Had an absolute blast getting to ride the dunes out at Mac Woods. Walter was our driver and he was absolutely fantastic. It seems like all the drivers there are extremely friendly with bright personalities. It was about a 40 minute wait for others with larger groups but only about 15 minutes for our party of two. The ride itself is under an hour, wish it was longer. Highly recommend, the dunes themselves are breath taking. You'll see them poking on the horizon as you pull up to the place. read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Dune Truck - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

This was an absolutely amazing experience with my fiance and his family! Plus we had an amazing tour guide and a amazing time riding the dunes ! It is for all ages ! It's about a 40 mins ride from start to finish ! We did have to wait for about an hour and a half but it was well worth it! read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

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This was easily a highlight of our trip! The wait on a Friday afternoon was less than 40 minutes, which we easily passed playing outdoor games and browsing the small shop. Our driver was knowledgeable and funny, and she easily navigated the dunes. She offered several nuggets of history and local flavor, and gave us a nice break at the beach. Even if you're not one to do "touristy" things, Max Woods is worth the time! read more

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My family and I came here on a recommendation of a friend, and we were not disappointed. Being relatively close to Michigan - I am from Wisconsin - I did not even know that such a cool experience was so close by! Every component - the service, the excursion itself, and the price - was excellent. First, the service. Everyone at Mac Wood's was extremely friendly, and they have an extremely organized process to get you on your tour buggy. The average wait time on a busy day may push an hour, but there is ample seating for waiting. The staff are also humorous, and making everything a smooth, fun, and unique Michigan experience. My Rating for this Category: 5/5 Next, the excursion itself. From the start to the end, the staff make the whole trip fun. They will start by honking the horn and making you shout for fun, and then off you go. You will get the opportunity to go fast through the dunes while also having the chance to take photos and walk along the Lake Michigan beach. The total duration of the excursion was about forty minutes. My Rating for this Category: 5/5 Finally, the price. For people ages 12+, the cost is $25/person. Anyone under that age it is a cheaper rate, but I cannot remember what the price is. For the service and duration you get, on top of it being a unique experience, it is absolutely worth the price. My Rating for this Category: 5/5 I am extremely shocked I did not know about this place earlier as I have traveled through the area before. It is extremely fun, and everyone should get the chance to do it. Also, our driver Scott was fantastic - he provided a perfect blend of being friendly and funny. With him giving great service and a wonderful excursion all at a good price, I would absolutely recommend Mac Woods Dune Rides to anyone traveling through the area. read more

So much fun Much busier in the late morning/early afternoon. When we drove by at 5:30, there was nobody there. Sign said open til 8 Fun, informative and unlike anything I've seen read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

If Yelp offered more stars, I would give them to Mac Wood's! This place is ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR and was easily the highlight of our entire weekend at Silver Lake! It would be the very same route probably each time we go, but I would 1000000% take a dune ride from Mac Wood's over and over again each time I'm in the area! Not to mention, it's only $20 per person?! That's such a steal given all the fun you have on this ride??? Just make sure to get here earlier in the day if you don't want to be waiting too long! They don't do online reservations or anything, so you have to come to their physical establishment to buy tickets, and then they add your reservation into the queued up line and will call your party when it's your turn for a dune ride! Not only is the dune ride itself so incredible and frankly, the only way I want to crest over some dunes (rather than climbing them myself or driving myself over them), but what truly made this ride the most entertaining thing ever was our Mac Wood's tour guide WALTER! He was SO HILARIOUS and added the perfect commentary in that made us laugh so hard during every stop on the ride and really rounded all of it out. His commentary was equal parts informative, telling us about the landscape of these dunes over the years upon years that he's worked here (only on the weekends though when they let him out of prison :P), and jokes! I am so grateful that he was our tour guide and I will 100000% only ever do the dune ride here with Walter and will be sure to request him every time I come!! Thanks Mac Wood's! Y'all are the best!!! read more

