{"id":15365,"date":"2026-07-02T19:19:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T19:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15365"},"modified":"2026-07-02T19:19:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T19:19:25","slug":"michigans-best-beach-getaway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15365","title":{"rendered":"Michigan\u2019s Best Beach Getaway"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"justify-start\">\n<nav class=\"align-left col-span-full mb-base\" data-pom-e2e-test-id=\"breadcrumbs\"\/>\n<p>Escape to New Buffalo and St. Joseph, where summer fun overlaps with great food and art<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Published July 2, 2026 12:05PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>What makes a great summer beach scene? Activities for everyone, pristine shorelines and water, and welcoming communities. You\u2019ll find all that and more in southwest <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/\">Michigan<\/a>, where the state\u2019s Lower Peninsula has long been a haven for beach seekers. Whether you\u2019re hopping on an Amtrak from downtown Detroit or Chicago or loading up the family van, getting to New Buffalo and St. Joseph is easy\u2014and once you arrive, simply slow down and enjoy harbor-town energy that moves at your pace. Here are just a few of the highlights you\u2019ll find.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2745653\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">Southwest Michigan<\/span> (Photo: Outside)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><b>Silver Beach<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>St. Joseph\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/property\/silver-beach-county-park\">Silver Beach<\/a> has the obvious draw on a hot day: the clear waters of Lake Michigan, offering the perfect way to cool off. And it gets better. Silver Beach is great for more than just a dip\u2014it\u2019s the kind of bustling beach that plays host to all-time summer days.<\/p>\n<p>Rent kayaks and paddleboards to explore farther into Lake Michigan, or walk the South Pier to enjoy lake views from solid ground. It\u2019s a great spot to get a closer look at the North Pier Lighthouse, which you can visit from Tiscornia Park across the river. The South Pier is also a popular fishing spot, offering opportunities to cast for coho and Chinook salmon, perch, brown and rainbow trout, and whitefish. Kids in tow? There are two playgrounds within Silver Beach County Park, along with the iconic hand-painted <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/property\/silver-beach-center-and-carousel\">Silver Beach Carousel<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2745656\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Silver Beach Carousel\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2745656\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/StJoseph-OutsidePM-Selects6-Large.jpeg?width=1920&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x, https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/StJoseph-OutsidePM-Selects6-Large.jpeg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 2x\" bad-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/StJoseph-OutsidePM-Selects6-Large.jpeg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">Silver Beach Carousel<\/span> (Photo: Outside)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><b>Warren Dunes State Park<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Ready for a new kind of downhill fun? Try sandboarding. At <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/property\/warren-dunes-state-park\">Warren Dunes State Park,<\/a> on the shores of Lake Michigan, the 260-foot dunes offer the perfect setting for beginners and experts alike. Rent boards and sleds at <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/property\/third-coast-paddling-warren-dunes-state-park-kayak-paddleboard-rentals-sandboard-sand-sled\">Third Coast Paddling<\/a> inside the park\u2014it\u2019s a guaranteed good time for the whole family.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll also find mellower thrills here, with six miles of nature trails throughout the park, three miles of shoreline (with some dog-friendly beaches), and two campgrounds. If you still have the hiking bug, nearby <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/property\/warren-woods-state-park\">Warren Woods State Park<\/a> offers a quiet nature walk by the winding Galien River.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2745657\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Warren Dunes State Park\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2745657\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/StJoseph-OutsidePM-Selects5-Large.jpeg?width=1920&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x, https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/StJoseph-OutsidePM-Selects5-Large.jpeg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 2x\" bad-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/StJoseph-OutsidePM-Selects5-Large.jpeg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">Warren Dunes State Park<\/span> (Photo: Outside)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><b>The Galien and St. Joseph Rivers<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Keep the multisport vibe going with a paddling adventure on the six-mile <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michiganwatertrails.org\/trail.asp?ait=cv&amp;cid=105\">Galien River Marsh Water Trail<\/a>, which offers a tranquil float for all ages and abilities. Follow the river as it snakes through the sprawling New Buffalo Marsh before reversing course back up the slow-moving current. <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/property\/third-coast-paddling-galien-river-kayak-paddleboard-rentals\">Third Coast Paddling\u2019s Galien River<\/a> location has rentals available right at the put-in, making it easy to add this on-the-water excursion.