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.

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.

On the recommendation of folks at the main Park Headquarters, we walked through the woods on one…read moreof the few trails here, all leading to sandy bluffs that rise above Lake Michigan. We were rewarded with a gorgeous view of the truly colorful shades of blue of the Lake. Combined, the trails are only about 3 miles in length since this is a narrow, alongside-the-lake State Park & the trails go from the main roadway, to the top of the bluffs & then back again to the roadway. Further down that roadway is a campground, a good amount of parking, a playground, picnic tables, grills, open fields, and, the best part of all, the mile long beach, which is comprised of super soft sand, space to stretch out, a not-as-enjoyable view of a water treatment plant, & the fun of collecting smooth, soft stones that dot the beach, The waters of Lake Michigan don't come much above your waist for a good 75-100 feet, so it's easy to stay cool while you stand around with sisters (that was us!), and others. Parking is $11/day

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.

If you're looking for a smaller beach away from the downtown hustle and bustle, then this is a good…read moreoption. There is plenty of paid parking spots. The beach was clean and wasn't too crowded midweek during the summer.

Small beach with 10 dollar daily parking. Easy to walk to from many places. Nice sunsets over lake…read moremichigan. Gets crowded so come early or hope for luck that people leave. Nestled between private beach areas. No lifeguards or rentals.

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.

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!