With Spring Break around the corner and — believe it or not — summer not that far away, West Michigan Tourist Association Marketing Manager Courtney Sheffer offered some tips on a few places to visit.
Ludington
This month, the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum has opened. Sheffer noted this is one of the newer attractions in Ludington with the museum featuring an extensive history on maritime activities. Along with the many authentic artifacts, there is a virtual reality experience where visitors can experience piloting the car ferry Pere Marquette 22 into Ludington’s harbor. The experience gives people a chance to learn the unique light signals of Lake Michigan’s many lighthouses as well, Sheffer said.
Then you can go from virtual reality to actually riding the last coal-fired steamship in the United States. The S.S. Badger makes its maiden voyage for 2018 on May 11 and runs through the last day of the season in October.
The S.S. Badger offers nostalgic, four-hour cruises across Lake Michigan to and from Manitowoc, Wisconsin twice daily in the summer season. Sheffer said visitors can also enjoy themed two-hour shoreline cruises in the summer such as the Fourth of July Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean Shoreline Cruise on July 25. For more on the S.S. Badger and its schedule, visit www.ssbadger.com.
Muskegon
“It’s so close to the Grand Rapids area that it is a great day trip destination,” Sheffer said, adding that along with all of its out door activities, one of the biggest Muskegon attractions is Michigan’s Adventures, Michigan’s only adventure park.
Michigan’s Adventure, which opens in May, offers a number of rides from the Thunderhawk and Shivering Timbers roller coasters to the family fun of Lakeside Gliders and the Swan Boats. The 250-acre complex also has a waterpark, Wildwater Adventure, with wave pools and splash pads, with admission covering both parks. For more information, visit www.miadventure.com.
There is also the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex, which is located inside the Muskegon State Park. There is cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding or sledding on five miles of groomed track. Also, the complex is home to one of four luge tracks in the nation, giving visitors the chance to feel what it is like to luge like an Olympian, Sheffer said.
Head just a little north of Muskegon to White Lake, where the Michigan Heritage Park at Hilt’s Landing, operated by the Lakeshore Museum, will be opening in May.
“There is this path that you go through the park and walk on, and travel through Michigan history,” Sheffer said. “They say they have 10,000 years of Michigan history.”
There are many “make and take” vintage craft opportunities such as candle dipping and an opportunity to unearth a mastodon at a dig site, she noted. For more on the Lakeshore Museum Center go to lakeshoremuseum.org.
South Haven
Everyone likes to head south this time of year and just south of the Grand Rapids area is South Haven.
“There are a lot of indoor history museums in the South Haven area and lot of these are free to visit as well,” Sheffer said. “So it is a good time of year to head south and do some of that.”
A few places to visit include the Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum, which is the birthplace and childhood home of America’s “Father of Modern Horticulture,” Liberty Hyde Bailey Jr. The museum is a National historic Site and includes a garden, park and educational outreach center.
The Historical Association of South Haven has its home in the old Hartman School Building in South Haven and features a number of exhibits. And then there is the W.K. Kellogg Manor House in Hickory Corners, which was built in the 1920s by cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg. The home overlooks Gull Lake and there are free self-guided tours, but Sheffer said you do need to call ahead to reserve a spot.
For more ideas, check out the 2018 West Michigan Carefreee Travel Guide which is available at the WKTV station, 5261 Clyde Park Ave. SW or visit wmta.org.
“So there is a lot of information here, whether you want to stay close to home or maybe take a trip up north for the weekend or down south to like the South Haven area,” Sheffer said about the guide.
