Best park! I love that this year there are lifeguards (or maybe that was normal and I've never…read morenoticed?). Nice sand, a nice area to swim before you run into boats and you can borrow life vests. I like the flag warning system as well. The lifeguards were moving around swiftly to change them when the weather turned quickly which was nice. Bathrooms near the splash pad and a spot to buy food and ice cream is a nice touch. Also, if the kids tire of the water, there's a playground in the sand near the sidewalk. Perfect!

South Beach was just ok for us. The beach itself is nice and spacious, so it never felt…read moreovercrowded, which we appreciated. There was quite a bit of seaweed near the pier though, and that made the water less enjoyable than we were hoping. Safety is obviously important, and I completely understand the rules around rip currents and only allowing Coast Guard-approved flotation devices. My only suggestion would be to do a better job communicating that before people get into the water. A sign near the parking lot or beach entrance explaining the current conditions and flotation rules would've been really helpful. We didn't find out until we were already in the water, and it would've saved some frustration. One thing I did really like was the little beach shop and cafe. They were both super cute and made it easy to grab a snack or pick up anything you forgot, which was a nice touch. The staff clearly cared about keeping everyone safe, which I appreciate, but it also made us feel like we were being watched the whole time instead of being able to relax. We ended up heading over to the splash pad.

North Beach is a little harder to get to than South Beach, which is easily accessible from the main…read morestrip of downtown. The entrance to the beach area is a tiny little side road that goes through the beach neighborhood houses. If you can navigate to it, it's totally worth the visit. The beach area is massive, and has small swings and a play area for kids, volleyball nets, and a standalone ice cream shop. Since it's across the canal, there are generally a lot less people on this side as well, and also several vacation rentals that sit right on the edge of the beach. I love riding my bike down here and watching the sunset .

I grew up going to both North or South Beach in South Haven and really have never thought too much…read moreabout which side I like more than the other other than sometimes it was based on crowd numbers. This trip, I had my Dad in tow, and he always loves the piers and walks out to the end, fisherman at heart. I hadn't put my toes in the warm Michigan sand or water since before moving to Florida in 2007, so I was excited about that and let my Dad wander off with my nephew while I walked along the water on the very short beach area now. I didn't care, I walked slowly along the water and let others walk around me. What I did love was that they now have boardwalks on the beach that let you get out to almost the water without having to walk on the hot yellow sand. In Clearwater, we have white sand so we can walk as slowly as we want without burning our feet. It's definitely something I love and don't miss about Michigan sand but bring up childhood memories. South Haven will always hold a special place in my heart, North and South Beach.

This campground is perfect for families or solo campers getting away for a couple days or even a…read moreweek or two. Its a big campground, ive met people here that book a year in advance and make it a yearly family reunion. Most campers are couples/ families. Remember to book as soon as possible this place is popular! A campsite is around $50 with electric and dont forget to get a sticker for Michigan state parks, it is required. This price is super reasonable for all you get and its dog friendly! Sites vary in size, but lots of options. The campground is super clean and well maintained (yes, even the bathrooms and showers.) I came across this gem of a campground a few years ago and I have been returning yearly. Van Buren is only about 10 minutes from South Haven so you can enjoy both vibes! They have their own gorgeous beach just a few minutes walk from your campsite and on the way there is a beautiful walk with a big and clean bathhouse right next to the beach and free life vests for all the little kids. Did i mention this campground is dog friendly!? I love bringing my furry family member here. The grounds are calm, quiet and the people are super nice. The staff is never too far away keeping an eye on things. I always feel safe here. There is a daily activity sheet and the campground host is very accessible and they have a little area right before you drive into the camp with information pamphlets and little things to look at. Hiking, biking, dunes, vollyball, beach, dunes & close to south Haven and a beautiful place to chill out at the end of the day at your campsite or RV with a nice fire and good friends. Van Buren Campground exceeded all my expectations and I hope it does the same for you.

Depending on the weather, this beach can be very rocky, or very sandy, and often both…read more This is a great beach for rock hunting anytime, and even if it's extra rocky because of heavy rain or wind, there's still nice sandy areas of beach. There's also one very large dune area that takes quite an effort to climb, but is very fun.

Want a quiet, peaceful beach on Lake Michigan? One that has picnic tables, a ramped deck on top of…read morethe dune (thank you, city of South Haven, for providing handicap accessibility), and best of all in this town, a restroom with changing areas that stays open past dusk? Enter Packard Park - it's 2 parks north of North Beach, is free, and is the quietest beach in town. You'll head down a short dune and then find the big lake. People bring chairs or towels. The entrance to the water is sandy, and the bottom is firmer than that of South Beach, by the pier. You can see the pier in the distance, just south. Up by the parking lot, you'll see several picnic tables, a grill, and a restroom. The women's has two toilet stalls and two changing stalls - WITH DOORS! thank you. The park is open until 10. Often, when we swim at dusk, we get out of the water too late to change in the North or South Beach bathrooms. NO worries of that here. No lifeguard. Plenty of parking, and a grassy area for kids to run around on if you're cooking dinner before (or after) swimming.

