Michigan is a beautiful state and Amanda showcases it best on Instagram at @exploremichiganmore. From day trips to weekend getaways, find inspo for all parts of the state. Save this article for your west Michigan adventures. From kid-friendly activities, places to eat and where to stay, Amanda breaks down it all for a go-to travel guide.
Just a little over three hours from the Detroit Area, you will find a haven of small towns strung together along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
These towns comprise a Harbor Country community, and I called Harbor Country home for over 25 years. Because the area is so wonderful, I want to share some of our favorite places that we took on a recent trip to hopefully give you inspiration to pack up the car and spend some time exploring these Michigan gems.
For this trip, we kept our home base in New Buffalo, Michigan. With its own beach, plenty of lodging options between hotels near the highway and in town, short-term rentals, shop-lined streets, and walkability, this is the quintessential beach town for families with young children.
When we first arrived in New Buffalo, it was just before lunch. After a trek in the car, I knew we needed some fresh air and to stretch our legs. We decided to head to Turtle Creek Nature Preserve and do one of the storywalks that will be there until the middle of June. Even after the storywalks are done, this is a great little half-mile loop for your youngest hikers. You will park in the New Buffalo Elementary School parking lot and make your way to the preserve entrance off of Lubke Street.
Ready for a little more play? One of my biggest ways to save money on day trips or even longer vacations is to see what the area library and nature centers look like. I had not visited the New Buffalo Township Library since their upgrades to the youth area, and you will want to save this for your trip if you need a little inside play.
Next, it was time for lunch. As you pass through town on the main street, you’ll pass a very unassuming Mexican food stand called Rios Mexican Grill. Don’t keep going. You will want to stop here for lunch. With walkup or drive-through options, you can grab your lunch and enjoy it at the beach or eat it at one of the provided picnic tables. Do not skip on getting the guacamole.
After lunch, we still had time before our check-in, so we stopped at a New Buffalo tradition: Oinks Dutch Treat. In the summer, you will find lines out the door to this popular ice cream shop, but don’t worry—they have been doing this for years, and the line moves quickly. While you wait you can check out the walls and ceiling that are filled with pig decorations and ice cream memorabilia.
Afterward, it was time to check in to our hotel. For this stay, we stayed at The Neighborhood Hotel, which has a community backyard and is within walking distance of the beach and restaurants. It was the perfect match for our stay.
Then it was time to play. And play we did. With a short ten-minute walk from the hotel, we spent the rest of the afternoon walking the boardwalk at New Buffalo Beach and playing in the sand. If it’s above freezing, you will find us enjoying the water or at least being near it. The great thing about New Buffalo Beach is that there is an updated boardwalk to enjoy the dunes and take in the views, a beach playground, and plenty of parking. Keep in mind that the parking lot is paid, and there are bathrooms available, but they are closed during the off-season, so you will find porta-pottys during that time.
The Stray Dog Bar and Grill was on our walk home from the beach to the hotel, making it the perfect stop for dinner. Its open, bright, beachy feel and patio setting make it a great stop for a kid-friendly dinner with an incredible atmosphere.
For day two, we started our morning with a visit to Whistle Stop Grocery in Union Pier. Here, you can grab breakfast and lunch to go and enjoy them as you head off on your adventure, or if the weather is nicer, enjoy them at one of their picnic tables lining Red Arrow Highway. I enjoyed a latte and breakfast sandwich that my daughter later wanted for herself to accompany her fresh blueberry muffin. In the busy summer months, I suggest putting your order in ahead of time for pickup.
After fueling up, we spent the rest of the day enjoying hikes and finding new parks. If you are looking for family-friendly hikes in the area, look no further than the Galien River County Park and pick a favorite from the Chikaming Openlands. We spent hours playing at the Harbert Community Park, featuring structures made for the 2-5 range and 5-12 area, along with a dog park, pavilions, picnic tables, and a vault toilet.
Now, it was time for lunch. When I tell you not to miss David’s Deli when you visit the area, I mean it. With a carefully curated menu and build-your-own sandwich options, you’ll find something for everyone at this deli.
Then we walked to the coffee shop to make a quick stop to grab an afternoon pick-me-up at the new-in-town Starbucks (even if you are not a coffee drinker, stop here for a photo by the gorgeous mural that adorns the building).
Again, I cannot stress enough about how perfect New Buffalo is for families with young children. After lunch and coffee, we walked back to the beach to spend the rest of the afternoon playing there. Being able to bounce between playing in the sand, the playground, and walking the dune boardwalk put this beach at the top of our favorites.
After spending the afternoon at the beach, it was time for dinner. Right across the street from our hotel was one of my favorite restaurants, Brewsters New Buffalo. If you have pizza lovers in your family, then this is a must-visit. Seating is on a reservation basis, and dinner begins at 4 pm daily.
After dinner, it was time to do some more beach play and catch an amazing sunset.
After a restful sleep at the hotel, it was time for our visit to end, and we packed up to head out. Before leaving New Buffalo, we made sure to stop at Issa Vibe Cafe. You won’t want to leave with every inch of the cafe thoughtfully designed and absolutely photo-worthy. Grab a breakfast panini and latte and enjoy the views.
I hope this visit inspired you to give visiting Harbor Country a try and that you find your own hidden gems. Looking for more road trip inspiration from the Detroit area, check out these blogs!
