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.

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.

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.

Nice park! The playground is pretty big and the walkways give a great view of the lake and boats…read more There is also a nice pavilion for concerts and space for picnics. The only downside is that the look is pretty outdated-everything is painted a weird blue/green and could use an update. The playground equipment also looks pretty old. I've noticed some trash along the walkways, so I'm not sure who cleans the park, but overall, it is a nice downtown addition and gives some nice walking paths with a view.

Good size playground for kids 10 and under. Separate area for toddlers. Seating for us lazy adults…read moreall around. Tranquil setting with walking paths. Entrance is just south of the big ship and huge Amazon building.

We've come to this dog park multiple times and enjoy it! It's pretty wide and long so there's…read moreplenty of space. Dogs can be off leash. There's stairs to get down to the beach. We love it!

Awesome dog beach!!! 10/10! There is a small water pool in the pier where timid pups can enjoy…read morewater introduction in a safe space. My 8yo senior "pup" was anxious even when I walked along the water part of the beach but enjoyed this safe space. Very nice, clean and uncrowded place (we went between 8-9am on a Monday and only saw a handful of other dogs during the half hour we were there).

I love walking at Millennium Park. I have been exercising here for many years. There are miles and…read moremiles of paths to explore. I enjoy mixing up my different routes to go different distances. There are several small lakes, one of which has a beach and other activities such as paddle boats. There are two different entrances to the park, which helps spread visitors out on really busy days like weekends. On the Secchia Meadows side, there is a nice pavillon where my friends had their wedding. I highly recommend Millennium Park for anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors, spotting creatures such as deer, turtles, muskrats, eagles, and more.

I've got lots of thoughts running through my head, simultaneously, all the time. So when I stepped…read moreup to the check-in counter at Millennium Park Boat Rentals, the thoughts in my head were: Wow! It only costs $8 per hour to rent a kayak? Sweet! Wow! These people checking me in and telling me safety information are incredibly young! Will they be able to save me and my family if our kayaks flip over and we fall into the lake? Wow! What a beautiful day! But I wonder how often people fall into the lake. I also wonder how deep the lake is. I also wonder if it's possible to be trapped underwater if your kayak flips over. In the end, I decided to kick it on the sandy beach and wave at my family as they happily paddled on the lake. They had a great time kayaking. I had a great time not kayaking. Like Hot Chocolate says: Everyone's a winner, baby. Kayaks are either single-person or double, and we used one of each. There are very few instructions given, which was a little alarming to me. (You mean you just assume we know what we're doing?!) But fortunately, my family knew what they were doing, so they didn't need much instruction to get themselves out on the water. As you paddle around the lake, you pass the Millennium Park beach and splash pad, plus little islands here and there. There is about four miles of shoreline to explore. I was told that the lake was nice and calm, and that it was a pleasant time on the water. We rented kayaks, but Millennium Park Boat Rentals also offers canoes, paddle boats and stand-up paddle boards to rent. Keep in mind that rentals are seasonal -- this place is only open from Memorial Day-ish to Labor Day-ish.

Nature is grand! If you like hiking, this is a great location to visit. There are lots of stairs,…read moresome elevation, and sand! It was peaceful, especially by the water. I'd return if I was in the area. You need a parking permit- so come prepared. It wasn't very busy, which is a plus.

Rosy Mound Natural Area's dunes, forested trails, and shoreline views were stunning!…read more Pulling in there is small parking lot, restrooms, and pay station kiosk for the $8 daily permit. The 2.2 mile trail starts at the parking lot leading you through the woods right to Lake Michigan's shoreline. The trail consist of dirt, dune, and board walk paths with a total of 360 stairs; so get those quads ready! Thankfully there are lots of shaded places to stop and rest with benches along the paths and between flights of stairs. Note to mention: This is a no pet area so keep your furry friends at home! Would definitely recommend Rosy Mound if you're up for a short hike and want to enjoy a breathtaking shoreline view or beach at the end.

Beautiful setting and plenty of picnic tables. Wonderful shade and a nice path down the road to get…read moresome steps in. Clean bathrooms, what more could you want from a park.

This place is very beautiful and is a nice place to go spend time outside by yourself, with family,…read moreand or with friends.

This is a cute little park. I was looking for a place to walk/run yesterday and came across this…read morepark. They have nice boardwalks, so neat! I love the nature, it's like you're far from the city. So many birds! Best to bring your binoculars! I bet it's more beautiful in spring and summer. The only downside is they have small parking and no bathroom. However, the trail connects to a ballpark, so I'm not sure if they share the BR. Also, you can walk outside the park, they have sidewalks. I highly recommend this park.

We just recently discovered this little neighborhood park and were pleasantly surprised by the good…read morequality of the trails. There's little elevation, lots of boardwalk and a lot of birds on the day we visited. The one downside is there is no bathroom on site, but there's one not to far away at a baseball park that I think may share the same name. It was a little busy the late summer we were there but it didn't feel over crowded at all and everyone we met was very friendly. Great place for families.

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!