Purple and pink hues
of the sunset create the perfect backdrop for a playful walk along the
Michigan shoreline in Grand Haven. Photo credit: Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Whether
your visit to southwest Michigan brings you to the great lake or the grand
city, or somewhere in between … there’s plenty to explore in this region.
Quiet coastal towns, spectacular beaches and lively cities, this region
will provide a friendly welcome.
Bring the family
One of the nation’s largest children’s gardens is located in Grand
Rapids at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. The kid-friendly
attraction includes a sensory garden, with experiences in sound, smell,
touch and taste, and a “quarry” to search for fossils and stones.
In March and April, the Lena Meijer Conservatory within the gardens is the
focal point for the “Butterflies are Blooming” exhibit, when hundreds
of butterflies are released in the largest temporary butterfly exhibit in
the U.S. (www.meijergardens.org).
The 15,000-square-foot
Lena Meijer Conservatory is the largest glass conservatory in Michigan,
standing five stories high. Photo credit: Grand Rapids/Kent County
Convention & Visitors Bureau
The
Riverfront is all aglow at dusk, making it perfect for an evening
stroll or admiring the view of downtown Grand Rapids. Photo credit: Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors
Bureau
Looking for a “daily departure from the ordinary?” Check out the
Air Zoo in Kalamazoo. Featuring the Midwest’s only 4D theatre, a fleet
of advanced, full-motion flight simulators, indoor amusement park rides
and over 80 rare aircraft. It’s a unique museum for the flight lover
(www.airzoo.org).
Just west of downtown Grand Rapids is the John Ball Zoo. New additions to
the zoo family include a baby howler monkey. Yes, they actually “howl.”
Howler monkeys emit one of the loudest sounds in nature, second only to
the Blue Whale. Want another reason to visit? The John Ball Zoo is the only
zoo in Michigan to have a Komodo Dragon. This endangered species is seven
feet long! (www.johnballzoosociety.org)
Discover the world of cereal at Kellogg’s Cereal City USA™ in
Battle Creek. Named by the Discovery Channel as the second-best factory
tour for kids on the planet (www.kelloggscerealcity.com).
For thrills and splashes, take your family to Michigan’s Adventure
amusement park just north of Muskegon. With over 50 rides and attractions,
including a water park, you’ll enjoy a full day of kid-focused fun!
(www.miadventure.com)
A sporting adventure
Bring your bike to Michigan’s west coast and ride a network of over
100 miles of bicycle paths stretching for 30 miles along Lake Michigan,
from Grand Haven to Holland. Enjoy a hike, bike ride, horseback ride,
or a leisurely stroll on Kal-Haven Trail, a 34-mile trail from South Haven
to Kalamazoo. Travel through small towns, the countryside, beautiful wooded
areas, and pass points of historical interest.
Scores of championship golf courses blanket the area, with the reputation
for excellent, affordable golf for all skill levels.
Some of the best kiteboarding beaches in Michigan are in the St. Joseph
area, including Weko Beach, Grand Mere State Park and Warren Dunes State
Park. Kiteboarding is one of the newest adventure sports involving a combination
of several sport skills, including windsurfing, wakeboarding and kiteflying.
Another sport gaining in popularity is rock climbing. Opportunities to
get “vertical” on Michigan’s west coast include the Higher
Ground Rock Climbing Centre in Grand Rapids (www.higround.com).
Higher Ground offers lessons, equipment rentals and a 23-foot artificial
climbing wall and special “bouldering” room.
For an evening adventure, explore the B.O.B. (Big Old Building) in Grand
Rapids, offering several trendy restaurants, a cigar lounge, microbrewery,
comedy club, billiard hall, live jazz and a wine cellar.
Come back for winter fun
Did you know there’s an actual luge run at the Winter Sports Complex
at Muskegon State Park that serves as an Olympic training site? Participate
in a luge clinic and enjoy the thrill for yourself (beginners only use
the bottom portion of the run). Call 1-877-TRY-LUGE for reservations.
The park also includes a 5-mile, lighted cross-country ski trail (www.msports.org).
From November to March in downtown Grand Rapids, you can ice skate under
and over the stars at Maya Lin’s “Ecliptic” outdoor rink.
