Manistee Riverwalk

The Manistee Riverwalk is how you see the town: an easy boardwalk on the south bank of the Manistee River, running behind the downtown storefronts with the water at your side. It suits an evening stroll, families and anyone who wants to watch the boats, and the state travel listing calls it pet-friendly. Park along River or Water Street or at First Street Beach.

Stairs lead up from the boardwalk to River Street’s shops and restaurants, so it works as a stroll between stops as much as a walk in its own right. Along the way are benches, picnic spots and dozens of history markers, including the Origins Walk, a 2022 set of 20 steel monuments to local figures. If your timing is right, a freighter may slide past.

Sources give different lengths for the walk, so do not plan around a number. The core stretch runs from the east end near Jones Street, under the US-31 bridge and west to Spruce Street, where a small park has picnic tables and grills. In 2024 the city planned a renovation of the stretch from just east of US-31 to Spruce Street, funded in part by a federal grant.

Lights at the east end make it an evening walk in summer, and it is listed as open all year.