The park itself does not offer much. It has little shade but it does offer sunset views and…read morebenches. There are plenty of other viewing spots at the neighboring beaches.

Nice little dog friendly beach for our pups first time at the beach! There were plenty of places to…read morepark but we got there pretty early. Short walk to the beach. It was a pretty small area and pretty packed but it was a holiday weekend when we went. Wasn't the most clean/pristine beach but we didn't expect that for a dog friendly beach. There were bathrooms up near the parking lot. Kind of a mixed sand rock beach but mostly sand. When we left, the parking lot was packed and people were lining the street, so I'd say go early if you want a parking spot.

One of the top highlights of our week stay in South Haven. This small secluded nature preserve has…read morea modest rocky beach perfect for small treasure hunting. At the beach we found geodes, lightening rocks, and sea glass. This area has a small 45ish car parking lot. It is dog friendly (dogs must be on leash and picked up after). There's a .33 mile trail that is not difficult. Park is free and a great way to spend some time in nature!

Cutest park ever! Kids loved it! Art work is adorable, and it has a nice view of the lake. Bbq…read moregrill and restrooms are also available. Looks like the playground been renovated by look at the previous photos. 10/10!

This is the absolute best park!…read more It's like a treasure chest of a park for kids but also so scenic that adults will love it also. Lots of spots to explore in a perfect setting. There are books and crannies kids will love and also a large grassy area for relaxing or running around. I especially liked the amount of somewhat shady spots which is great for small children. Clean and has picnic benches and a pavilion as well. Perfect spot.

DO NOT rent with Bluewater Vacation Rentals. Terrible customer service, they steal your money, the…read morefront desk will screen your calls, and no one will help. My family never got our deposits back ($6K) worth, despite them renting out the homes. It clearly states this in the rental agreement- yet we were never refunded the money. After we cancelled our reservations, multiple attempts were made to discuss the rental of the homes and refunding of our deposits. They will not contact you despite these attempts to communicate both email, phone, and certified letter. I have attempted for over a year to get a response and refund from them to no avail. I have rented with many vacation rentals and without a doubt this company is the worst and not worth losing your money or terrible customer service.

Renter Beware! I will never do business with Bluewater Vacation Rentals again. While South Haven…read moreis a beautiful spot to live or vacation in Southwestern Michigan, this company has poor business ethics and practices. Extremely frustrating to communicate and work with them. They do not honor contract agreements. Kept our $6,000 even after renting out the property we originally secured. Bluewater Vacation Rentals cannot be trusted. My family is now pursuing possible legal action against them.

Beautiful beach! Quite narrow space to occupy but you get to walk between two beautiful homes and…read moreit feels like you're getting a private beach experience. Very clean too

It was perfect a little strip of heavenly beach. Quiet and clean…read more It is odd how to get to it. You park on the street and then walk in between the two houses and down the steps.

Unpretentious hospitality. We very much appreciated Kathy's suggestions and felt at home. This is a…read morebargain with rustic unparalleled and unobstructed views of Lake Michigan. Such a relaxing weekend. We will be back!

From the owner: An idyllic vacation, spent in a cozy cottage on the shore of Lake Michigan - just the antidote for…read morethe the hectic pace of daily life. MichiMonaMac, a lovingly refurbished lakeshore retreat with a relaxing and friendly atmosphere will make you feel like you never want to go home. Perfect for a family vacation or a romantic getaway, our cottages offer a glimpse of the best of Michigan. These cottages are located on the Golden Mile in South Haven, a stretch of white sand beach as lovely as any -- anywhere. From this location, you can walk to parks, to the corner store to get an ice cream cone, to the marina to watch the boats come and go or downtown to choose between restaurants, shops and a first run move theater. Back at the cottages, summer finds our guests playing basketball in the parking lot, roasting marshmallows over a beach fire, relaxing in the hammock or taking a rented bike on the 34 mile Kal-Haven bike trail. In the cooler months, come for fall colors or snuggle up with a good book by the file while Lake Michigan puts on a show. Come join us in beautiful southwest Michigan!

Skip and Nate were a breeze to work with and we had a great time out on the water. I called Kayak…read moreKayak to reserve two single kayaks and I received a text confirmation right away. We got to the meeting spot and our kayaks were ready for us to enjoy a morning of paddling on Pigeon River. It was $35 per kayak for a half day rental. I highly recommend this company to anyone looking to kayak in the Holland area.

This was an amazing find! Skip and Mark were amazingly easy to work with and incredibly kind. My…read moreparents and I were just looking for a fun quarantine activity to do on the 4th and were pleasantly surprised when we were told they would be available on such short notice and on the holiday no less! When we arrived they were already there and ready for us.The Pigeon River was beautiful, clean, and super relaxing. I would 10/10 recommend renting from Skip and I will definitely be a regular with these awesome folks! Thanks again guys!