Western Michigan's Scenic Coast

If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet. – Anon

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Logging as well as transporting the timber was dangerous work.

The western coast of Michigan is a destination offering treasures for everyone. The Lake Michigan shoreline has attractions for touring, dining, recreation, history, architecture, and scenic beauty.

When I think of Michigan, sure, I think water-after all, it's a peninsula, but what first comes to mind is "trees." Michigan is rich in trees of all kinds, and with the abundance of evergreens, there's a deep green hue to each view of this outdoorsy state.

Accompanying the trees is a rich history of logging—of supplying building lumber to a growing nation. At Hartwick Pines State Park near Grayling, the logging life comes alive through recreated logging camps, displays of equipment, historic films and a great visitor center. (While not a part of the west coast tour, Hartwick, in north central Michigan, is worth a future visit.)

The tradition of logging is evident across the state. Along the west coast, logging adds another chapter to the story with its role in the rise of the celebratory Christmas tree. The Yule Tide tree tradition blossomed in the late 19th and early 20th century, led by German immigration to Chicago. Entrepreneurs in the Upper Peninsula and along the west coast of Michigan regularly shipped trees south by boat to meet the growing demand. Some seasons found as many as 24 ships hauling Christmas trees to the docks in Chicago, where the poor and wealthy alike bought their trees right off the boats. The musical, The Christmas Tree Ship, tells the tragic story of one such ship lost in 1911 as it battled the worsening winter lake conditions. We saw the play in South Bend a few years ago and found it a captivating story with wonderful music. This logging tradition adds to the depth of the unique Michigan culture.

We spend our summers at our cottage on the other side of the state—Michigan's Sun Rise Coast on Lake Huron. But when our daughter wanted to use it to entertain family friends, we took the opportunity to gain experience in our new RV-the Wonder Rear Lounge by Leisure Travel Vans. As we planned our trip, we quickly found camping reservations in western Michigan would be difficult. Everyone and his brother were RVing this summer. Finally, a spot at a developing campground opened up. We arranged for our son-in-law to meet us part way home, and he drove our RV to Grand Rapids, where we met for the switch.

Sasha and Sue in the Wonder Rear Lounge

This quick tour of the western Michigan coast included our aging Australian Shepherd rescue, Sasha, on her first motorhome trip. The stairs are hard for her to negotiate with her sore hips, and she has a habit of always lying in the primary walkway inside the RV. So, we did a lot of "stepping over" for the next few days, and she was a good companion.

The only place we could find to camp was a newer camping/cabin park near Manistee. It

Nice size yards and concrete pads at Manistee

ended up being a perfect central location for our travels. The Bluffs on Manistee Lake sit high above the lake and the nearby town of Manistee. The new park, with its paved curbed roads, full services, and concrete parking pads, also offers significant space for each guest in this 55+ community. The park also has a collection of small manufactured retirement homes (1000 to 1500 square feet) on the back side of the park. The attractive and spacious club house offers games and serves as a regular gathering place for campers. The management regularly schedules game nights and carry-in dinners. They had dinner and karaoke one of the nights we were there. A new pickleball court and a swimming pool with a jacuzzi are located next to the club house. While they are planting many new trees and shrubs in the park, it's obvious this is a new development and the planning and care for this location are evident. In a few years, the maturing trees will add to the attractiveness of this park. We found the management to be extremely helpful and friendly.

Each morning we unplugged and headed out for our daily travels. Each evening we enjoyed the concrete pad that made outdoor dining easy and comfortable. Many of our fellow campers took advantage of the smooth roads to walk or ride bikes. The park's 55-plus limit brought advantages in quieter evenings.

Our first outing was to the nearby town of Manistee. Manistee has weathered the pandemic well with the support of several major local industries that continued high employment through the shutdown. Downtown Manistee is a vibrant community of local businesses set in the historic business district. We found many delightful stores with quality goods and learned even more about the area as we visited with one owner for an hour as we waited out a huge downpour. There are a notable number of fine dining opportunities downtown. We enjoyed lunch in one of the older buildings on the main drag. Manistee features a river walk, but I'd have to say this particular attraction was our only disappointment. While there were some pleasing sights of fishermen and cruisers relaxing on the Manistee River leading to the big water, the neglect of tree and bush trimming left the attraction wanting. Don't budget much time for the river walk.

S.S. Badger arriving at Port Ludington

One of our day trips took us south on US 31 to Ludington, about 45 minutes away. Ludington is known as the home port for the SS Badger, the last coal-fired passenger steamship in operation in the United States. The SS Badger, now designated a National Historic Landmark, delivers up to 600 passengers and 180 vehicles per four-hour trip as it crosses Lake Michigan for Manitowoc, Wisconsin. We hope to make the crossing this summer in the RV.

