Wow what a hidden Gem. Hidden away between Muskegon and Whitehall. You pull into a nice ordinary…read morepark. Then there is a nice boardwalk path that leads to a beach area along side a Duck Lake. A very nice view in itself. Then the boardwalk travels on, then goes under a bridge and next to a sand dune, then Bam! The lake and path funnel into Lake Michigan and the path onto an amazing beach. I had no idea this beautiful public beach was here. The views are outstanding and the sand is pristine. We took the dog, yes on a leash, for a walk of the beach and had a great time. Overall an easy 5 star review. Would I return? Absolutely! A must stop.

This looks to be an awesome and somewhat hidden state park nestled between Lake Michigan and the…read morenorthern shore of Duck Lake. Nice trails with a long paved pathway from the lake front to deep in the woods for wheelchair users. By the bridge and outlet of Duck Lake, this place reminded me of Big Sur California but on a smaller scale. The sunset here was stunning but that's Lake Michigan for you!

My husband, my parents and myself have been planning a trip to Mears Michigan so we could visit the…read moredunes at Silver Lake State Park for over a year. We had been looking forward to seeing all the park has to offer for so long and the views alone exceeded our expectations beyond measure. Do keep in mind that the sand can get extremely hot so come prepared to create a barrier between your feel and the sand. If you are a fan of visiting state parks, Silver Lake is a must stop. I am so grateful I was able to visit.

Unique experience!…read more If you love off-road riding this is a place you have to give a try. There are rules and permits needed if you bring your own vehicle to ride. We rented so we were able to have that setup and ready for us when we arrived. The dunes are easy to navigate once you are out there. Review the map ahead of time so you are aware of the one way sections. Check out the pictures!

This beach is right around the corner from our home and it is such a great hidden gem. There are…read morerarely people there and there is never a crowd. It is truly a slice of paradise. Fresh water and soft sand. It is the perfect spot to watch a sunset too! There is very limited parking, it is free, but no bathrooms or any other amenities. It is just the beach, and sometimes that's just all we need!

What a beautiful white beach touching Lake Michigan. I highly recommend visiting this beach if you…read morehappen to be in the area. This is literally nature at its best. The sand was clean and warm in between our toes. The water was clear and felt cool as the waves rushed to the shore and onto our feet. We had a leisurely stroll along the beach, just soaking up the nature goodness as it rejuvenated our spirit and soul and reminded us how small we all were compared to nature or to the universe. It was a truly relaxing experience. We also had fun looking for and finding zebra mussel shells and good skipping stones. The shells had gorgeous stripes on them. It was an awesome experience.

This small county Park is a hidden gem. Clean quiet and inviting. Many of the sites have cement…read morepads and all are full hookup. Sites are grass not sand or stones. As this is a county Park you will need to obtain a daily pass or an annual pass. If you are looking for a place to disconnect from you devices - this is it. Cell service is for the most part non-existent. There is wifi, however, as will all. The more users the less band width available. Does not deter us from coming. The beach is a short walk down the street. Beautiful location for sunset viewing.

Very quiet beach - an unknown gem to locals! I hadn't been here in 10 years and was shocked to see…read morea lot of the beach had been overtaken by the tide and that the greenery has not been maintained in probably ten years as it is now covered in tall grass. Nonetheless, great beach, just don't tell anyone else about it! ;)

Pere Marquette offers exceptional access to beautiful Lake Michigan, one the world's natural…read moretreasures. There is ample paid parking. Weekend day rates are $15. There is a snack stand, offering ice cream, nachos, and other treats, as well as beach equipment rentals. The sand is soft and visitors will enjoy spreading out on the expansive beach. The water is clear and features a sandy bottom. Just north of the snack stand is The Deck, the preeminent dining establishment in this area of Muskegon. The establishment features al fresco dining and stunning views of Lake Michigan. There are swings and other fun view points. If you're in Mitten, Pere Marquette is worth the drive. You simply cannot beat Lake Michigan's splendor.

August came along and Nate and I still hadn't been to the lakeshore, so we hopped in the car and…read moredrove to Pere Marquette Park beach on a cloudy Sunday recently. The beach was completely empty when we arrived around 11 am and stayed pretty quiet the whole time. Parking at the beach is $20, which I thought was incredibly expensive, but it's good for the whole day. I'm used to parking for free at state parks since I have a recreation pass. It was a bit windy, but not chilly - although the water was freezing. I personally enjoy an overcast day at the beach, so we packed a picnic and some chairs and just sat and read for a bit. The beach is large, with lots of room to spread out. There's a nice smaller playground, a snack bar with ice cream and hot food, a little store for beach essentials like sunscreen, and super clean bathrooms. The restroom I used was a huge, single stall room with a bench- really nice for changing and probably great if you have little kids. I was impressed by how clean the bathroom was. We walked to the pier and checked out the lighthouse, which was a nice little walk. The Deck is right on the beach and is a great spot for live music, drinks, and food. I'd be curious to see this beach in the peak season - I'm sure it probably gets pretty busy.

We went here for a swim with a large group and had a blast. My youngest was a little nervous about…read morethe bigger waves and she and I were able to go closer to the pier where they weren't as large while still being close enough to the group playing in the big waves to be included. The water was clear and clean with a great little centrally located shop serving ice cream, and beach necessities right next to the bathrooms.

