Together, there's still not a whole lot going on beyond taking a million selfies on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and the 260-foot Dune Climb-and that's the charm.Įven still, there is the iconic Art's Tavern and Grocer's Daughter Chocolate in Glen Arbor, and The Cherry Hut, to the south of Empire in Beulah, for cherry pie (a must-try). Individually, there's not a whole lot going on outside of the dunes and the state’s finest kitesurfing conditions. With their proximity to the sprawling, world-famous shoreline that is Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire and Glen Arbor really function as two sides of the same coin at the base of Michigan's pinkie. Small town charm along Michigan’s most iconic coastline Do as the locals and sip BYO cocktails on the edge of Grand Haven’s lighthouse pier.
While this list is by no means exhaustive-there are so many towns, and folks in the Upper Peninsula keep trying to get us to stop telling people to go there-here are a select few of the state’s stand-out shores that will quickly convince you that you are, in fact, a lake person. With thousands of miles of coastline, you’re bound to stumble upon your new favorite stretch of sand. You're not going to be transported to Cape Cod out here-but you are most certainly going to eat some delicious fried cod. Some lean on the touristy side, and others are unspoiled and entirely yours for the taking. The beach towns stretching from coast to coast each have a personality and vibe of their own some are folksy and quiet, others dotted with vineyards and top-notch farm-to-table dining. No matter where you’re at in Michigan, you’re never that far of a drive from the water. And with more than 100 public beaches, ranging from rugged and rocky shores to sand as soft and white as the Caribbean, no other state can claim a coastline as diverse.
Mitten-shaped Michigan’s two massive peninsulas touch the waters of four Great Lakes-making it America's undisputed lakefront champion.