First trip to Michigan Coast
 

My husband and I an East Coast transplants living in Chicago. We've grown up spending time on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Watch Hill, Rhode Island and we are craving some small-town beach time this summer.

We've heard that the Michigan coast is perfect for this, but we're confused by all of the options out there. We like charming small towns where we can go for long walks, and enjoy lounging and swimming on the beach and have great meals at night. We aren't into the junky souvenir shops or fried-food dives that so many beach towns have. We'd like to find someplace that's an easy drive from Chicago -- maybe 3 or 4 hours.

So, with all of this, where should we go?

Try Harbor Country (New Buffalo, Lakeside, Union Pier) only about an hour/hour and a half away, or South Haven. None are cheesy beach towns, South Haven is bigger than the others.

Further north, and all fit your requirements are Traverse City, Charlevoix, Petoskey and Harbor Springs. Traverse City features beautiful Sleeping Bear Dunes. The area has orchards and the best summer weather in the country. Better decide soon as autumn arrives early on the North Coast.

Please consider Saugatuck/Douglas. These are two separate towns but often mentioned together because they so very close to one another. See www.saugatuck.com for details.

Much more dining options than many of the smaller towns listed above - however, you pass right through them to get there. Saugatuck also has one of the highest rated beaches in the nation - Oval Beach.

If you wanted to go a little inland, I like taking a trip to Fennville, which is about 10 miles from the two. Particular note for Crane's Pie Pantry for a bucolic meal (see cranespiepantry.com for info) and Fenn Valley Vineyards (www.fennvalley.com).

BTW, Saugatuck is known for being a haven for artists primarily because of Ox-bow, which is associated with the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. It's a little too late in the season now, but if you wished, you could go there for a 1 or 2 week session for painting, sculpture, glassblowing, etc. Here's the website for more details in case you (or anyone) is interested: www.ox-bow.org.

Also look at Door County, WI. even though its a longer drive.
We used to go over to Michicagn's Harbor Country from downtown Chicago on Sundays for a beach escape and nice lunch.

This is great -- thank you all.

Saugatuck sounds particularly intriguing.

If you go to Saugatuck/Douglas, Everyday People Cafe in Douglas is well worth the visit (no reservations).

I'm an East Coaster and I loooove the Lake Michigan shore! South Haven is a great little town with lovely beaches and a pier. It feels very New England-y to me. We stopped in Saugatuck for lunch and I liked it there, too.

If you have a little more time I'd recommend visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes. The dunes are just gorgeous, as is the Caribbean-blue water of the lake.

After I read the above reply, I thought I had better (again) mention the issue with swimming in Lake Michigan, especially since the OP specifically mentions swimming in the Lake.

Here's the recent thread:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...tjoseph-mi.cfm

As you can see, there was another fatality at one of the South Haven beaches just recently. The Chicago suburban man who died was trying to save some young children from drowning and he himself lost his life. Those who attempted to save him and retrieved the others from the lake almost didn't make it as well. The beach where this happened did not have life guards.

Please do not swim at any beaches which don't have lifeguards on duty. Just as in the oceans, Lake Michigan has extremely strong rip currents, etc.

Wowie, that's disturbing news, exiledprincess. We're going to South Haven on Saturday. Dang, I *love* swimming in the waves. Now I'm really nervous. Thanks for the heads up.

SZ - I don't know the case of the recent drowning, but I believe nearly all of the drownings have occurred when people went into the water under red flag conditions. Red flags mean STAY OUT OF THE WATER. I don't know why people can't figure that out. Anyway, green flags and yellow flags allow swimming.

A three year old just drowned at a waterpark in Ohio surrounded by life guards. Sadly, tragedy can strike any time, anywhere.

kelliebellie, yellow flags mean to exercise CAUTION. Not that it's just OK to jump in.

The conditions in Lake Michigan can change very quickly, sometimes in a matter of *minutes*.

In addition, there are dangers such as "inshore holes" and trenches caused by erosion. And Lake Michigan has a *lot* of erosion - just ask any of those homeowners along the lakeshore there.

Listen, some people may think that I am super cautious about this matter - but if it saves even just one life...I hope that others feel the same way.

SZ, South Haven's website indicates that North Beach does have lifeguards - but they may be only for limited hours. Why not give them a call to confirm?

I'm sorry I don't agree with you Princess, but I grew up swimming in Lake Michigan. I know you feel strongly about this, but I firmly believe you are unnecessarily scaring people. I don't think you are giving people the correct information. It wasn't a lack of life guards that killed those people. It was there ignoring warning signs and swimming when they weren't supposed to that killed them.

Death is about the odds. Dying while swimming during a green or yellow flag (which does yes mean take caution) has to have the same odds as getting attacked by a shark in the ocean or getting hit on the head by a coconut in the tropics or skiing, snowmobiling, etc., etc. And those odds can't even begin to approach the odds of dying in the car on the way to the beach.

Maybe you would want to drive up the coast and stay in more than one place. South Haven, Saugatuck (we love Saugatuck)Traverse City including Old Mission Peninsula http://www.wineriesofoldmission.com/ (this was also a favorite of ours)If you have time keep driving to Mackinac Island for a day!

If you want to go up the other side, Door County is great! Fish Creek, http://www.doorcounty.com/plan/commu...ish-creek.aspx or Egg Harbor were our favorites. You have so many choices! You will love whatever you chose.

Thanks everyone for your advice. We've booked the Old Harbor Inn in South Haven. We're lookig forward to it!

kelliebellie, I gave these nice people information which is posted on all of the authorities' and municipalities' websites. And it is posted at each of the beaches as well. Please just read them. Here's the one for the US government about Lake Michigan (under Safety Tips):
http://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/swimming.htm

If that isn't enough here is an article on that recent drowning. Take a look at the South Haven police sargeant's comments: www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=311060

As I mentioned on the first thread and as you yourself know, not all of these drownings were when there were choppy, rough waters.

I am not telling people to stop swimming in Lake Michigan altogether - but I am urging them to take precautions.

You might also want to read all the reader comments on that Daily Herald article.

On a happier note, I'm glad to report that Fenn Valley mentioned above just won several awards, including the Best of Class for dessert wine, at the Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition in East Lansing. www.michiganwines.com

One of the nicer things to do in this area of Michigan is the opportunity to sample the wines of the region.

I'm happy to report that my extended family of 12 had a safe, happy trip to South Haven last week. We were all cautious about rip currents and high waves, and we never had any trouble.