If you’re from Chicago, I’m sure you’ve been to some of the Michigan Beach towns along the shore of Lake Michigan before. I have been to a few myself (Saugatuck, Holland, St. Joseph) But this year, I visited a new town that I surprisingly never heard of called Ludington. It is only about a 4 hour drive from Chicago!

*Worthy Mention* We decided to stop along the way for lunch and found the best place! Crane’s Pie Pantry Restaurant and Winery in Fennville! It has the cutest farm style antique decor and is on situated on fields of their own fruit-picking farm land. My group all got the cider and pie flights and it was honestly the best pie and hard ciders I have ever tried.

I went to Ludington for a family reunion and we rented a cute little Airbnb called The Dock House. It had the perfect location! Down the street from the beach, right next to the marina, and walking distance into town! Some of my family camped in the State Park and some rented a condo with a pool right on the marina.

 

There was a lot to do in Ludington and we had such a great time exploring this town!

 

What To Do

 

Visit the State Park

We spent some time with family at the campgrounds of the Ludington State Beach Park. The campgrounds were nice but crowded and the beach was great! They have a small dog-friendly part of the beach as well. One evening we climbed up the dunes a little and watched the most amazing sunset. Definitely recommend.

 

Climb a Lighthouse or Two

Ludington has 2 lighthouses. Big Sable Point and Ludington North Breakwater Light.

Big Sable is a 1.5 mile hike from the campgrounds. (which is way more exhausting than it sounds. You are warned). I was too tired after the walk to climb up but it is open during the summer months. But just walking around the area was lovely. One thing I loved was that there were monarch butterflies everywhere! They would sit in the sand and if you walked up to them all of a sudden you were in a swarm of pretty orange butterflies.

North Breakwater is right off the main beach. This was my favorite because the walk makes you feel like you’re walking right into the middle of the lake (which basically you are). This lighthouse is much smaller but we were still able to walk up (just not out into the deck for safety reasons) The stairs are steep and narrow, more like ladders, but it was worth it! A volunteer told us stories and facts once we were at the top.

 

Check out the Shops in Town

I loved the little downtown area in Ludington. It had some cute boutique shops, lots of antique stores, a used bookstore (my favorite!) and great little food spots. They also frequently have events or music in the park. Downtown was only about a 15 minute walk from our rental house and we ended up walking there more times than I can count!

 

Morning Walks along the Marina

The Waterfront Walkway is a nice walking path where you can watch the boats come and go. Look out for the famous “Badger” (giant ferry boat) coming in. Also, if you are walking early in the morning, there’s a good chance you might see a mink run across your path! These little guys like to hangout along the rocks and are super cute! Not sure how friendly they are though, so be kind to them.

 

Have a Beach Day at Stearn’s Beach

This is the beach that was down the street from our rental house. It had beautiful sand and lots of seagulls. I loved that they had a concession stand and some game rental options. We rented a volleyball one day and used one of the nets they had set-up. There was also a playground, as well as a skate park and mini golf right across the street. This beach was also a great spot for sunsets! Watch from the beach, a boat dock, or the lighthouse (wave permitting).

 

Visit a Museum

Although we did not do this during our trip, I thought I would include it anyways. We walked past the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum many times but never stopped. Maybe next time! From what I know, this museum gives the history of Ludington’s Coast Guard and maritime connections. Now mostly a tourist vacation spot, Ludington used to be a very important city in regards to shipping and transporting goods. There is also the Sandcastle’s Children’s Museum if you are traveling with kids.

 

 

Where To Eat

 

House of Flavors

Giant Ice Cream Sundaes. That’s really all I have to say.

We ate lunch here (decent food) and then got the Sooper Dooper Pigs Dinner which is a 12 scoop ice cream sundae. You get to pick all 12 scoops and toppings come on the side. It took about 6 of us, but we basically demolished it. They do have smaller sundaes as well but if you’re going, might as well go all out.

 

Biercamp Market

This was my favorite place! It was a little grocery store market but they also had sandwiches, a make your own salad bar, and pre-made dishes like salads, pastas, and more. Oh, and it was a bar and coffee shop too! We ended up here several times throughout the week because they just had everything!

 

Chef John’s Bakery and Cafe

A European style breakfast spot that had a cozy decor. Each table had different chairs and different salt and pepper shakers and it was adorable. They had good food and tasty bakery items. We got a caramel cinnamon roll and ate it so fast I didn’t even take a picture of it.

 

Ludington Bay Brewery

We actually didn’t eat here because we arrived too late but their menu looks amazing and I’m sad I didn’t get a chance to try anything. I’m not a huge beer drinker but I enjoyed a few of the beers that they had here! Tangelo Dream was a crowd favorite. They have a nice big open restaurant inside and a cozy patio with a fire pit out back.

 

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try out too many restaurants this trip. Since we were with a group of people, we spent most of the week cooking our own food or just ordering pizzas because that’s the easiest option. Some other places on my list were: Blu Moon Bistro, Table 14, and Jamesport Brewing Company.

 

Overall, Ludington is a cute and quaint beach town. It is not super touristy like some others I have visited. The sunsets were amazing and there were plenty of activities to do for families or groups of people! I am not sure if I will ever visit again as there are many more beach towns along the lake to visit, but I am so glad I got the chance to explore this one!

 

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Have you been to any Lake Michigan Beach Towns? Which has been your favorite?