Absolute MUST stop if you have pups and are in the area. This was arguably the highlight of our…read moretrip. Brought our two teens, our 5mo puppy and our 7yo senior dog. Our senior one is not very energetic and was never much of a retriever. WELL, he LOVED retrieving the ball & competing with the pup. BEST PART: they both learned how to swim here!!! Oh how I wish we had something like this near our home!

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.

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!

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!

I stopped in here for half a day to do some hiking and get my nature fix before moving on to my…read morenext road trip destination. The road to the entrance is full of sand dunes and beaches on Lake Michigan before turning into a wooded area at the actual park. We got to see a Bald Eagle perched upon a tree as we entered the park. The park has several RV camp sites that to me looked to be right on top of each other. They pack them in like sardines but I think that is the norm at these type of places these days. Not sure what the cost is to camp but for non-residents to come in for a day pass it was 11.00 per day. We decided to do the Lost Lake trail which is a loop across a couple islands on Hamlin Lake (yes there are bridges, you don't need to bring your snorkel). The hike was relatively void of people only passing a few along the way. I did see a hand full of people kayaking on the lake and a few more kayaks parked on the bank near the campground. The hike is 2.1 miles long and relatively flat the whole way. I wanted to do the lighthouse trail as well but there wasn't enough time. Great place to get your nature fix via kayak or foot. Not sure I would want to camp here on a weekend though unless you want Billy Bob and Mary Sue's 7 rugrats running around your site screaming.

My bestie and I spent 2 days here camping in her Winnebago. Each site is very scenic and spacious,…read morewith beautiful forest surrounding you. The amenities are wonderful. Bathrooms and showers are spacious and clean. Staff is courteous and very helpful, as well.

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.

Very clean and quiet campground, mostly travel trailers and seniors . Our grandchildren had the…read moreplay area and beech almost to themselves ! Quit time is enforced as well as low speed limit . No hot dog teens racing around. Joy

We really love this campground! The Pentwater/Ludington area is probably our favorite area to camp…read more We have friends who have a seasonal site here so we decided to try it this year. We have always camped at Mears State Park...after camping at Whispering Surf this will be our first choice! First off the owners Jane and Andy and great! They are super nice, knowledgeable and want you to enjoy your stay while being respectful of other campers and their property. I was extremely impressed how they dealt with the Covid restrictions...We felt extremely safe and my family was able to enjoy our camping experience! First off, I don't know about you but my husband and I do not always communicate great when parking our camper...well forget about that at Whispering Surf....The Campground Host will guide you to your site and instruct the driver exactly which way to turn the wheel to get the camper parked on the site perfectly! This is AMAZING!!!! We love the full hookup! They come around twice a day and pick up your garbage from your campsite. They have an app they use called campers app in which you can order wood, ice, firewood, fire starters, Hershey Bar, marshmallows, graham crackers, and more...they they deliver the items to your site. They have a small mini golf course, and play ground however they were not used much due to Covid. This campground is VERY nice, VERY maintained but not fancy...it is perfect for us...we are camping. There is a little resort next door that rents very basic older pontoons for full or half day for very low prices. Which is great if you want to putter around bass lake. The people we have met at Whispering Surf have been kind, diverse and from all walks of life. Quiet hours are similar to most campgrounds, as long as your outside music is off and you can't be heard and aren't disturbing other campers it didn't seem to be problem for us to be out by our fire after quiet hours. We love this campground and plan on booking several spots for next season!

Very beautiful small park. Awesome beach and view, especially with a large tributary creek with…read moreboat ramp flowing into Lake Michigan. Note- Fairly limited parking. No Dogs allowed on beach. I saw evidence for the rule.

Went in February. It was beautiful but the wind was extremely cold. The parking lot was clear of…read moresnow. Several people were parked there viewing the water. A few people were walking.

Pentwater Mini Golf is a little run down, but it's still worth a visit while vacationing in…read morePentwater, Michigan. On a recent camping weekend to Mears State Park, we walked just a few minutes from our campsite to the mini golf course. After the worker gave us a steep discount, we were off to play the 18-hole course. Each hole was different and they did a good job of making each hole attainable for kids and fun for adults. Some of the holes need repair, but nothing that hindered our game. It was a fun afternoon activity!

The staff sucks. Never do their job and stuff is broken. I went there a few times in the last week…read moreand nobody was In the building (it said open but nobody was in there any time I went). Never got to actually golf. I don't know if you should just hire more staff or shut the place down, but this is no way to run a business. The Dari creme counterpart is run well but not the mini golf. Hire more staff or shut the place down.

This was my first time in Ludington. I have heard so much about it, and I was excited to finally…read moremake it here. My friend said this is his favorite westside town. I was impressed my the marina and the great beach. The beach was super busy and we found our way to the lighthouse. It's a bit of a walk so be prepared to bring comfortable shoes. We enjoyed watching the ships come into port. If you happen to be out this way, I highly suggest making a trip out to the lighthouse. Not only is it a beautiful backdrop, it's also a great place to take pictures.

A very tough…read morelighthouse The very first lighthouse in the area was established in 1871 but didn't last very long and was washed away in a huge storm a few years later. Since Ludington was becoming an extremely important harbor a new and stronger light was obviously needed. Debates about whether to put the new lighthouse on the south or north pier raged for years, and the exact kind of lighthouse was also a very contentious subject. So of course nothing got done. Finally around 1924 the present lighthouse was constructed at the end of the half mile north concrete pier. Since the area is know for very intense and powerful storms, the engineers wanted to make sure the lighthouse was strong enough to withstand anything that the howling gales of Lake Michigan could throw at it. So they went all out when they designed and built this light. The lighthouse is constructed with a steel frame in addition to steel plating added to the outside. And to increase the structural integrity of the lighthouse a strange looking prow, similar to that on a large ship, was added at the bottom to deflect the larger waves. Pretty cool looking and when viewed from a distance, almost makes the lighthouse seem like it's sailing across the horizon. The fourth order Fresnel Lens was removed and is passed around to various local maritime museums. The lighthouse can be reached by walking out to the end of the half mile pier but going out they in storms and blizzards is probably not a good idea. During the summer the lighthouse is open and for five bucks the public can climb the 53 stairs to the top. Certainly not the tallest, biggest, oldest or most important lighthouse in Michigan but with the steel plates added over the steel frame and the addition of the cool prow, this is definitely one of the very toughest and strongest lighthouses anywhere.

This is our third year in a row coming back to float with Greg and Pentwater Outfitters…read more He always takes the time to make sure our gear is well suited for each person and that we are comfortable in the kayaks. This guy is always cleaning and working around his little shop when not out dropping off or picking up customers. The river ride is always fun. Today we saw a snake, a HUGH blue heron and a deer. The deer actually swam across the small river right in front of us! Very cool! We will be back in 2021 for more time with Pentwater Outfitters and the Greg. Jim

Greg is amazing! Gear was clean and in great condition. Top notch customer service, communication…read moreand support day of rental (easy pick up/launch and drop off)! Very well versed in needs for families and customized your boat and equipment to the needs of each person. Contactless payment too. Would HIGHLY recommend.