice cream shop, gift shop, and a large picnic and grill area. You can also see Holland’s lighthouse Big Red from the state park beach. Tunnel Park is another very popular beach in Holland. This beach tends to be less busy compared to the state park. Tunnel Park is known for its tunnel through the dunes to get to the beach. There are also stairs to climb up the dunes instead of walking through the tunnel. This beach is great for family events because there is a playground and many covered table areas for picnics. The beaches are open all year so you can visit them even if you come in the winter. Lake Michigan freezes over in the winter so check out the ice formations and walk out onto the lake if you have time during your visit.

Eat Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt

Eating ice cream is one of my favorite things to do in Holland. We have lots of great ice cream shops in Holland. My favorite place to get ice cream in Holland is Captain Sundae. They have over 30 different sundaes to pick from. My favorite thing to get is the chocolate marshmallow sundae. If you don’t want a sundae they also have soft serve ice cream, hard ice cream, and flurries, shakes, malts, floats, and glaciers. Captain Sundae has 3 locations. My favorite location is on the north side of Holland. Another great place to get ice cream is the Ottawa Beach General Store. It is located right next to the Holland State Park so it is great for walking to the beach with your ice cream. The General Store serves over 40 flavors of hard ice cream and has 24 flavors of soft serve. They also have sundaes flurries, shakes, malts, floats and glaciers. The General Store is only open during the summer time.

There are also 2 frozen yogurt shops downtown Holland. Peachwave and Orange Leaf both have great frozen yogurts and lots of toppings. These shops are open all year which makes a great frozen treat during the winter time when the ice cream shops are closed.

Go to Dune Dogs

Dune dogs is one of my favorite places to go in the summer. They have amazing hot dogs made with vienna beef and they also have great ice cream. The best part about Dune Dogs is that is it less than a mile away from the Holland State Park Beach. It is only open in the summer.

Visit The Local Coffee Shops

Lemonjello's is a very well known coffee shop in West Michigan. It is also known as a popular hangout spot for Hope College students. They also serve gluten-free, vegan, and organic products. My two favorite drinks are the mellow latte (caramel and vanilla) and the buzzed latte (honey and vanilla). They also have good seasonal lattes. There is also a new coffee shop in downtown Holland called the 205 coffee bar.  I just recently went to the 205 for the first time a few weeks ago. I got the caramel latte and it was really good. They have a cute flower mural on the outside and in the summertime, they have a huge open window.

Climb Mt. Pisgah

If seeing a great view of both Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa is one ofthen Mt. Pisgah is the place to go. With an outlook point at 157 feet above the lakes it provides a great view. To get to the top there are 239 stairs. If you get tired along the way there are boardwalks and benches to rest at.

Go Shopping On 8th Street

There are a lot of great places to go shopping on 8th street in downtown Holland. There are clothing stores, gift shops, and home decor stores all on 8th street. One of my favorite clothing stores in downtown Holland is Glick's. They have a lot of cute dresses and accessories. I also love the Peanut Store for candy and chocolate.  Another great store is the Bridge that has unique items from around the world. Some of my other favorite stores are Karla’s Place, the Apothecary Gift Shop, and Teermans.

Visit the Trails and Parks

Visiting the local trails and parks is one of the best things to do in Holland if you are wanting to have an outdoor adventure. Riley Trails is a great place to visit if you enjoy walking, running or mountain biking. They have over 300 acres of trails. If you are here in the winter Riley trails also has ungroomed cross-country ski trails. Kollen Park is 24-acre waterfront walkway. This park has a playground, band shell, water fountain, picking tables, grills, and fishing areas. Kollen Park also has 3950 feet of boardwalk along Lake Macatawa. Stu Visser Trails is another nice trail in Holland. It is a short boardwalk over some wetlands. Centennial Park is a beautiful park located near downtown Holland. There is a really pretty gazebo right in the center

Go Blueberry Picking

Blueberry picking is one my favorite things to do in Holland in the summertime. I really enjoy blueberry picking because I think that it is something unique to do in Holland. During the summer at Bowerman Blueberries Farm Market, you can pick your own blueberries. Inside their market they also sell ice cream, pies, pastries, jellies, fruit, and other produce. Bowerman Blueberries is known for their homemade blueberry donuts.