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Ok, how do I get these guys a 6th star? This very reasonably priced excursion is more than worth every dollar. We took this 40 minute tour and had a blast. These F-350's cruise over and across the massive sand dunes. Plenty of airtime in your seat. You also stop a few times and learn the history of how the dunes were formed and about the wildlife there today. Our guide, Alex, was great. He was very friendly, informative and witty. He answered everyone's questions and was very knowledgeable. Lastly, this place has some nice, HIGH-QUALITY merchandise. Shirts and hoodies that are actually soft and comfy before 30 washes! Cool magnets and glasses too. The girls working the counter were also all very nice as well. Check this place out!!! read more

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A must do for small groups and first timers in the area! Great information, fair price and a perfect way to get a little history and local advice about the dunes! We showed up ~9:30am on the Saturday before Labor Day. We were told to expect about a 25min wait, but we were a party of 2 and got squeezed on after maybe 3 minutes! We rode in the front, right next to our guide Scott, who did a phenomenal job and provided some great local recs read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

Mac Wood's Dune Rides Duration: 40 min Experience: Educational rollercoaster-like ride through the Silver Lake Dunes. Mentally prepare to throw up your hands and scream when you fly over the dunes! This activity came highly recommended by my local friends and it did not disappoint. Rides are "First Come, First Serve" and wait times can vary. There were multiple "Buggies" coming and going but this is a popular attraction. Helpful tip: The wait can get long so here are some kid friendly activities to kill time: - play at the onsite playground. - Get a treat at the Wippy Dip next door. - Visit the outdoor museum. - Check out the Fulgurites in the gift shop. - Snap a pic at all the fun photo ops. (I found at least 4) read more

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Went with my wife and 3 boys (10,8,6) and parents. Loved it. Tour guide was engaging and knowledgeable. Ride was definitely fun. Recommend for all. read more

We were looking for something fun that 3 generations could enjoy together. Our ride was perfect: thrilling but not scary, educational, and fun in a unique environment. Our driver, Joel, was the best. Highly recommend this as an outstanding family experience! read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - A really fun time! - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

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Date of visit - Summer 2017 So much fun and a great price. If you don't want to rent a jeep to drive yourself and pay the expense, this is a great alternative! The cars can fit about 16 and the drivers are fun and knowledgeable about the dunes. The sights are beautiful and riding up and down the dunes was a blast. Reservations are not taken and we probably only waited about 20 to 30 minutes before our tour was ready. The tour takes about 40 minutes. The weather was beautiful and the dunes gorgeous! read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Rest stop on the tour! - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

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It was one of the most exhilarating things I've ever done! Exciting, fast, and a beautiful landscape to boot. They even give you 8 minutes to wade in the water during the little break for pictures! I almost went back again on my vacation. read more

We think we may do this every year, it's just what you want it to be! Gorgeous views, just a little adrenaline for kids.

I honestly don't know why ppl support this business. They're so RUDE. They act like they're doing customers a favor being in business. Yes, scenery is beautiful. They have made millions from it. The fact that they refuse to inconvenience themselves by doing at least a partial reservation system, blows my mind. They could still accept walk-ins, but young children and elderly wouldn't have to sit in the blistering sun for 1-2hrs. While they stand in the ac being nasty and intolerant of their patrons. Nobody there knows the policy... we watched a large group check in and they never told them that the reservation didn't start until the last person arrived. They waited over 2 hours with nowhere to sit. It was shameful, when they talked to them, they could have cared less. Total take it or leave it attitudes. I just can't with the mentality. I guess they do NOT care about customer service.. it's a money grab. They're open a few months out of the year, so take it or leave it. If ppl would refrain from accepting that, they would have to change. It's terribly unfortunate how much local residents really can't stand them. It says a lot about their integrity. read more

I'm with all the other reviewers on this one! Definitely worth it! Tim was our informative, fun, friendly guide... Very reasonably priced excursion, extremely friendly staff, breath taking views and a really fun ride! Just do it!! read more

