Lake Michigan Shore around Muskegon - Muskegon MI Off the Beaten Path

Preview: The Lake Michigan shoreline may be the Lower Peninsula’s western edge, but many will argue that its heart lies in Chicago. The shoreline is now connected to the city by an interstate highway, but that has only cemented what was already a long and enduring relationship between the Windy City and this watery edge of Michigan. It began with the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which left the city smoldering in ashes. Chicago was rebuilt with Michigan white pine, and the mill towns along the Great Lake, communities like Muskegon and Saugatuck, worked around the clock to supply the lumber. Maybe it was during these excursions to the sawmills that Chicagoans discovered that this region of Michigan possessed more than towering trees and two-by-fours. They discovered the sand, the surf, and the incredibly beautiful sunsets of the Lake Michigan shoreline. By the 1880s, the tourist boom was on, and it was being fed by vacationers from cities outside Michigan, places like St. Louis, and South Bend, Indiana, but most of all from Chicago. They arrived by steamships, trains, and eventually automobiles. They caused luxurious resorts and lakeside cottages to mushroom, beginning in New Buffalo on the edge of the Indiana-Michigan border and continuing right up the coast: St. Joseph, South Haven, Saugatuck, Grand Haven, and Muskegon. They call it the Michigan Riviera, and even Richard J. Daley, Chicago’s famed political boss and mayor, had a summer home on the strip. With the completion of I–94, the two regions were linked by a four-lane belt of concrete. Many Chicagoans, eager to escape the city heat, were less than two hours from the cool breezes of their favorite resort. The Lake Michigan shoreline is still the heart of Michigan tourism. This incredibly beautiful region is characterized by great dunes and watery sunsets, but it’s also known for its bustling resorts, streets full of quaint shops, and attractive beachfront hotels. The region lies on the western edge of Michigan, but Chicago’s influence is unmistakably clear. Just go to the beach and look at the license plates of the cars, listen to the baseball games the radios are tuned to, or see what city’s newspaper someone is snoozing under. You’re in Chicago’s playland. The above description is an excerpt from "Michigan: Off the Beaten Path." Whether you're a visitor or a local looking for something different, this chapter from the Off the Beaten Path series will help you take the "road less traveled" and discover hidden attractions, unique finds, and unusual locales that most tourists miss. This chapter includes Berrien County, Van Buren County, Allegan County, Ottawa County, Muskegon County, Newaygo County, Lake County, Oceana County, Mason County, and Manistee County.
© Copyright Jim DuFresne published by Insiders' Guide all rights reserved.


This travel guide comes from:
Michigan Off the Beaten Path Guide Book