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.

The USS Silversides Submarine Museum offers a unique and rare opportunity to explore an actual…read moresubmarine from World War ll at your own pace. The submarine is docked along the channel between Lake Michigan and Lake Muskegon. The staff still runs the engine multiple times a year to keep it maintained. The staff does a great job keeping it in its original atmosphere. You can really get the sense of what it was like. The maritime museum next to the submarine was large with exhibits explaining the events of World War II, Lake Michigan shipbuilders role in that war, and many story boards accounts and memorabilia from local veterans. There is so much history, knowledge, and experience here. I highly recommend taking a self guided tour here.

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!

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.

I enjoyed the old replica of the streets exhibit. It was neat to see them. It would have been nice…read moreto go in some of the shops. The dinosaurs were neat to see.

My son's class went there last month for his field trip. It's a great museum and would've been 5…read morestars, but a pipe had burst and there was no old downtown Grand Rapids. That's my favorite exhibit, it was too bad the kids couldn't interact and learn from the volunteers dressed from that time period. The second floor was open and had a neat exhibit about sturgeon fish, dioramas of different habitats and an enlarged drop of water to see everything that lives in marshlands. It's a whole ecosystem! The carousel was also closed due to maintenance, another disappointment as the kids would've had fun riding this antique. The highlight for me was the planetarium. We were able to view a 15 minute show that was exciting and informative. I looked and found they have shows open to the public for $5 on their website. Worth checking out, though most shows may be geared for a younger population. GRPM is an educational haven full of curiosities and learning opportunities from whale bones, to fashion and all things that relate to Grand Rapids History. Definitely worth checking out. Enjoy a tasty lunch with their hand made sandwiches and soups of the day after a titillating planetarium show.

Amazing piece of history. A must see! The museum displays and local events they host make this a…read morepremiere destination in Muskegon.

It was surely worth going. But we got lost on while walking…read morearound on all the different levels. Just wish it was better marked on which way to go. The volunteer was very kind.

What an adorable local museum! My family and I stayed in Holland for the weekend and when checking…read moreout local events, the Holland Museum had a Black History Month event for children. Wow! I was so impressed with this event, my daughter, husband and I spent several hours at museum with their planned activities. They had a scavenger hunt, story time, and several hands on activities for families to take part in . We did not have an opportunity to explore the museum in its entirety , but just this especially exhibit was enough for us to have a wonderful afternoon in Holland.

Good location and parking with a reasonable entry fee. Two story building features local…read moreDutch/Holland themed displays outlining the history of the area in the main gallery on the first floor. The second floor features several paintings by Dutch painters from the 17th to 20th century. A small room featuring a rotating exhibit (Focus Room) is on the first floor, as is the gift shop that offers souvenirs and momentos.

You begin the tour with seeing a film that explains all of the renovations that took place. It was…read moresuper interesting to learn about such things as how the carpet was selected and the paint colors. The house was breathtaking to walk through. Especially once you turn the corner and are in the living room with all of the stained glass and the bright suns space. There are limited hours so make sure to book in advance so that you don't miss coming here. The dose sense were extremely knowledgeable in the crowds were small since there are limited numbers of people that can come at a time. The neighborhood is super beautiful as well.

This is a beautiful house, fully restored. Staff and guides are very kind and knowledgeable. I…read morewill need to return.

It had been years since my last visit to the Tri Cities Historical Museum, and Nate had never…read morevisited, so we stopped in while in the area recently during our "Christmas break." It's free to visit, although they do have a suggested donation. The museum explores the area's history, starting with the native Odawa, Ojibwa, and Potawatomi tribes, moving into the fur trade, pioneers, and into Victorian times. The displays are well done with many artifacts. My favorite part was the Victorian house as you can see into a bedroom, kitchen, and dining room. The second floor hosts two permanent exhibits - one about the coast guard and one about the Bastian and Blessing Soda Fountain, with a replica soda fountain counter. The rotating exhibit we saw was about Ferrysburg, a small town in the area. I didn't find that one as intriguing but I'm sure people from the area might connect with it a bit more. The museum is small but really well done for one of this size. Plus you can't really beat free entry! There isn't a ton for younger kids although they do have a small play room with books and some toys on the second level. I'd stop in here anytime I'm in the area as it looks like they are planning some updates.

This place was pretty cool. Disregard the "NO PUBLIC RESTROOMS" sign in front, too - they have them…read moreon the (new?) second floor. I had never been before and they have some cool stuff about Grand Haven and other local history. It's free to walk around but there is a $5 suggested donation. There's also a gift shop near the front. One of my friends said that the 2nd floor is completely new, which is also cool. Worth a stop if you're in downtown GH.

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

Be prepared for a 1.8 mile walk out to the lighthouse from the main lot at the State Park. We…read moredidn't realize there wasn't any "driving up" there. But, we were there. The walk was paved and easy, and it was a lovely day. We happened to go on the last day of the season. The beach is lovely and we paid the $8 each to climb the tower. It was worth it, but at over 100 ft it was quite the climb. The view is gorgeous and worth the climb.