Maya Lin is a renowned artist/architect, best known for her Vietnam Veterans
Memorial in Washington, D.C. The rink is inlaid with fiber optic lights
that make up the constellation of the stars. Free skate rentals are available.
Surrounded by beauty
The White River Light Station in White Hall, just north of Muskegon, has
an 1870s lighthouse and maritime museum. Climb the spiral staircase for
a spectacular view of Lake Michigan. Photographs, paintings and artifacts
chronicle Lake Michigan’s rich history of shipping, logging and fishing.
The Grand Haven lighthouses were established in 1839, and connected by
a walkway that links them to the shore and boardwalk. Stroll the two-mile
boardwalk past restaurants, marinas and parks. Grand Haven State Park
beach provides amazing Lake Michigan vistas just a short stroll down the
boardwalk from scenic downtown Grand Haven.
Lake Michigan
is the perfect place for reeling in the catch-of-the-day. Photo credit: Travel Michigan
With
the combination of perfect winds and rolling waves, Lake Michigan
provides an ideal setting for sailboarders of all ages. Photo
credit: Travel Michigan
If
you’re looking for lazy charm in Michigan’s southwest region,
be sure to visit a collection of small towns along Lake Michigan in Berrien
county, known as Harbor Country®. You’ll find unspoiled beaches
and quaint countrysides, antique stores, open-air cafes and art galleries.
Harbor Country has been described as the “Hamptons of the Midwest”
offering visitors from nearby Chicago and Detroit the opportunity to escape
the city and enjoy this friendly, laid-back retreat area (www.harborcountry.org).
Miles
of Lake Michigan beaches abound in Harbor Country, a favorite among visitors
from near and far. Photo credit: Harbor Country® Chamber of Commerce
Unique shopping
Saugatuck is known for its unique shops and over 30 art galleries featuring
jewelry, sculptures and wearable art. Shopping in Grand Haven includes
boutiques, kites and is home to the Michigan Rag Company, designer of
hand-printed resort wear (www.saugatuck.com).
The southwest region’s countryside contains over 10,000 acres of
grapes. Discover the world of wine in your next visit to the area by visiting
the various tasting rooms and vineyards nestled among the rolling hills
and inland lakes (www.miwinetrail.com).
Downtown Holland is home to more than 120 specialty shops, galleries
and restaurants. With a unique snowmelt system under the sidewalks, Downtown
Holland is a year-round haven for shoppers.
Grand Rapids offers a wide selection of malls, as well as eclectic clothing
stores, gift shops and art galleries. Start your shopping excursion in
downtown Grand Rapids and then venture out to the neighborhoods that radiate
from the city’s center.
Fairs, festivals and celebrations
One of North America’s Top 10 events, the Tulip Time Festival in
Holland each May celebrates the blooming of millions of tulips, parades,
costumed dancers, musical shows and Dutch hospitality (www.tuliptime.org).
The largest youth fair in the Midwest is held in Berrien Springs each
August. The Berrien County Youth Fair features family fun, exhibits, rides
and entertainment (www.bcyf.org).
The Muskegon Summer Celebration is an eleven-day festival to be held June
29-July 9, 2006. Come and enjoy one of Michigan’s premier festivals.
Great music, fireworks, art show and craft market, midway thrills, and
fantastic fun for all ages (www.summercelebration.com).
The Venetian Festival, Southwest Michigan’s largest community celebration,
is held each year on the St. Joseph River in the city of St. Joe. Lasting
four days in mid-July, this event offers games for kids, sand sculpture,
craft show, classic car show, 5K and 10K river run, volleyball tournaments,
marathon swim, musical entertainment and much more (www.venetian.org).
If
you’re looking for lazy charm in Michigan’s southwest region,
be sure to visit a collection of small towns along Lake Michigan in Berrien
county, known as Harbor Country®. You’ll find unspoiled beaches
and quaint countrysides, antique stores, open-air cafes and art galleries.
Harbor Country has been described as the “Hamptons of the Midwest”
offering visitors from nearby Chicago and Detroit the opportunity to escape
the city and enjoy this friendly, laid-back retreat area (