What an amazing park. I'd say it's a hidden gem but lots of people hang out here & parking can be…read morehard to find on a nice day! The water is shallow so it's much warmer than most Michigan beaches and you can enjoy the water. It's clean and everyone tends to pick up after themselves. There's a great playground next to the parking lot but be prepared for some extensive stairs on your way down to the beach. If needed, there are built in benches along the way. But don't be like some people we saw trying to carry wagons full of beach items lol

I have two yellow labs who love to swim and it's hard to find places for the them to go swimming…read more We tried it out, perfect place to go. Be careful though a lot of steps to the water. Definitely worth it.

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

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.

This place is great for hiking and meeting up with friends! I really enjoy all the flora & River.read more

The Black River Preserve is truly a spectacular place. The location of the preserve, along the…read moreLake Michigan coastal area, makes it a premier migratory songbird stopover. There is also great biological diversity ranging from poplars and redbud trees to hemlocks and birch trees. The Preserve encompasses 120 acres of rolling forest, meadows, and scenic tributary ravines. The trails are all marked and offer easy-to-difficult hiking options. We spent a Sunday afternoon in October walking through this magical preserve. The Mainstem Trail is the most direct route through the preserve. We traversed slops of the north and middle ravine and crossed streams along the way. We stopped at the "quiet spot" bridge and closed our eyes and just listened to the peaceful sounds of nature. The Black River Preserve is located on 8th Ave. in South Haven. There is a gravel park lot and a trail map posted at the trail head. If you are looking for a place to go for nature and a quiet atmosphere, be sure to check out the Black River Preserve.

This is a beautiful state park with tree covered trails to hike. If hiking sand dunes is not your…read morething there are other trails. If it is, it could be a training pre-curser to bigger dunes. In any regard, it is rustically beautiful. There are porta-potties and picnic tables near the parking lot.

This is such a lovely state park with hiking right to the beach. I had a great time with my pups…read moreand enjoyed the water which wasn't too hot and neither too cold. The sand is great and the hike is pretty short (about 15 mins) a lot of people walked in with towels, chairs, blankets, and were lazing around great place. Just be aware of ticks. Seems like there were a lot of banners and I had my tick spray so that was great.

I was brought here as a surprise stop with Coastal Tours. I had actually never heard of this field…read morenor seen any photos. But I was blown away by how beautiful it was. Our guide told us about the history behind the field which was truly harrowing but showed the beauty of love and the cyclical nature of life. I was incredibly moved going here, it's somewhere that you can come and visit during any period of life but it's a good place to remember when things get tough. I'm sorry for the people who created this field but so beyond grateful for the ways in which they've turned grief into something so meaningful and moving. If you do come here, please respect what the space is for/about but I highly recommend you come here.

This is astonishingly beautiful -- looks like a Monet painting of southern France, with a rich…read morecontrast of textures and colors the longer you stare at it. It was raining and I still found myself just standing and prolonging the moment. Pull off at the cemetery and make five minutes for it. What a tribute.

They have made a great experience for kids. You have a splash pad and park right next to each…read moreother! Parents don't have to move at all while the kids go back and forth as much as they want! 10/10 recommend!

A great park for a small town...I like to go there and relax and just people watch...Kids love the…read moresplash 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.