Overview
The Lake Michigan Beachtowns are a string of small- to medium-sized cities along the shoreline in West Michigan. They feature several harbors for lake-going boats and countless miles of sandy beaches on the freshwater inland sea of Lake Michigan.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 83°F; winter lows dip to about 19°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Apr and May. (climate data from nearby Grand Rapids)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MKG Muskegon County Airport, Muskegon — 11 mi away. Directions
- GRR Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Grand Rapids — 36 mi away (major hub). Directions
Sample 3-day trip
- Day 1: Saugatuck — The 1866 Old School House, Saugatuck-Douglas Museum, Saugatuck Dunes State Park.
- Day 2: Muskegon — The Muskegon Museum of Art, USS Silversides Museum, USS LST 393 Veterans Museum.
- Day 3: Holland — Windmill Island, Holland Museum and Dutch Galleries, Veldheer Tulip Gardens.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Places in Lake Michigan Beachtowns
Saugatuck
City / town · 83 listings
Muskegon
City / town · 34 listings
Holland
City / town · 24 listings
South Haven
City / town · 24 listings
Manistee
City / town · 21 listings
Pentwater
City / town · 18 listings
Ludington
City / town · 15 listings
Grand Haven
City / town · 14 listings
Benton Harbor-Saint Joseph
City / town · 9 listings
Cities
From south to north, the most noteworthy cities and towns are:
- Harbor Country - a group of villages in the southwest corner of the state
- Benton Harbor and Saint Joseph
- South Haven — A lakeside town along Lake Michigan, perfect for those looking for beaches, fresh seafood, and water activities.
- Saugatuck-Douglas
- Holland
- Grand Haven
- Muskegon
- Pentwater
- Ludington
- Manistee
Other destinations
- Manistee National Forest
Go next
- Harbor Country is a small region at the southern end of the Beachtowns region
- The Leelanau Peninsula is up the coast to the north.
- Grand Rapids is half an hour or so inland from Holland or Grand Haven.
Nearby
Wyoming
City / town · 7 listings · 27 mi away
Sparta
City / town · 28 mi away
Grand Rapids
City / town · 67 listings · 29 mi away
Ada
City / town · 8 listings · 37 mi away
Allegan
City / town · 14 listings · 38 mi away
Lowell
City / town · 7 listings · 45 mi away
Coloma
City / town · 6 listings · 58 mi away
Kalamazoo
City / town · 93 listings · 59 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.