Go the the farmers market

Every Wednesday and Saturday from 8AM to 3PM is the Holland farmers market on 8th street. This a fun place to go if you enjoy shopping and trying the food. You can find produce, baked goods and plants for sale. Sometimes you can also find dairy and meat products. There are also local food trucks at the market if you want to eat lunch while you’re there.  

Play Mini Golf

Captain sundae just opened a new mini golf called Pirates Landing at their north side location.This is a fun place to go while you are enjoying your ice cream. Sundae Sundae Golf Golf is another cute mini golf course in Holland. They also serve ice cream to enjoy while you play. Craig's Cruisers is another place with a great mini golf course. If you are looking for something fun to do they also have go-karts, bumper boats, and an arcade. Lost City also has indoor mini golf, laser tag, and an arcade. This would be a fun place to go on a rainy day.

More information on Holland

Visiting Holland during Tulip Time? Check out my guide to Tulip Time.

Have you ever been to Holland? What are your favorite things to do when visiting Holland? I would love to hear about your experiences.

Planning a visit a Holland? Comment or message me with any questions you have about Holland and I would be happy to answer.

A Local’s Guide To Tulip Time

Visiting Holland During Tulip Time

Tulip Time is a really fun time to visit Holland, Michigan.  It takes place from the 1st to 2nd weekend of May every year. There are so many fun things to do during Tulip Time that I decided that I create a whole post about it. You should also download the Tulip Time app for information about the time and location of all the different activities happening each day.

With a tree in the tulip fields

Tulip Gardens

Veldheer Tulip Gardens has thousands of tulips and hundreds of different types of tulips. While walking through the gardens each type of tulip is marked with a number so you can some if you like them. Outside the garden there is a place to buy tulip bulbs and other souvenirs.

The Wooden Shoe Factory

The wooden shoe factory is also right next to the tulip gardens. At the wooden shoe factory you can buy wooden shoes and other dutch themed souvenirs.

Windmill Island

Another great place to visit is Windmill Island Gardens. At windmill island you can view the tulips, shop, and tour a working windmill. This is a great place to go for a walk and take photos.

Dutch Village

If you are traveling with children a fun place to visit is Neil’s Dutch Village. At the dutch village there are farm animals, small rides, and shops. You can also learn to dutch dance, watch a wooden shoe carving demonstration, and many other things.

A photo of the dutch dancers during Tulip Time

Dutch Dance

If you come during the week of tulip time one thing you must do is watch the dutch dance. Dutch dance is every night at 7 pm around centennial park in downtown Holland. The dance lasts 15 minutes and is performed by local high schools and community members. If you get to centennial park early take time the watch kinderdance at 6:30 pm. This is a 5 minute dutch dance routine and singing done by local elementary school children.

Food

One my favorite things to do during tulip time is eat the food. There is a large variety of food trucks during tulip time and they are spread out all over downtown Holland. My favorite thing to get is deep fried marshmallows.

Carnival

The entire week of tulip time there is also a carnival.  There are rides for children and adults inside the carnival. There are also lots of food trucks and carnival games inside.

In front of the food booths during Tulip Time
A float from the Tulip Time parade

Parades

During the week on tulip time there are 3 parades. These parades are on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The parade on Thursday is known as the kinder-parade since all of the local elementary schools participate is this parade. The Saturday parade is the largest parade and has bands from all over Michigan. Make sure to get to the parade early to avoid traffic and find good parking.

Anytime Activites

Even though I mentioned Dutch Village, Windmill Island, and the tulip gardens as tulip time activities, they can be done any time. From my experience, the best time to visit these places are the week before tulip time. All the tulips are still there but you can avoid the crowds that occur during the week of tulip time.

One of the floats in the Tulip Time parade

Have You Ever Been To Tulip Time?

I would love to hear about you experience at tulip time or your visit to Holland. Comment below with your experiences!

More Information On Holland

For more things to do in Holland check out my post about 10 things to do in Holland here. If you have any questions about Holland, feel free comment or message me. I would be happy to answer any of your questions.