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.
Getting here · I-94, I-196, US-31, US-131
Getting here from Chicago
From Chicago, drivers round the south end of Lake Michigan on I-94, then follow I-196 and US-31 north along the Michigan shore.
Most trips from Chicago start by circling the southern tip of Lake Michigan on I-94 into Michigan. The Grand Haven visitors bureau sends Chicago drivers from I-94 onto I-196 and US-31, the pairing that heads north toward Holland and Muskegon. From US-31, the bureau directs drivers onto Washington Avenue into Grand Haven.
From there, US-31 is the shoreline spine of the region. It continues north through Muskegon, Ludington and Manistee and on to Traverse City, which makes it the natural road for a trip that strings together several beach towns. The National Park Service lists US-31 among the southern approaches to Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Travelers bound for the Petoskey and Harbor Springs area have an inland choice. The Petoskey visitors bureau describes the Chicago route as I-94 to I-196 and then north on US-131, which runs up the middle of the state and ends at Petoskey. Before any long drive, check MDOT’s road closure map for construction along the way.
The route
Map of Getting here from Chicago
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Before you go
- The Grand Haven visitors bureau routes Chicago drivers on I-94 to I-196 and US-31 toward Holland and Muskegon.
- For the Petoskey area, the Petoskey visitors bureau lists I-94 to I-196 and then US-131 north.
- MDOT publishes current road closures and construction on its Mi Drive map.
Towns along the way
Ludington & Manistee
Ludington
A Lake Michigan harbor town for beach and lighthouse trips, with the S.S. Badger car ferry and a big dune state park just north of town.
Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Traverse City
A bayfront city at the head of Grand Traverse Bay, with a walkable Front Street downtown, bay beaches, cherry orchards and two wine peninsulas close by.