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Located on the Eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan, Grand Haven Michigan is a vacation and boating mecca. With white sandy beaches, spectacular sunsets, and an active harbor, there is a lot to see and do in Grand Haven. One of the best-kept secrets on Lake Michigan is that there are some of the world's best beaches here, with fine sand, fresh water, and you don't have to worry about not being at the top of the food chain when you go in the water. I have been to beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, including Magen's Bay in St. Thomas, Trunk Bay in St. Johns, Orient Beach in St. Maartin, as well as many others. I'll stack up Lake Michigan's beaches against any of those beaches (at least in the July-August timeframe).
While it is true that the weather only allows you a couple of months per year to really enjoy the beach, that is perhaps the price of living in paradise.
Driving distance from Chicago to Grand Haven, Mi is around 170 miles, and from Detroit to Grand Haven is 190 miles. It is approximately 90 miles north of the half-way point of a direct line between Chicago and Detroit, and is easily accessable from the Interstate Highway system.
Grand Haven State Park is right on the beach of Lake Michigan, and can actually be fairly difficult to obtain a camping site. High temperatures from June to August are only in the mid to high 70s, so the season is short. Reservations are a must here if you want a site during this period.
Grand Haven is known as "Coast Guard City USA", and is the only city officially designated as such by an act of Congress. One of the highlights of the season in Grand Haven is the annual US Coast Guard Festival in the first week of August and attracts over 300,000 visitors.
The US Coast Guard has a long standing history with Grand Haven, and during the Festival, honors the guardsmen lost during the Second World War on the Icebreaker "Escanaba" which had been stationed in Grand Haven. The Escanaba was lost off the coast of Greenland on June 10 1943, most likely sunk by a German U-Boat. This tragedy was especially felt by Grand Haven residents as they knew most of the guardsmen as family.
The frontage of Grand Haven State Park can provide some spectacular views of the beach and pier. The beachfront itself is shared with the campground and daily beachgoers. Due to being on the lee side of Lake Michigan, storms often pop up in this area. The campground is fairly exposed to such weather, and therefore is not recommended for tent camping.
Situated on the Eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan, Grand Haven is one of the few spots in the US that you can view dramatic sunsets over water.
The campground itself is generally asphalt pads surrounded by beach sand. Therefore, this is not a very good campground for tenting as there is not a really good way to anchor a tent. Wheeled RVs however will not have any issues.
There is little shade at the campground, and even in the Michigan climate, the summer sun can give you a good sunburn. RV awnings are helpful here - but make sure you retract your awning before leaving for a day trip, lest a summer squall pop-up and rip it off your RV.
While most Michigan State Parks allow fires at the campsite, this park is a bit unique in that you must bring your own portable firepit - again, due to the predominance of beach sand. Electricity is available at all locations, but water is only available at community spigots, so there is no water or sewer hookup at individual sites. This is pretty typical for Michigan State Parks. So while not exactly "roughing-it", you will have to get your own water. There is a sanitation station located at the East end of the camping area for you to empty your holding tank. There are also shower facilities at the campground.
Since this is a state park, there are limitations... you must buy a daily (or annual) vehicle pass, no alcohol can be consumed at the park, and the maximum stay is 15 days. Reservations are available 6 months prior to your desired stay. So if you want to stay on July 15th, you can book beginning Jan 15th. The nightly cost is under $30 for even the largest rig, and the park has 30ft, 40ft, and even a few 50ft sites.
Getting around Grand Haven from the State Park is easy, even if you arrive in a motorhome and don't have your own transportation. Downtown Grand Haven is within walking distance. As well, the town has a great public transportation system - "Harbor Transit" which will take you almost anywhere for a very small fee (under $1 in some cases).
This is one of our favorite areas in the state (we used to have a boat slip in Grand Haven for our Carver 325), and we like to spend at least a few days here every year.
Grand Haven State Park review.
References: Grand Haven State Park. Maps, details, and reservation system.
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