Pere Marquette offers exceptional access to beautiful Lake Michigan, one the world's natural…read moretreasures. There is ample paid parking. Weekend day rates are $15. There is a snack stand, offering ice cream, nachos, and other treats, as well as beach equipment rentals. The sand is soft and visitors will enjoy spreading out on the expansive beach. The water is clear and features a sandy bottom. Just north of the snack stand is The Deck, the preeminent dining establishment in this area of Muskegon. The establishment features al fresco dining and stunning views of Lake Michigan. There are swings and other fun view points. If you're in Mitten, Pere Marquette is worth the drive. You simply cannot beat Lake Michigan's splendor.

August came along and Nate and I still hadn't been to the lakeshore, so we hopped in the car and…read moredrove to Pere Marquette Park beach on a cloudy Sunday recently. The beach was completely empty when we arrived around 11 am and stayed pretty quiet the whole time. Parking at the beach is $20, which I thought was incredibly expensive, but it's good for the whole day. I'm used to parking for free at state parks since I have a recreation pass. It was a bit windy, but not chilly - although the water was freezing. I personally enjoy an overcast day at the beach, so we packed a picnic and some chairs and just sat and read for a bit. The beach is large, with lots of room to spread out. There's a nice smaller playground, a snack bar with ice cream and hot food, a little store for beach essentials like sunscreen, and super clean bathrooms. The restroom I used was a huge, single stall room with a bench- really nice for changing and probably great if you have little kids. I was impressed by how clean the bathroom was. We walked to the pier and checked out the lighthouse, which was a nice little walk. The Deck is right on the beach and is a great spot for live music, drinks, and food. I'd be curious to see this beach in the peak season - I'm sure it probably gets pretty busy.

Hidden in the upscale lake shore neighborhood this public park is one you want to get to early…read more Today we did not need to pay but there is a pay to park station there. This is a gated lot so be respectful of the hours. No pets, no smoking and no alcohol allowed. Lots of rules posted. Loved the ADA walkway to the top. Every 30' was a flat spot on the ramp to the overlook. Perfect for wheel chairs. Unfortunately it's stairs to the beach but still a great view if you can't touch the water. The place is definitely snuggled among personal homes so be respectful.

Best place to catch the Michigan sand dunes for the first time. This seems to be an uncommon vista…read moreto get some sand and sun--not too many other people were here. Good for a quick peak at Lake Michigan's sunset or to spend the day on the beach. Be prepared to hike some sandy stairs! I ended up slipping off my shoes and just walked up them barefoot.

Very small beach. The day we went many people made the trek and didn't get in the water because…read morethey thought it was to cold. Family after family came down and just sat there getting eaten by flies....did I mention the flies? Good lord if you weren't in the water be prepared to leave with welts. Good thing for me I like cold water and it felt great! If you are not in good physical shape probably don't come here. These pictures don't show the actual situation. It is very steep! The stairs are covered with sand and there are A LOT of them. What goes down, in this situation must go back up!

This is such a great park, and so convenient. We visit this park all year round. Each season…read morefeatures a different experience. In the winter we love park where there is a good view of the water and watch the waves roll in. It is so peaceful and relaxing, There are usually a dozen or more vehicles parked so I know others enjoy watching the waves too, In the summer we enjoy the beach, wading and swimming. All year round you can watch a beautiful sunset. There are good views of Big Red from the park. It is nice that you can park very close to the beach, so if there is anyone is unable to walk longer distances this is the perfect place. The only drawback is that dogs aren't allowed on the beach.

07/21/26 - Absolutely perfect day 75 degrees sunny w/ a nice breeze @ Holland State Park. Lake…read moreMichigan water is choppy w/red flag warnings not to enter the water. God it's days like this that it's great to be alive. What can I say this is a beautiful beach w/the red lighthouse & enclosed by the piers leading into Lake Michigan.

What a beautiful park! It has a wonderful playground, a beautiful amphitheater and incredible…read morewaterfront views. There are also plenty of benches and picnic tables.

Beautiful park with big trees and green grass on the lake side, in Holland, Michigan…read more Plenty of parking spaces here! And it's free to park. Great place to enjoy the sunset. Lots of benches on the waterfront area with beautiful view of the lake. Also, there is a great restaurant nearby with good food and drinks!

When visiting Grand Haven, Michigan, Chinook Pier is a popular place to go. There were not many…read moreparking spaces when we got there and had to hunt to find a parking spot. Once out of our car, we enjoyed walking on the pier and seeing the historic train and loading tower. There are many things to do at the pier including lake rentals, play on the playground, and mini golf. Chinook Pier is a popular place, and there's a reason why. I highly recommend Chinook Pier!

Right on the water with games. Again another location with cement corn hole, cement ping pong and…read morewood foosball tables. So bring your own balls or bags if you want to play. All the big boats are down this way and the pere Marquette train can be found down here. 25mph streets, tight parking and lots of people watching.

What a great park…read more Clean, easy access and nicely space out. Amenities include rest rooms, three shelters, playground, BBQ grills, volley ball courts, soccer field, horseshoe pits, a small board walk and fishing area. I went here to drop in on one of the free summer concert series events and they were raffling out prizes including local restaurant meals and a few bikes for kids!

Great park! Lots of pickleball courts. Bathroom and water fountain nearby. A pond for fishing and…read morebaseball diamonds. Also nice walking paths.

This park has a skate park, playground area, pond, and a trail to walk your dog. Basically it's a…read moregreat park to tick all the check marks. Only thing is that it gets pretty busy almost always. My kids love the zip line and can play here for hours and it's nice to be able to take our dog with us and be able to walk her and have dog bags available. Overall, glad it's nearby just have to pick the right day and time of day to visit.