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We went today as a last minute trip as we are camping nearby. We have 2 kids (ages 4 and 2) and they loved it! Becki was our guide and she was warm, friendly, informative and made the experience fun. We highly recommend this if you're in the area and want to see the dunes as well as Lake Michigan and silver lake. Great experience!! read more

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Absolutely loved this! Would recommend for kids and adults!! The workers were so kind and made the experience even better! read more

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How can you NOT give them a 5 review? From the moment you get here until the moment you leave, there is something to do! I'm a bit too old for the play ground but had a blat taking pictures whike waiting our turn to climb aboard the scooter. Alex was a tour guide and he was fantastic! You can watch a bunch of youtube video's but the in person experience is so much better! The views you get while flying over the hills is like no other! Be sure to grab one of the super cute bottles in The gift shop BEFORE you head out to collect some sand and maybe water. You can bring your own but theirs are adorable. Watch out for that last hill, it's a doozie! read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

Wow what an experience. If you are ever in Michigan I highly suggest you drive and visit Mac Dunes. It's just like a roller coaster but only on the sand. It was exhilarating and fun for the whole family. Plus you get to learn about the history along the way. The drivers are fun and very knowledgeable. The best part was when we stopped the car and we were able to get out, stand on one of the dunes, and take pictures. It's about a 40 minute wait whenever you arrive but there is a general store you can visit and a nice ice cream soda shop next-door. read more

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We had a wait of about 20 minutes. We got on a large dune buggy that carried about 20 people. The guide was funny and informative. Took about 35 minutes. It costs $25 per person which was a little steep but we enjoyed our ride. The dunes were pretty cool. read more

Fun experience. A worthy ride if you are a small group or big group. We were there on Saturday (long week end) morning. Even then the wait time is not long. After getting the tickets we got into the vehicle within 20 minutes. The ride includes a few stops where the different gives some details on the dunes. One spot there is a few minutes stop where you can get down to take some pictures near Lake Michigan. Our guide (hope Zayne if I remember the name correctly) was awesome. Clean restrooms, play are for kids while you at waiting, enough parking place. Tickets for adults $20 and kids $15 (3 years & above) read more

This business is very well organized. We looked at renting dune buggies and the prices were $175+. So we opted for this affordable tour. The company has a lease on the dunes from the state. They are the only company with vehicles in this area of the dunes. At $18/adult for a 40 minute tour, it was well worth it. Since we were a party of 2, we had no wait. Others had a 30 minute wait on the Friday morning we visited. You pay and they write your name down. They call your name on the PA when it's your turn. There are shaded picnic tables to wait. Also there are a few old dune buggies to look at in their dune buggy museum. Our driver was fun and had good knowledge of the dunes. They stop at Lake Michigan so you can get it out for pics and touch the water. I highly recommend this tour as a great affordable way to see and learn about the dunes. read more

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Had a fun time with ages 8 to 80. Dunes weren't too frightening but as our guide Alex explained they change every year. We were a big group and only waited 10 mins or so. Got some good pics at Lake Michigan when we stopped there. read more

It was a load of fun and a lot of information on the dunes even though it was a cold and wet day. read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Our group - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

First timers to Silver Lake and the dunes! I highly recommend this tour to get you out on the dunes to see what it's like and get a bit of history on the dunes themselves. Jake (from State Farm) was our tour guide/driver. Kinda funny, kinda cute. Ladies... he likes cougars The view from the flag pole is absolutely stunning! Stops a few times for humor and history, one stop your able to get out feel the sand beneath your feet and take in the views... so pretty! How you dune?! read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Photobombed - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

A super fun adventure! Our driver, Walter was hilarious and very knowledgeable. Safe for all ages, saw everyone from babies to grandmas getting on! Very reasonable at only $25 for adults! Would recommend. read more