A Day at the Ludington Beach

Ludington has much to offer those touring the west coast. We passed momentarily through downtown Ludington, but it felt a lot like Manistee, with its well-maintained retail district and boutique shopping. Our objective today, however, was the beach area. At the end of the main road through town is one of the state's best public beaches—Stearns Park and Beach on Lake Michigan. We found ample parking with plentiful walkways, concessions, and picnic areas. Our plan was to simply crash for a couple of hours with some nice scenery in view. The 2500 feet of Ludington beach and the lighthouse were the backdrop for our people-watching.

One of the things we appreciate about the WonderRL is its compact 24.9-foot length, which lets you into some parking areas off-limits to many RVs. With our double ceiling exhaust fans and roof vent, we were able to create a pleasant breeze suitable for napping and watching the crowds. Not far from the front of our rig, a gaggle of gals in their fifties and sixties claimed a section and firmly sank their tired lawn chairs into the sand. They frequently passed around the potato chip bag as if it were second nature, and on a couple of occasions, by common consent, they went en masse to the water. The chips greeted their return. We noticed families and couples enjoying the wide beach, good sand, and available amenities. It was a relaxing afternoon in Ludington, and one worthy of a return.

Back at the Bluffs, we enjoyed another cookout using our Lotus Grill. The handy tabletop grill does an excellent job: it's easy to set up, quickly heats up and easy to clean up. The Lotus Grill uses minimal lump charcoal, lit by a small amount of igniter gel. The battery operated fan makes sure the coals light up quickly and stay hot. (See more about the Lotus Grill on the Equipment Page.)

The following day, we traveled to a spot just south of Ludington. We had been hearing and reading about Historic White Pine Village. It lived up to the descriptions and was one of the highlights of our west Michigan trip. This superbly researched and designed village depicts life during the turn-of-the-century to early 20th century in this area. What struck us most was how each recreated home or shop looked as if the family members had just left the room. So many of these types of places tend to overload the antiques, but White Pine Village took extra care to represent a natural depiction of Michigan life. What further adds to the authenticity is that these structures are the actual homes and businesses moved here from around the area. The center piece is the 1849 Mason County Courthouse (on the State Register of Historic Places). We toured the entire village and were pleased and amazed with the attention to detail. The chapel, retail stores, workshops, and homes all transport you back in time. Some of the buildings had period actors who recounted the history of the structure and its occupants. There are many events and tours throughout the summer months. Here are just a few photos from the day.

After our visit, we headed down a winding road toward the Lake Michigan shore and arrived at the Pierre Marquette Memorial, an impressive structure honoring his presence in this area. Not far from here is a view of the SS Badger when it's back from its cross-lake voyage.

We finished our western Michigan travels the next day with a roadtrip up that famous midwestern route, the M-22. About five miles north of Manistee on US 31, we turned left onto the scenic M-22 for a day of small towns, unique shops, dramatic scenery, and a national park.

The M-22 is known for its scenic views and quintessential home towns that exude the Michigan spirit. While there are many worthy stops along the way to satisfy the foodies, the shoppers, and sports enthusiasts, we managed to fit in a few on our round-trip journey to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Our highlights included the Arcadia area, with its spectacular Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course. For golfers, this is the destination for world-class golf, fine dining, and elegant living. For duffers like me, it's an opportunity to gaze upon the inspired design of the course and the classic Michigan coast architecture. North of the course, we paused at the Arcadia Overlook for sweeping views high above the Lake Michigan shore. Here you'll find license plates from all over the country as people pause for the amazing views.

Further north, in the town of Elberta, we parked the Pooka downtown and visited the eclectic Elberta Mercantile Company antique store. You can find anything and everything at the Mercantile.

A short distance from the Mercantile, we found the Lighthouse Cafe in downtown Elberta. This local diner is a favorite of locals, but we also found a good number of tourists, including some making their annual trek to the Lighthouse Cafe. Along with our delicious lunch, we sampled Great Lakes Potato Chips—a local favorite. We'll look for those on our next trip to the grocery store.

We finally reached our trip's objective: the Visitor Center at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This National Park Service facility, which includes the Philip A. Hart Center, tells the history and geology of this unique part of the Michigan coastline. Its ample parking lot was full, proving the popularity of this national site. While we didn't travel to the dunes themselves today (we've seen them on past trips), we encourage you to do so, as it is truly a sight to behold. On one such trip, we observed some kids that had descended the 400 foot dune and were now standing on the shore of Lake Michigan. When it was time for the family to travel on, Mom gestured for them to return to the car parked at the top of the dune. They were about to discover that once at the bottom, the labor-intensive trek is a constant step up and slide back action, which can take 2–3 hours. When traveling with kids, it's a good idea to build some flexibility into your travel plan.

For our return trip to the Bluffs on Manistee Lake, we picked up US 31 south for a more direct route home.

The western Michigan coast is an excellent example of Americana. The region offers plentiful venues for food, fun, and play. It's a place to which we will return Along the Pooka Trail.