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A pier with an elevated catwalk leading to two red lighthouses beside an icy lake under a cloudy sky.

Region 1 of 6

Southern Gateway

Where the trip north begins, on the Lake Michigan shore.

The Southern Gateway covers the Lake Michigan shore from Grand Haven north through Muskegon to the twin towns of Whitehall and Montague. For many visitors it is the first stretch of shoreline on the way north, and a destination of its own for a weekend by the water.

This is an editorial grouping for trip planning, not a county or tourism-bureau boundary.

Regional map

Map of Southern Gateway

21 places on an OpenStreetMap map

Map of Southern Gateway. The same places are listed on this page.

Key destinations

A red pierhead lighthouse building at the end of a pier, with a few small figures walking nearby.

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.

A red steel lighthouse at the end of a long pier lined with rocks.

Southern Gateway

Muskegon

A port city for dune hikes and beach days: state parks on both sides of town, a city beach, pier lighthouses, maritime museums and a ferry to Milwaukee.

Smaller towns

Small towns worth a detour.

A white sailboat on calm open water under a clear summer sky.

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.

Beach grass and sandy dunes beside a lake under a cloudy sky.

Southern Gateway · Small town

Whitehall and Montague

Twin towns on White Lake for a mix of lighthouse, beach and bike trail, with Duck Lake State Park nearby and the start of the Hart-Montague Trail.

Lakes and rivers

The inland lakes, bays and rivers that bring many visitors here in summer.

A waterfront walkway runs along the Grand River channel toward the red pierhead light at Grand Haven.

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.

  • Public launch
  • Rentals
Downtown Muskegon's skyline across Muskegon Lake, framed by shoreline willows.

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
Croton Dam and its red brick powerhouse span the Muskegon River on a clear day.

River · Southern Gateway

Muskegon River

A long trout, salmon and walleye river below Croton Dam, with Newaygo liveries for canoes and tubes, plenty of DNR ramps and early-winter steelhead.

  • Public launch
  • Rentals

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

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
The White River bends through green hardwood forest, with fallen logs in the current.

River · Southern Gateway

White River

An easy Natural River float by tube, canoe or kayak near Hesperia, with Montague liveries, fall salmon, spring steelhead and quiet winter trout fishing.

  • Public launch
  • Rentals

Major attractions

Red Grand Haven pier lighthouse at the end of the pier on Lake Michigan

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.

Weathered wooden pilings in the sand at the water's edge on a Lake Michigan beach

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.

A wooden trail bridge crosses Carlton Creek on the Hart-Montague Trail.

Trail

Hart-Montague Trail

A 22-mile rail trail state park between Montague and Hart, through woods, orchards, farms and the village of New Era.

Trail

Muskegon Lakeshore Trail

About 12 paved miles along Muskegon Lake from Pere Marquette Park to the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, with views of the channel and South Pier light.

Attraction

Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park

A year-round adventure park inside Muskegon State Park with a luge track, lighted cross-country ski trails and skating in winter, and a zip line in summer.

Museum

Muskegon Museum of Art

Muskegon's art museum, founded in 1912 as the Hackley Art Gallery, with American and European paintings, studio glass and a newly doubled building.

State park

Muskegon State Park

Three miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, with forested dunes, two campgrounds, a CCC blockhouse and the Muskegon luge park.

Trail

North Bank Trail

A paved rail-trail of about six miles east from Spring Lake to Nunica, linked to the Lakeside Trail loop through Spring Lake and Ferrysburg.

Beach

Pere Marquette Park

Muskegon's big Lake Michigan beach at the channel mouth, raked daily, with volleyball, kiteboarding, the South Breakwater Light and the Lakeshore Trail.

Lighthouse

White River Light Station

An 1875 brick lighthouse at the White Lake channel, now a maritime museum, with a 38-foot tower you can climb in season.

Upcoming events

Grand Haven Winterfest

January 28 to 31, 2027

Grand Haven · Southern Gateway

FestivalFamilySports

Lakeshore Art Festival

June 26 to 27, 2027

Muskegon · Southern Gateway

ArtsFestivalFood and drink

All events in this region

Sample itineraries