Ridiculously fun! Well run, although they do not take reservations, they process the guests very quickly and I was on a tram within fifteen minutes of arriving. Beautiful scenery, great history, great story telling by the tour guide, stops for photo ops, affordably priced, there is even a very interesting museum on site about the dunes and Mac Wood's role in it. Just get down there and do it. You can thank me later! read more

This place is a gem. Our guide, Tom, was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the terrain, as well as the history of Mac Woods. This multi-generational company highlights the natural beauty of the area, while educating their guests, doing their best to ensure that future generations will be able to able to enjoy the same breathtaking experiences that the shores of Lake Michigan showcase. read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - The terrain. - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

We rode the dunes with Mac Woods while on vacation in the area. Kids (14 and 11) were initially *not* very excited to go on it - they were grumbling.... but once we hit the dunes they were all smiles! Both admitted they loved it. We had Wheazie for our guide - she was whitty and fun, pointing out great photo opportunities for everyone, and telling us about the dune and state park. The area you tour is beautiful. There is an endangered bird nesting on the beach, so at certain times of the year, they may not be able to drive in the water. Count on about $16/person (2009 pricing). Kids 12 and under are a bit less - plus souveniers if you so choose. Note that people sitting on the outside seats will get sand blowing in their faces - people were commenting, but no one was complaining about it. Sunglasses might be helpful. It's a great way to see the dunes, hear about the area and have so fun with the family. Would I recommend: Yes Would I return: Maybe - this is the sort of thing you do once, and you're done... however, if I was with people who had not done it yet, I'd happily accompany them. read more

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We had such a fun time on our dune ride at Silver Lake. I called ahead to see if they take reservations and they do not. When we arrived, they were not too busy. They have several benches to sit while you wait for your name to get called to get on the dune ride. We waited about 15 minutes and we were loaded. Face masks are required and if you forget one , they sell them inside for $1. The dune ride was fun. We stopped a couple times for some brief information and we had one 10 minute stop to walk around the top of a dune. The whole tour is about 40 minutes long. We all enjoyed it! read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

Great time!! This was our first time and we had such fun. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend.

Had an awesome driver and was a very cool family experience. We loved how safe our little ones felt but also having a trilling ride.

Great adventure. a forty minute drive around the dunes with a stop right on lake Michigan for some photo opportunities. there were a few stops along the way where our tour guide Jake gave us some nice history about the dunes. A bumpy roller coaster- like ride at times but the kids loved it. We went after dinner time during the weekday and still had about a thirty minute wait, but i think it was even less than that. Definitely recommend! read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Lake Michigan - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

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We showed up on the last day of the year that they planned to run and had a great time. The tour guide was funny and brought out a lot of that roller coaster feeling over the dunes. He had some great jokes about cougars and knew a lot about the area. Everyone enjoyed the ride and learned a lot. The pricing was in line with other dune rides we had been on and the gift shop had a lot of items on sale as well as some sand that was hit by lightning. read more

Great place, great service, great experience. Driver-Phil, was very customer service oriented and made sure we had a fun time with lots of pictures. The ride goes at a decent speed and there is a bit of history provided by the driver. I took a face mask for the sand, but one wasn't needed. Definitely worth the ticket, time, and trip. read more

It was a lot of fun and the driver was funny. I suggest wearing sunglasses. Sometimes the wind picks up the sand blows in your face. read more

Mac Wood's Dune Rides - Sand dunes with some grass. The grass was planted by the Boy Scouts to help save the dunes - Tours Near Me - Mears, Michigan

If you have been told that "those dune rides are overrated," it is likely they are not talking about Mac Wood's. There is a reason they've been around since 1930. The ride is fun, informative and beautiful when the weather cooperates. Hold on to your hat! read more

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Had an absolute blast! Our guide, Bob, was great! He was hilarious, informative, and seemed to truly enjoy his job. Not to mention the views on the ride were amazing. Will definitely be coming back! read more

The place is really fun and our guide was funny he told us cool facts and he gave us nice stickers. We got to go see the beach during the ride read more