<\/p>\n<p>More paddling awaits at the St. Joseph River, north of Warren Dunes State Park. The 67-mile <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michiganwatertrails.org\/trail.asp?ait=cv&amp;cid=141\">St. Joseph River Water Trail<\/a>, from downtown St. Joseph to Niles, offers longer journeys while still affording easy access for shorter trips. Find numerous rental outfitters in town and by the water.<\/p>\n<p>After a big day on the water, treat yourself to a great meal in New Buffalo. The community is quickly becoming a hub of elevated eateries, like <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.postboynb.com\/\">PostBoy<\/a>, home to 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist chef James Galbraith. Here, you\u2019ll find regional favorites crafted with local ingredients and a global spin. (Tip: You can also start the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/property\/lake-michigan-shore-wine-trail\">Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail<\/a> in New Buffalo.)<\/p>\n<h2><b>Interactive Art in St. Joseph<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/property\/krasl-art-center\">Krasl Art Center<\/a>, a free public gallery specializing in contemporary sculpture, shows just how fun art can be, with interactive pieces like the enormous bronze hippopotamus snoozing by the entrance. Since 1994, \u201cThe Heavyweight,\u201d as the 800-pound hippo is called, has delighted thousands of children (and more than a few adults) who crawl, climb, and sit atop it. You can see more interactive art in the Center\u2019s East Garden, an outdoor space designed to inspire play and wonder with unique, rotating installations.<\/p>\n<p>The Krasl Art Center encourages guests to continue their immersive art experience with a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/krasl.org\/events\/rentals-weddings\/public-art-scavenger-hunt\/\">Public Art Scavenger Hunt<\/a>. The official paid tour is a 90-minute quest on a four-person Surrey bike, but you can also consult the center\u2019s free <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/krasl.org\/art\/sculpture-map\/\">sculpture map<\/a> and see the public art in St. Joseph and neighboring Benton Harbor however you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2745659\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Southwest Michigan has activities for everyone, pristine shorelines and water, and welcoming communities.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1919\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2745659\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/StJoseph-OutsidePM-Selects7-scaled.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" bad-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/StJoseph-OutsidePM-Selects7-scaled.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">Southwest Michigan has activities for everyone, pristine shorelines and water, and welcoming communities.<\/span> (Photo: Outside)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><b>Nature Escapes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Need a big dose of quiet? The region is home to several scenic sanctuaries with peaceful nature trails. Explore complex ecosystems ranging from hardwood forests to freshwater wetlands at places like <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chikamingopenlands.org\/our-preserves\/jens-jensen-preserve\">Jens Jensen Preserve<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chikamingopenlands.org\/our-preserves\/turtle-creek-preserve\">Turtle Creek Preserve<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chikamingopenlands.org\/our-preserves\/robinson-woods\">Robinson Woods Preserve<\/a>, and other natural spaces protected by Chikaming Open Lands. Or get some fresh air on one of the area\u2019s bike paths. The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/swmichigan.org\/member\/harbor-shores-nature-fitness-trail\">Harbor Shores Nature and Fitness Trails<\/a> weave through wildlife-rich wetlands all the way into downtown Benton Harbor, while the recently opened <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/berrientrails.org\/explore-trails\/red-arrow-trail-details\/\">Red Arrow Trail<\/a> connects New Buffalo to Sawyer, just south of Warren Dunes State Park.<\/p>\n<p>The only question when planning a getaway in southwest Michigan: What will you do first?<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><i>Your trip begins at <\/i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-afl-p=\"2\" href=\"http:\/\/michigan.org\"><i>michigan.org<\/i><\/a><i>. <\/i><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/adventure-travel\/destinations\/michigans-best-beach-getaway\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Escape to New Buffalo and St. Joseph, where summer fun overlaps with great food and art Published July 2, 2026 12:05PM What makes a great summer beach scene? Activities for everyone, pristine shorelines and water, and welcoming communities. You\u2019ll find all that and more in southwest Michigan, where the state\u2019s Lower Peninsula has long been<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15366,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wild-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15365\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}