This children's museum is amazing. It's the definition of small but mighty: It doesn't look like…read moremuch from the outside, or even when you first step inside. But as you explore through it, you'll see that it has way more magic hiding in every corner than you first thought. Sandcastles Children's Museum is three stories of fun. We took our 7 and 11 year old boys, and the 11 year old had just as much fun as his younger brother. That said, I would say that this museum is best suited for kids who are preschoolers through around 10 years old. One of the best parts of this museum is that it subtly references popular Ludington icons and landmarks. You'll see a play SS Badger ship, popular local restaurants on the second floor, and lots of other things that pay homage to the beach town in which the museum resides. One of our favorite spots in the museum is located on the third floor. It's there that you'll find a mini stage with several real, full-sized instruments that kids are invited to play. There are steel drums, ukuleles, guitars, pianos and lots of other instruments to try out. There's also a TV where you can watch yourself jamming on the instruments. All throughout the museum, you'll find things to play with, like a sand pit with digger toys, a play farm, play grocery store and restaurant, a veterinary office, a post office, craft station, rock climbing wall, science station, theatre stage with costumes, and lots more. There is just so much fun stuff for kids, and my children were occupied for hours.

A delightful spot to spend the day with wild kids. So many thoughtful exhibits with loads of hands…read moreon activities. My 4 year old loved the maternity ward and the 1.5 year old loved the grocery store. Loved our time at the museum. We also loved the mask requirement for all. A great way to feel safe in a world where people are getting so sick. Thank you!

A good-sized 3 story building that used first housed the coast guard, is now housing a Maritime…read moreMuseum. There are exhibits and movies about local maritime history, boat building, the history of the ferry from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington. There's a fair number of videos throughout as well as artifacts from ships. There's even a mini lighthouse for kids to climb up. There's one part where it seems there's a holographic sea captain telling his tales. There's a fun activity of trying to steer a cargo ship! My wife and I got combo tickets for here and White Pine Historic Village. Nice view of Lake Michigan from the top floor.

Ludington is a town with lots of history, and you can learn about some of that history here at the…read morePort of Ludington Maritime Museum. The museum is located just steps from the beaches of Lake Michigan, which is apropos because this museum is all about the maritime history of the area. This is a museum that has lots of things to read, so if you're into that sort of thing, you will love it. If you visit with young children, though, then this place might not hold their attention for very long. There are a few interactive exhibits, but for the most part, the exhibits here are just for looking at and reading. This museum is really cool, though. It is three stories, and there is an elevator inside which is handy for people with strollers or wheelchairs or those who just don't want to climb the stairs. The stairs can be a little steep, FYI. As you make your way through the museum, you'll see exhibits about explorers, lighthouses, scuba divers, shipwrecks, and lots more. By the time you leave, you'll have a greater appreciation of Ludington and the Great Lakes.

Big Sable Point Lighthouse was such a fun experience! The walk out to the lighthouse is about 1.8…read moremiles each way, so just under 4 miles round trip. The trail is a wide, sandy path, so it's not difficult, but it is a pretty long walk and definitely sandy. You walk through part of the campground before heading out toward the lighthouse, and the scenery along the way is really pretty. We weren't there during the hours when the lighthouse was open, and we weren't planning on doing the tour anyway, but I believe it was $8 per person to go inside and climb the lighthouse. Even without going inside, it was absolutely worth making the walk out to see it. I also really enjoyed all of the history around the lighthouse. There were informational boards where you could stop and read about the lighthouse, the history of the area, erosion, the sand dunes, and how the landscape has changed over time. I love when places do this because it makes you appreciate what you're looking at so much more. The lighthouse itself is really cute and makes for such a great destination after the long sandy walk. There are also picnic tables around the area, so you can sit and take a break before making the walk back. If you're visiting Ludington State Park, I definitely think the walk to Big Sable Point Lighthouse is worth doing. Just wear comfortable shoes, expect a lot of sand, bring water, and give yourself plenty of time. It's not a quick little stroll, but getting out there and seeing this historic lighthouse surrounded by Lake Michigan was absolutely worth it!

Beautiful place to visit I can't wait to go back in the summer. It's a very serene place to visit.read more

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.

