When I first moved to the Chicago area, I had no idea about the beauty of the nearby Michigan beaches and beach communities. I am originally from New Jersey, so that longing for the ocean quickly kicked in. So, before I knew it--we were exploring beaches along Lake Michigan and quickly fell in love with beaches in Michigan! So many stunning finds and the adjoining communities reminded me of home. During our visit to Grand Rapids, we spent a little time visiting Grand Haven and discovered a wonderful community for a little family rest and relaxation!
What an adorable dowtown lined with shops and restaurants. The streets were surely buzzing during a glorious summer day! We loved ambling through small businesses including art galleries, epicurean shops and more. C2C Gallery was one of my favorites featuring a range of art from local and other American artists throughout the country. On one visit, an artist was throwing pottery which was neat to see! We also stopped in Blueberry Haven which has the most amazing locally-made blueberry concoctions we have tasted! Of course, a blueberry lemon curd had to make its way home.....
Grand Haven has a museum that is housed in two buildings. The museum explores various historical connections to the area and has free admission, so a nice aside for families. We visited the portion housed in the old Grand Trunk Railroad Depot and were impressed by its collection of model ships! This portion of the museum focuses on the ship building and transportation history of the area. The museum provided a nice little aside and is on the main strip near the harbor.
When visiting Grand Haven, a stroll along the pier to get a closer look at the lighthouses is a must. We strolled along the pier in the evening which ended up being the perfect time because we saw a number of boats coming in for the day. The pier is also a nice place to watch the sunset. Walking along the pier is exhilarating and peaceful at the same time as feel like you are on the edge of the world while soaking in serene views.
Before leaving for our return trip home, we spent some time on Grand Haven beach. What a magical ambiance seeing the beach alive with families all over! We love secluded beaches but sometimes you want to feel the buzz of a busy beach! We had lunch on the beach, enjoying some sandwiches, a salad and baked goods from the Baker's Wife.
For ice cream, Sweet Temptations churns their own. Pronto Pups are also very popular and had an enormous line every time we went by. Pronto Pups are lightly battered hot dogs in the vein of corn dogs and quite a tradition in Grand Haven!
We also discovered a nice little tea shop a bit away from the beach called Lucky Tea Cafe. They brew loose leaf teas which automatically makes them high on my list! They also have light breakfasts, light lunches and pastries. A cozy place worth a stop. Their tea of choice is Adagio which is the loose leaf I primarily use at home, so a comfort while on a vacation!
Grand Haven has much more to uncover besides what we enjoyed during our short trip. We are definitely eager to return! I already have some goodies on my list for next time--watching the Musical Fountain Show, checking out the other part of the museum and more! What a wonderful place to visit!
Post a Comment