Charles Mears State Park is a park along Lake Michigan in Pentwater. Donated by the daughter of a…read morelumber baron in the early 20th century, it's now a popular camping site perfect for RVs and even tent campers. Here's why to go: 1) Price: Most people have annual passes for $30 or so making it pretty affordable. (It's $9 a day for out-of-state cars to park,) Our camo site was $40 a night and it fit our two tents for four adults and three kids. 2) Space: With all the RVs everywhere it does get crowded, but each camping space is spacious and we didn't feel on top of others. 3) Amenities: The bathrooms were near our site with individual showers. Unlike other camp grounds, the bathrooms are kept very clean. They never smelled and were never dirty. Kudos to the cleaning team for keeping them spotless despite a full camp site. Each camp site comes with a fire pit. 4) Beach: It's a short walk from the camp site with several playgrounds for kids and dunes with benches and places to hang up a hammock. On the beach is a shop with food, fire wood ($6 per fire wood pile) and ice cream. 5) Location: It's a very short walk to the main street of Pentwater with a mini golf course, shops and even coffee shops!

So, the beach and the views from the boardwalk are beautiful. Love the sea grass everywhere and how…read morehigh the dunes are. We went on a cloudy day and I can't wait to return on a sunny day to view the lake. I realize this is a dog beach and as much as I love dogs, the place reeks of dog urine and in some spots, poop. Some poor dog left a trail of diarrhea on the boardwalk (ew), so that was fun trying to avoid. I can just imagine that some of it gets in the water.... I would just come to this beach for the views and not so much swimming/water play.

The best dog friendly beach! It is 100% a dog beach - no time restrictions like other beaches claim…read morewhen they say dog friendly. Everyone had a dog or two and there was plenty of space for everyone to spread out and dogs to enjoy themselves. Parking is paid but was very open that finding a spot was easy. The worst park is climbing the dune to leave but oh well. They also have doggy waste bags and stations, truly announcing it's dog friendliness. We definitely have a new favorite spot!

Is parking to the beach suggest you get there early. Two pavilions with food and restrooms. They…read morehave handicap accessible mats all the way down from parking lot to the water. There is a pier to walk and a good 1/2 mile of sandy beach to walk. Have not seen any sharks and there is zero salt in the water. Win win for today!

We had a lot of fun at Stearns Park Beach. This was the closest beach to our hotel, so it was the…read morefirst beach we visited in Ludington. It was perfect for us. The sand on the beach is super clean, the waves were abundant but not overwhelming, there's a concession stand just steps from the parking lot, the parking lot has lots of parking spaces, and there's a playground and mini golf course not far away. This is pretty much the perfect place to stay and play and enjoy the beach in Ludington. The concession stand sells ice cream and other treats, but you can also rent boogie boards during the summer season, and purchase things like shovels and tools to build sandcastles. This is important, because the sand at this beach is very good for building sand castles. A short walk away is the pier where you can see the SS Badger depart and arrive each day. Stearns Park Beach has a lot of stuff going on! If you're looking for a laid-back place to enjoy the Lake Michigan beach and enjoy the town of Ludington, then this is the place.

Love this area! Just north of Ludington with way less traffic and completely different adventures!…read moreYou can walk in and camp basically right on the beach here, which is absolutely dreamy and there are just such wonderful hiking trails throughout that offer you challenges and just the most gorgeous sights as well! This spot definitely isn't for everyone and there won't be any "easy" hikes. Nordhouse Dunes makes you work for it, but the payoff is immense and completely worth it! Uninterrupted access to Lake Michigan and stunning vibes - what more could you ask for?! Love Nordhouse Dunes!!

It's crowded but the hike is nice. We were there the first week of September and I was surprised to…read moresee the campground full of campers. I got some great shots with my cannon and my kids enjoyed the hike...it was longer than we thought it would be!

Nice Park - easy to get to, good amount of parking, nice pavilion, the sand was nice, fountains to…read morewash your feet, good amount of space on the sand. First time here - The bugs today were outrageous. These little flies were unbearable and therefore didn't stay long.

This beach is operated by Ottawa County. During the summer months, you are required to pay to…read morepark. They probably have room for 100 cars. You can get an annual tag from the county. A Michigan state park tag will not work. Weekends the lot can fill up. In that case you can park for free less than a mile down the road at Coast Guard Park, or even Fire Barn Park for that matter. If you're going to do that, drop off your family and friends along with your beach supplies at the entrance. That way only one of you have to walk back and forth. They have a nice wide asphalt path. Good excersise plus you saved about $8. Park no longer allows dogs, no alcohol either. They have a nice pavillion that sometimes get reserved in the summer. There are grills and picnic tables too, but not many. There are outdoor showers and feet washing stations and a convenient bathroom. But last time I was here, the beach has been extended way out. So if you are on the water with you blanket and umbrella, it is quite a hike to the johns. This is a good family beach too with the playground. Downside to some may be there are no touristy shops that you can walk to like Grand Haven SP. But to me, that is blessing. Not a whole lot of teenagers come here and never been any fights break out like they have at GH. I hope this beach stays how it is and the county doesn't try to commercialize it.