Hotel · Mid-range
Holiday Inn Grand Haven-Spring Lake
On the Grand River on West Savidge Street in Spring Lake
A 123-room IHG hotel on the Grand River in Spring Lake, across the water from Grand Haven, with a restaurant and a seasonal tiki bar.
River · Southern Gateway
Grand River
The lower Grand River at Grand Haven: a city marina with transient slips, launches, kayak rentals, fall steelhead off the piers and a boardwalk to the lights.
Come to the Grand River for its last stretch, where it turns Grand Haven into a harbor town. A paved boardwalk follows the water to the state park and the pier lights, anglers fish from the boardwalk, and boats head in and out from the launches and marinas.
Start at Chinook Pier and walk the boardwalk along the harbor, past marinas and shops, toward Grand Haven State Park. The Musical Fountain plays on Dewey Hill across the channel, and the south pier, with its two red lights, runs out from the mouth into Lake Michigan. The map pin marks the state park at the river mouth.
Want to get on the water? Boaters launch at Harbor Island, transient boats tie up at the city marina by Chinook Pier, and kayak and paddleboard rentals operate on the river at Spring Lake. Expect no-wake water through most of the lower river. In late fall, anglers line the piers and shore for steelhead.
Take care at the pier. Do not swim near the piers or jump off them, because structural currents form there.
The Grand is often called Michigan’s longest river. Its mainstem runs more than 250 miles, from headwater lakes in Hillsdale County to Lake Michigan at Grand Haven, and its watershed covers 5,575 square miles. Most of that is well inland. This guide covers the lower reach, where the river passes Spring Lake and Grand Haven before it reaches the big lake.
On the water
Motorboats and rules
Expect slow no-wake water through most of the lower river: the Grand Haven harbor and entrance channel, the South Channel, the stretch past downtown Grand Haven and Ferrysburg, the mouth of Spring Lake, and several marked zones upstream in Crockery and Robinson townships. On the westernmost channel near Grand Haven Township, boats 26 feet and longer must not make a wake.
Public access
Grand Haven State Park sits at the river mouth, with the Grand River along its north side and Lake Michigan on the west. The boardwalk along the river next to the park is a popular fishing spot. Riverside city parks include Bicentennial Park, Rix Robinson Park and East Grand River Park.
Boating
Launch at Harbor Island for Grand River access. Several marinas line the river, including the Grand Haven Municipal Marina.
Fishing
In late fall, shore and pier anglers at Grand Haven catch steelhead on salmon spawn, and the boardwalk by the state park is a popular fishing spot. Check current Michigan DNR rules before fishing.
Stocking
Chinook salmon in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2025; brown trout in 2016, 2017 and 2024 to 2026; muskellunge in 2018 and 2022; lake trout in 2016 and 2017; coho salmon in 2026.
Public boat launches
Indian Channel boating access site
Two-lane hard-surface ramp with a courtesy pier, parking for about 10 trailers and a vault toilet. Shallow water can make launching the largest boats difficult. Vehicles need a Recreation Passport at state boating access sites.
Robinson boating access site
Single-lane hard-surface ramp with a courtesy pier, parking for about 64 trailers and a vault toilet. Shallow water can make launching the largest boats difficult. Vehicles need a Recreation Passport at state boating access sites.
Bass River Recreation Area boating access site
Two-lane hard-surface ramp that handles all trailerable boats, with a courtesy pier and parking for about 20 trailers. Vehicles need a Recreation Passport at state boating access sites.
Scott A. Flahive Memorial launch
City of Grand Haven hard-surface ramp that handles all trailerable boats.
Marinas
- Grand Haven Municipal Marina
City marina on the river beside Chinook Pier. Most slips are transient, the rest go to charter and commercial boats; it lists a pump-out, power and water, ice, restrooms and showers. Book through the state harbor reservation system.
Boat, kayak and paddleboard rentals
- Lakeshore Kayak Rental
Kayak, tandem kayak, canoe and stand-up paddleboard rentals on the Grand River in Spring Lake.
Listed because their own sites say they rent on this water. Not an endorsement, and we have no ties to them. Check with them for what is available.
Fishing, launching at a state site or parking at a state park? See licenses and passes for what you need before you go.
Anything not listed here is unverified. Do not assume public access across private riverbanks. Check the Michigan DNR boating access listings and the current fishing regulations.
Through the seasons
Summer
Walk the riverside boardwalk on a summer evening. Officially Lighthouse Connector Park, it runs about 1.5 miles along the harbor from Chinook Pier, and the Musical Fountain plays on Dewey Hill across the channel.
Location
Map of Grand River
3 places on an OpenStreetMap map
The pin marks one well-known point on the river, not its full course.
Places to stay near Grand River
Riverfront homes and cabins are listed by the local rental managers and booking sites below.
Hotels and inns
Mid-range
Harbor House InnListed by the Grand Haven Area Visitors Bureau · Listed by Pure Michigan, the state travel bureau
Budget
Best Western Beacon InnListed by the Grand Haven Area Visitors Bureau
Search all hotels in Grand Haven: Booking.com · Expedia · Hotels.com · Google Hotels
We don’t take bookings or earn anything from these links. Rates, availability and any booking problems are handled by the booking site.
More places to stay in Grand Haven
- Boyden House Inn · A bed and breakfast in a restored 1870s house around the corner from downtown Grand Haven, once the home of lumberman Charles Boyden.
- Washington Street Inn · A Grand Haven bed and breakfast in a 1902 American Foursquare house built by H.J. Dornbos, run by the same innkeepers since 1987.
- Grand Haven Area Visitors Bureau lodging directory · The visitors bureau's guide to hotels, motels, inns, B&Bs, vacation rentals and rustic cabins around Grand Haven and Spring Lake.
Vacation rentals
- Jaqua Vacation Rentals · milakeshorevacations.com
The rental arm of Jaqua Realtors, offering Lake Michigan shore cottages and homes in areas that include Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Ludington.
- Unsalted Vacations · unsaltedvacations.com
A West Michigan rental company with homes, cottages and cabins in areas including Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Manistee and Traverse City.
Nearby towns
Southern Gateway
Grand Haven
A Lake Michigan beach city on the Grand River: a state park beach, a pier walk to two red lights, a riverfront boardwalk and free Musical Fountain shows.
About 1 miles away (straight line)
Southern Gateway · Small town
Spring Lake
A water-first village beside Grand Haven, between Spring Lake and the Grand River, with a public beach, a paved loop trail and plenty of ways onto the water.
About 3 miles away (straight line)
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances from the map point.
State park
Grand Haven State Park
A 48-acre sand beach park where the Grand River meets Lake Michigan, with a swim beach, a modern campground and views of the pier lighthouses.
Under a mile away (straight line)
Lighthouse
Grand Haven South Pierhead Lights
Two red range lights on Grand Haven's south pier, joined by an elevated catwalk, marking the harbor entrance where the Grand River meets Lake Michigan.
Under a mile away (straight line)
More lakes and rivers nearby
Lake · Southern Gateway
Spring Lake
A bayou-lined lake by Grand Haven with marinas, a public beach and a river route to Lake Michigan. Boats 26 feet and up stay no-wake; kayak the coves.
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals
Lake · Southern Gateway
Muskegon Lake
A big all-sports harbor lake at Muskegon: ski, tube and sail, with full-service marinas, five launches, a channel to Lake Michigan and winter perch.
- All-sports
- Public launch
Lake · Southern Gateway
White Lake
An all-sports lake between Whitehall and Montague: ski, tube and cruise, with marinas, pontoon and kayak rentals and a channel out to Lake Michigan.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals