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!

My friends and I were supposed to go to a music festival out of the state last fall but of course…read moreplans changed, so we decided to book a camping weekend at Orchard Beach State Park instead. Located in Manistee, there is plenty to do nearby but unfortunately the weather was pretty rainy for most of the weekend we were there. The access to the beach was closed due to erosion but there are other beaches available. Checking in was easy and there is onsite ice and firewood for sale. The host site was awesome with lots of books for use and a whiteboard with local info. Our site had water and electric hookup, so we were tucked in amongst several RVs and motor homes. The campground was very quiet, which was nice! The restroom facilities were clean and functional, although one had a small set of stairs leading into the actual bathroom area which made it not so accessible. We were on spot 95, which is right near the highway. We knew this going in and could see from the photos that it didn't look that close. Well, it was pretty close, and very loud with road noise. This wasn't a big deal for us but if noise bothers you I'd skip this part of the campground. Another thing to note is that some of the sites hold water when it's been raining, so maybe not the best for tent camping. Our site seemed ok but it was mostly dirt so it did get a little muddy. Nothing too terrible, though. Overall we enjoyed our stay but this definitely wasn't my favorite of the state parks we've visited or camped at. There is a nice lookout point over the lake that made for some nice photos, and getting into town was easy.

Small compared to other state parks across Michigan, but a stunning state park nonetheless located…read moreon bluffs above Lake Michigan! The campground is wonderful and we really loved that it was one that was more underrated and less trafficked. We had a prime camping spot with an uninterrupted view of the lake and even though the weather we had during this weekend wasn't the best, we made do with cozy time in the tent, did a hike through the state park that was lovely and well maintained, and explored the nearby downtown of Manistee, of which Orchard Beach State Park is located just 5-10 minutes north! A wonderful weekend and state park in my books!

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 beach. Beautiful and usually uncrowded, also a popular spot to swim and sunbath naked…read more Just cross the creek and look for a remote spot and don't be surprised if you see others relaxing in the nude.

The best secluded beach out there! This was such a refreshing place to go after walking around…read moredowntown Traverse City and seeing SO many people. Great place to go to relax during these times. There is lots of free parking here and a short walk to a beautiful beach. Amazing views, lots of room to spread out, and super soft sand for your feet. Bring some snacks because you will want to stay awhile!

Amazing waterfront and it is free to public. Long stretch of soft sand and clear water…read more The piers near the beach is popular for fisherman. It was too cold to swim when I got here but it was still nice to laydown and watch a Chinook helicopter circling around the lighthouse.

Great beach! You can walk out to the lighthouse beside it and it's next to a channel. You can see…read morethe cost guard boats later in the day sometimes. Very few people when I went

It's a beautiful place to visit, but just be very careful if there are high winds, waves or storms…read morecoming in. This USCG rescue happened Tuesday September 7, 2021: A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued two fishermen who were stranded on the Frankfort Pier in Lake Michigan overnight. UpNorthLive.com reports the two men went out on the pier to go fishing on Tuesday night, but strong wind gusts and high waves rolled in, making it too dangerous to leave the pier. They ended up staying overnight hoping conditions would calm down, but eventually called the Benzie County Sheriff's Office for help. https://www.mlive.com/news/2021/09/fishermen-rescued-by-uscg-helicopter-after-spending-night-stranded-on-lake-michigan-pier.html

One of my all-time favorite spots to pier-jump because one side of the pier is super protected from…read morethe wind and waves, it's plenty deep, you have lots of company, everybody cheers the rest of the group on and so many et ceteras. It doesn't hurt that every time I pier-dive there people are totally wowed by my back dive, even though it really isn't that snazzy a trick (I saw a guy do a gainer flip off there this week -- now THAT'S brave). On our recent visit, the water was Caribbean clear on the calm side of the pier, and we had the best time watching the fish and oohing and aahing at the beautifully rippled sand beneath us. This is also a stellar spot to watch the sunset, to lie down on at night and watch the stars, and it's adjacent to the most awesome beach in Michigan (although glass is prohibited, alcohol isn't, and they even have a dog-run area where pooches can play off-leash). It's all a big bunch of "la" (my favorite joy-word), if you ask me!

A very nice beach that feels like it's the heart of Frankfort. The views are spectacular ,…read moreespecially when storming or . The sand is pristine and one of my favorite things is the plethora of benches. Normally your lucky for 4 or 5. It feels like there's 80+ here. Watching the large waves crash into the pier creating giant splashes is an awesome sight. The lighthouse at the end of the pier is very nice, nothing spectacular, but a classic none the less. There always seems to be people surfing and sailboarding. Plus people playing with kites. Overall an easy 5 star review! Would I return? You betcha!

Beautiful, clean beach and the most stunning water I've seen in a long time. Parking is a bit…read morelimited, but we got there before noon, so wasn't a problem on a weekday. Uncrowded, family-friendly and a beautiful pier with a graffitied lighthouse to walk out to. Very cool. One of the prettiest beaches I've been to in the U.S.

I got to see my first redwood/sequoia trees here. I am so grateful I was able to experience the…read moretrees here and learn about how they thrive here despite usually growing well in California. They have proven to do well in the extremely diverse weather changes that Michigan can bring. If I could come back here every week I would because it just made me so happy. Science was always hard for me, but the unit in high school where we learned about nothing but trees for a month was the only one I enjoyed. Definitely come here if nature, or specifically trees, is your thing

What a special place !! Besides having the most scenic and peaceful beach, they also have a…read morefabulous arboretum. We met the properties manager, what a great guy, he gave us the history and took time to talk to us. We just loved this piece of heaven !!

Google labels Sleeping Bear Dunes a "mountain peak" - LOL. But it is a pretty cool…read morenaturally-occurring pile of sand (and every form of life that is adapted to it). We hiked Cottonwood Trail, but *might* have strayed off it a bit in order to see Lake Michigan. It is great to know that this area is protected.

My only kind that I have about this place was that parking was really expensive! Overall, if you're…read moreinto scenic views, challenging walks, even going to the beach too or are just a avid adventurer this is the place for you. Me and my wife basically did the Dune Climb which was very extraordinary which I reviewed on a separate page. This place was very well maintained with very minimal trash. The dunes were very scenic and even the people were very friendly too. I have never seen water looks so clean and beautiful before. Getting into the beach can be a bit painful with all those rocks just stabbing your feet. I absolutely had an incredible time here regardless. I highly recommend checking this place out if you ever have to chance!

This little off-the-beaten-path nature preserve came across my radar thanks to AllTrails app. We…read morewere heading back down south to wrap up our vacation and decided to check this short 2-mile trail out after leaving Sleeping Bear. I'll say that this was one of my favorite trails we hiked (and yes, that includes the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore). It was very, very clean, had beach access, and literally no one was anywhere in sight (aside from a few hikersby), it's a relatively simple trail. Has great views, both at ocean level and also above to give you different perspectives. One of my fave hikes in the area and I would highly, highly recommend checking it out. Use AllTrails app for more hike-related details!