Stop what you're doing and book a stay at the Dempsey Manor. It's an old Victorian home that has…read morepassed hands a few times, and currently is a bed-and-breakfast, one of the most charming and cute that I've ever seen. Stayed here for one night during a Northwest Michigan nature getaway. Jan and Jim are both super hip kind folks that gladly take care of your every need or want. Jan was very accommodating with my vegan lifestyle and made me a delicious breakfast. The rooms are all decorated different, with lots of original and traditional Victorian decor. Lots of opportunity to learn about the history of the home, the prior owners, and the town. Plenty of literature. The sunroom is fantastic! There's really so much to say, but I'll leave it at-trust this five star review and book your stay here, ASAP!

I didn't get to stay here yet because I did t make a reservation early enough, but I still got to…read morego in for a tour. For a fifteen dollar donation I got to enjoy two hours of Jim's hospitality, meeting the cats and the talkative parrot Josefina - Jose for short. The collections are really impressive, the architecture is both stunning and cozy. I wish I could hang out with Jim and Jan for the whole weekend just learning about them, the house and the collections. I learned a lot!

One of the best things you could do in the White Lake area... climb the White River Lighthouse! The…read morelighthouse is so historic and is truly a one of a kind. It is tucked away in Whitehall but worth the drive. There is free parking on site. You can only climb the lighthouse May-October as it is a seasonal operation. It is $8 for adults to climb and $5 for children 17 and under. It is worth every dollar to climb the lighthouse. The view of Lake MI and the White Lake Channel in unreal. The blue tones of the water really show. A beautiful sight to see! There is a small gift shop where you can purchase nautical, Great Lakes themed items such as keychains, wall art, t-shirts, etc. The lighthouse keeper is always very kind when we take our family from out of town there.

Interesting lighthouse with a surprisingly deep history. Home of Michigan's first female lighthouse…read morekeeper. Interesting history of light keepers and the changes throughout. You can even climb up the spiral staircase to the top (about 50 steps) and look out over Lake Michigan like the light keepers did in the past. A great little museum is in the building with great old photos, nautical artifacts, a life ring from The Edmund Fitzgerald, and even the original 4th order Fresnel Lens. There's an intro movie in the building next to the lighthouse with more artifacts. Easy walk to the beach. Took just under an hour.

A very nice place to visit. Very informative. Each station had someone to explain things and let…read morethe kids try out activities. I wouldn't recommend kids under 4 who don't have attention spans and want to just run. I could tell the staff was a little nervous with a 3 year old who didn't have much left in the tank by the end. I felt like I was rushing the staff at the end. There is definitely room for expansion and even more stuff. We will definitely be back again.

The Shrine of the Pines is a Log Cabin that has a bunch of furniture made out of tree trunks,…read moreroots, and fallen logs. A lot of the work took place in the 1920's. It is a fairly intresting place in a very beautiful setting near Baldwin, Michigan. The furniture is all extremely well made. There is a $5 oral tour about the creator and his creations. I actually found this mostly boring. However that could be because the tour guide was very blah. It is worth a visit if your already in the area. Not really worth a drive though. I give it a solid 3 stars.

From the owner: A rustic furniture museum depicting the works over a 30 year using hand tools, a historic tour is…read moregiven showcasing why the museum was created and the origins of the creations. We also have a gift shop on site.

I had such a fun time exploring the submarine! Our tour guide gave us great information with great…read morejokes. The information inside the museum was cool but the sub is the star! Would definitely visit again!

Must visit museum! Especially for WWII buffs…read more We visited on a Saturday. It was not crowded at all. We spent most of the time on the submarine alone, so we did not feel rushed or cramped. The submarine was very cool and looked fairly untouched! I would have liked to have seen the second deck where the periscope is. The museum balanced information on WW2 as well as the progression of submarine technology (all the way from da Vinci). As someone who is interested in WWII, I did notice that the timeline regarding Pearl Harbor did miss some vital information. You need 3-4 hours to thoroughly enjoy the museum.

So I love that this had a guide to take up on tour and he knew what he was talking about and…read moreprofessional, I would highly recommend it,you get to go all over the ship ,please remember this is a tour for people who can't climb stairs but it was great .

We've visited a few time now. Each time we learn a little more. The guides are all very nice and…read moresuper informative. We love seeing the old items all around the ship, like the old radios, reading lamps, cameras and the furniture. It is a very lovely ship. I hope to one day be able to spend the night on it. We will for sure come back for another tour sometime in the future.