Grace Trelease is a Corporate Communications Intern for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. She is currently a junior studying public relations at Syracuse University with a minor in marketing
Michigan Bucket List: Grand Haven
3 min read
If you’re looking for a relaxing getaway, Grand Haven might be the perfect place. This cute town located on the eastern part of Lake Michigan has an abundance of activities to do.
If you’re interested in going to the beach, hiking, attending festivals and more, this might be the place for you. Learn more about things to do in Grand Haven.
Things to do in Grand Haven
Hiking
In Grand Haven, you can find hiking in many places. There are wooded trails, sand dunes, wetlands and more to see. Rosy Mound Natural Area isa great place to get outdoors and explore some trails. With around two miles of hiking trails, there are dunes, stairs, paved paths, beaches and forests to explore. The Connor Bayou is another great area to visit. This area has around three miles of hiking areas and over one mile of Grand River views.
If you’re up for an outdoors adventure, check out Grand Haven’s website for a list of different hiking spots.
Go to the Beach
Being right on Lake Michigan, Grand Haven offers many different beaches extending across the entire Grand Haven shore and even into neighboring towns. Grand Haven beaches allow boating on the lake at any time of day as well as water sports including canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, kiteboarding, wakeboarding, surfing, skimboarding, scuba diving and tubing. There are many different spots throughout the town that offer boat rentals as well as water sport equipment rentals and lessons.
If you’re the kind of person who loves a nice, leisurely bike ride, Grand Haven offers more than 100 miles of bike paths and is open to bikers of all skill levels. There are many biking environments to choose from such as riding along the beachfront, sand dunes, rivers, the wilderness and throughout the city.
One of the more popular paths is the Lakeshore Connector Path that stretches 20 miles along the beachfront and connects Grand Haven State Park to Holland State Park. Go to the Visit Grand Haven website to look more into their bike trails.
Festivals
Grand Haven hosts festivals throughout the year. No matter what season you visit Grand Haven, there is a high chance that you will stumble upon a festival. For example, in the summer Grand Haven hosts the sand sculpture contest, in the fall there is the Grand Haven Hispanic Heritage Fiesta, in the winter the town hosts their annual Winterfest and in the spring they host their beautiful kite festival on the beach. There are many more festivals in Grand Haven, so make sure to look at the upcoming events on the Grand Haven website.
Plan your trip
Before going to Grand Haven, make sure you are prepared:
- Plan for traffic: If you are traveling for a holiday, check for possible traffic delays on your drive.
- Gather your travel essentials: Take the necessary items for your trip such as bathing suits and a cooler.
- Book accommodations in advance: If you are planning on staying in a hotel, renting water equipment, reserving a table at a popular restaurant, etc., make sure you do so in advance.
When to visit
Grand Haven welcomes visitors throughout the year. The most popular season is the summer because the beaches are a popular attraction, but there is plenty to do year-round. For more information about lodging, visit the Visit Grand Haven website.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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