West coast of Michigan, anyone?
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URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4983
Printed Date: May-28-2024 at 8:02pm
Topic: West coast of Michigan, anyone?
Posted By: 65 'cuda
Subject: West coast of Michigan, anyone?
Date Posted: October-12-2006 at 8:39pm
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I'm looking for a vacation spot next year and the west coast of Michigan looks like a great area. I would like to find a place to walk to the beach and have a nearby inland lake to play in the boat.
Is anyone familiar with the Silver Lake, Montague, Muskegon, or Grand Haven areas? Looking for feedback on things to do, maybe a cottage to rent. We have two young kids 4 and 6 next summer. We vacationed at Lake Nantahala in western NC this year and the lake was awesome, but there was little to do in the area. (Meaning, not much shopping for the wives to do). Thanks, Gary ------------- Gary http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=941" rel="nofollow - 1965 Barracuda SS |
Replies:
Posted By: quinner
Date Posted: October-12-2006 at 10:58pm
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Gary,
IMO Michigan has some of the best lakes around. If you don't mind traveling a bit farther north I would highly recommend Glen Lake in Glen Arbor. Very large extremely clean lake with a slalom course. Glen is about a mile inland from Lake Michigan, bordered by a national park, tons to do in the area and Glen Arbor is a really cool little town with lot's of shops and so forth for the girls. On the water there is a resort, a couple hotels and many cottages available for rent. Chris |
Posted By: woodboy
Date Posted: October-13-2006 at 12:20am
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Gary
Silver lake has cool sand dunes that border lake Michigan. They take folks for rides on a chop top suburban with a blown motor and paddle tires maybe too much for the kids but way cool nun the less. Not sure of places to rent sorry Rob ------------- Lake Livin' Rocks |
Posted By: 87BFN owner
Date Posted: October-13-2006 at 12:39am
Posted By: joelhern2
Date Posted: October-13-2006 at 1:07pm
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My in-laws live in St. Joseph, MI and it is beautiful there in the summer. St. Joseph is mostly made up of wealthy Chicago residents who have their Summer homes on the lake...great restaraunts, bars, etc. Lake Michigan is right there and they have great beaches in St. Jospeh too. Best of all, the river (St. Joseph River?) which leads out into Lake Michigan is always flat as a pancake.
We like to hit the river in the morning and late afternoon...but anchor the boat near "Silver Beach" for the day. Definitely check it out. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1479&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - '91 Barefoot Nautique |
Posted By: rleinen79
Date Posted: October-13-2006 at 1:14pm
We're 45 minutes souteast of St Joseph....that is the "St Joe River" and it's always flat. Plenty of cottages there to rent. Rob ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=7744" rel="nofollow - 2006 Ski 206 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1123" rel="nofollow - 97 SNOB |
joelhern2 wrote:
Posted By: quinner
Date Posted: October-13-2006 at 1:38pm
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Used to Ski the St Joe quite a bit many years ago, that is the only river I have ever been on that flows north. If Lake Michigan was calm we would ski north of where the river enters the lake, just be careful on that river south of I94, can get a bit hazardous.
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Posted By: Hansel
Date Posted: October-13-2006 at 2:57pm
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I would also consider Saugatuck and Holland, and probably forget about Silver Lake.
Saugatuck is a nice little resort community on the Kalamazoo River right before it dumps into Lake MI. It has excellent shopping and lots of great bars/restaurants. It too is a destination for Chicagoans. Holland is just a few miles north and basically the same story, but a little bigger, and it is on Lake Macatawa instead of a river. I am sure that you could find places to rent, and if you were looking holland I would consider Macatawa, which is on the south side of the lake. Much less busy, beatiful old cottages, and an excellent marina nearby (Eldean). I have been to Silver a couple times, but don't have a lot of experience there. I get the impression that it is overrated and overcrowded IMHO. And if you really wanna go north, I am sure Glen Arbor would be great. There are some really beatiful lakes up there such as Crystal and Torch. I knew a guy that used to work here ( http://www.whitebirchlodge.org/ - White Birch Lodge ) which I believe is on Torch Lake. Even though they use MCs it might be worth checking out. |
Posted By: The Dude
Date Posted: October-13-2006 at 5:22pm
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South Haven is a lot like St Joe, but smaller and safer.
St Joe has a really cool park and ampitheather that often hosts summer concerts. The beaches are cool. But if it's flat on the big lake you can get up the coast a mile or two and have your own private beach! ------------- Mullet Free since 93 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=717&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - 95 Sport |
Posted By: 65 'cuda
Date Posted: October-13-2006 at 5:36pm
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Thanks for all the replies, I'll search for more info on St Joe. ------------- Gary http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=941" rel="nofollow - 1965 Barracuda SS |
Posted By: 81nautique
Date Posted: October-14-2006 at 8:22am
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65,
We spent a long weekend at Silver Lake this summer. Too small and boats everywhere, tubing is your only option other that at 6am or as the sun goes down. The east side of the lake is very shallow for about 75 yards out, If you beach at the dunes on the west side the water depth is too much for the little ones as it's over your head at the swim platform. We make sure everyone is wearing a life vest because you can't keep an eye on all of them. As a family, there is a lot to do there, rent a jeep and climb the dunes, Mac dune rides, All kinds of kiddie stuff like min golf, go carts , arcades. We're growing out of it now buts it's still a fun place. Good camping too and several hotels. ------------- You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails |