Outdoor Activities

Michigan has over 3,200 miles of shoreline - and the west side of Michigan is a particularly excellent area for beach activities. The beaches will close down and swimming will not be allow on days when the weather is dangerous or if water conditions are not safe for swimmers. It is important to be a strong swimmer when visiting the Great Lakes, as currents and waves can resemble the ocean and require a good level of experience to swim through. Check out the Michigan Handbook on Great Lakes Safety here.

Be sure to check out the Interactive Travel Map of Michigan when planning visits to beaches and parks, for a full list of destinations - it is a great guide.

*Please note: most beaches on the Great Lakes do NOT have lifeguards on duty

Swimming & Beaches

Grand Haven

Grand Haven City Beach
South Harbor Drive
Grand Haven, MI 49417
Phone: (616) 842-3210
Sandy swimming beach located on Lake Michigan. Limited free parking is available. No fees or passes required. Leashed dogs are allowed on the very South end of the City Beach

Grand Haven State Park
1001 S. Harbor Drive
Grand Haven, MI 49417
Phone: (616) 847-1309
Michigan's #1 State Park. Views of Lake Michigan and the Grand Haven pier and lighthouse.

Kirk Park
Lakeshore Ave., South of M-45
Grand Haven, MI 49460
Phone: (616) 738-4810
Ottawa County provides NO lifeguards at parks with swimming facilities

Rosy Mound Natural Area
Lakeshore Ave., South of Rosy Mound Dr.
Grand Haven, MI 49417
Phone: (616) 738-4810
This beach requires a bit of a hike(.7mile) but it is worth it for the privacy the beach offers. You can avoid the crowds by going to this beach.

Holland

Holland State Park
2215 Ottawa Beach Rd , Holland, MI 49424
Phone: (616) 399-9390

Tunnel Park
66 Lakeshore Drive, Holland, MI 49424
Phone: (616) 738-4810

Muskegon

PJ Hoffmaster State Park
6585 Lake Harbor Rd.
Muskegon, MI 49441
Phone: 231-798-3711
P. J. Hoffmaster State Park features over three miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. Hiking trails available

Duck Lake State Park
3560 Memorial Drive     
North Muskegon, MI 49445     
Phone Number: (231) 744-3480

Pere Marquette Park
Beach Street, Muskegon, Michigan 49441
Beach Street and Lakeshore Drive (Bluffton)

Saugatuck

Oval Beach 
Perryman St. and Oval Dr.
Saugatuck, MI 49453
Phone: (269) 857-1701
Ranked one of America's top five beaches by MTV and one of the top two in the USA by National Geographic Traveler magazine.

Saugatuck Dunes State Park
65th and 138th Ave
Phone: (269) 637-2788
A great park for bird watching and hiking.

Hiking

While several of the beaches & parks listed include trails, Grand Rapids also has a few inland trails nearby that you can walk:

Kent County Trails
This website includes info and trail maps

GVSU Ravines Trail Map (pdf)
 

Skiing/Snow Boarding

Cannonsburg Ski Area

6800 Cannonsburg Rd NE 
Belmont, Michigan 49306 
(616) 874-6711

Check out more info on snow sports in the area here.

Skating

Rosa Parks Circle
155 Monroe Ave NW 
Grand Rapids, MI 49503 
(616) 456-3699
Outdoor ice skating is offered from approximately the first week in December to the first week in March.

Walker Ice & Fitness Center
4151 Remembrance Rd NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
(616) 735-6286

Georgetown Ice Arena (very close to Allendale campus)
8500 48th Ave
Hudsonville, MI 49426
(616) 662-2800

Gardens

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
1000 East Beltline Ave NE
Grand Rapids Charter Township, MI 49525
(616) 957-1580
Beautiful garden. You can spend several hours here. Concerts are held in the summer. In March/April they hatch hundreds of butterflies inside to welcome spring.

Amusement Park

Michigan Adventure
4750 Whitehall Rd Muskegon, MI 49445 
(231)-766-3377 
Michigan's largest amusement & water park. Located in Muskegon. Good for a day outdoors in the water and on the roller coasters.

For more information on Amusement Parks in Michigan, click here.



Page last modified May 1, 2023