If you’re planning a fun vacation in South Haven, this guide provides the most exciting things to do with your family, friends, and kids in South Haven, MI.
South Haven is located in Van Buren County and Allegan County, both of which are in the state of Michigan.
Lakes, nature reserves, beaches, farms, and museums are among the places you’ll explore during your vacation.
One of the main attractions you’ll love exploring in this beautiful city is Lake Michigan, which provides a variety of outdoor activities.
This guide provides the best and most fun things to do in South Haven.
Things to Do in South Haven, MI
1. Tour The South Haven Lighthouse
The South Haven Lighthouse or South Haven South Pierhead Light, built in 1872, is operated by the Michigan Maritime Museum.
One of the remaining four catwalks that connects the lighthouse’s tower to the water’s edge can be found at South Haven Lighthouse.
You can go on a tour of the lighthouse to see the lovely 2.5-story structure with wood paneling and a hipped roof that serves as the lighthouse keeper’s residence.
2 . Explore Pilgrim Haven Natural Area
During your vacation, you should stop at Pilgrim Haven Natural Area to explore and take in the breathtaking views of Lake Michigan.
A 0.33-mile trail in Pilgrim Haven Natural Area leads to the area decorated with wildflowers and to Dyckman Creek, making it perfect for a stroll with your loved one.
Pilgrim Haven Natural Area is an ideal location where you can participate in fun activities like biking, snowshoeing, and wildlife viewing.
3. Bike Through Kal-Haven Trail
Kal-Haven Trail is a multi-use trail that spans about 33.5 miles, which you can bike for a fun activity in South Haven.
The trail passes through forests, farms, and charming towns and is excellent for biking and hiking, but only the first mile of the trail is suitable for horseback riding.
The trail is incredibly lovely and provides a tranquil setting ideal for any outdoor activity.
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4. Explore Van Buren State Park
Van Buren State Park covers a whopping 400 acres and features a mile-long sandy beach as well as dunes formations.
This park features breathtaking views of lush, green forests and alluring, blue beaches, all of which you can explore.
The park also offers several campsites if you want to spend the night in a natural setting to unwind and relax.
The stunning beach is perfect for sunbathing, but you can also choose to go for a stroll along it to take in the scenery.
5. Explore North Beach
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At North Beach, you’ll enjoy a picnic here with your loved ones, you just have to pack enough food and beverages.
You’ll have a wide range of opportunities to participate in activities like kiteboarding, viewing the sunset, fishing, and swimming at North Beach.
On the beach, there is a fun playground with a variety of playthings for your kids to enjoy, as well as a lovely pier.
North Beach also has a parking garage, convenient restrooms, and concession stands where you can buy snacks and beverages.
6 . Visit Cogdal Vineyards
Cogdal Vineyards produce a wide variety of correctly planted and grown grapes because of the land’s fertility and texture.
The Cogdal Vineyards creates a variety of delicious wines from the grapes grown in its vineyards.
Many of these wines produced are well-known and have received numerous accolades at regional, national, and international competitions.
You can sample and purchase wines like merlot, dry riesling, cabernet franc, and many others available at Cogdal Vineyards.
7. Visit Warner Vineyards
Warner Vineyards, one of the region’s oldest wineries, is situated in South Haven’s downtown area on the shores of gorgeous Lake Michigan.
Warner Vineyards is committed to making the best wines that are served at various events like the Super Bowl.
You can visit to sample over 25 wines at the tasting room, where you can also order cheese boards to go with their beverages.
You can also try various beverages including sangrias, Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, honey, and honey wines.
8. Explore Overhiser Orchards
Overhiser Orchard is a family-run farm where you can have a U-pick experience selecting pears, plums, peaches, and apples all year long.
At the petting zoo at Overhiser Orchards, your kids can share a private moment with a variety of farm animals.
You can also choose to go fishing at the farm’s picturesque pond, which is home to a variety of fish species, including sunfish, bass, and bluegill.
Overhiser Orchards also organizes educational farm activities, such as harvest festivals and other special occasions.
At these events, children can ride wagons, and you can buy apple cider and fresh, delectable doughnuts.
9. Get Fruit Wines At McIntosh Orchards
One of the best wineries in the area is McIntosh Orchards, which is renowned for providing its customers with a wide selection of premium ciders.
You can pick up some of the highest-quality, freshest fruits at McIntosh Orchards and savor their mouthwatering flavors.
You can choose from a wide range of fruit wines at McIntosh Orchards, including raspberry, white cranberry, and apple cinnamon, as well as craft brews and hard ciders.
10. Bumbleberry Acres
Bumbleberry Acres is a family-friendly location because it provides families and kids with a wide variety of exciting activities.
At Bumbleberry Acres, you’ll have the option to pick your fruits and vegetables, including blueberries and raspberries, as well as pumpkins and wildflowers.
Bumbleberry Acres also has a petting farm with amiable animals like donkeys, bunnies, goats, and other farm animals.
11 Visit DeGrandchamp Farms
DeGrandchamp Farms has a nursery, greenhouses, two hundred acres dedicated to the growth of blueberries, and forty acres used to grow cranberries.
You can visit the nursery if you go at the right time of year, and you can also choose fresh fruits like oranges, apples, and mangoes.
You can also buy food items like vinaigrette, salsa, butter, mustards, and barbecue sauce at this farm.
12. Play At Kids Corner Playground
Kids Corner Playground is an enormous playground perfect for kids of all ages because it has a variety of play structures made entirely of wood.
A picnic area with a well-kept green lawn and benches is available at Kid’s Corner Playground for you to relax with your kids and enjoy a meal.
While enjoying the breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the refreshing breeze, you’ll stay longer than you intended.
13. Visit Michigan Flywheelers Museum
Michigan Flywheelers Museum houses a sizable collection of restored vintage flywheel engines and is dedicated to gathering and preserving the history of the city’s flywheelers.
On its eighty-acre grounds, the Michigan Flywheelers Museum has recreated a town from the 1920s with shingle mills and sawmills.
The Michigan Flywheelers Museum also hosts several special events, such as a flea market, tractor exhibition, and antique engine show.
14. Visit Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum
Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum is the birthplace and childhood home of Liberty Hyde Bailey and is now a Michigan historic site.
On the eighty-acre farm owned by the family, Bailey’s father constructed the historic farmhouse between 1853 and 1858.
The Greek revival-style, the 1.5-story farmhouse was donated to South Haven in 1937 and is now preserved as a living history to honor Bailey’s life.
15. Visit Michigan Maritime Museum
Michigan Maritime Museum explores and displays the world’s maritime heritage, including that of the extraordinary lakes.
The amazing exhibits at the Michigan Maritime Museum are equally captivating and interactive to excite you.
The museum features permanent and rotating exhibits on Michigan’s maritime history along with a workshop that focuses on boat building and many other maritime-related skills.
16 Eat At Samuel Mancino’s
Samuel Mancino’s is renowned for serving freshly prepared Italian dishes using ingredients that are sourced locally.
By providing vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, Samuel Mancino’s restaurant has meals for everyone in your family.
Samuel Mancino’s restaurant offers dishes like chicken parmesan, mozzarella sticks, boneless chicken bites, caesar salad, honey french turkey with bacon, and chicken garlic.
The staff is polite and welcoming, extremely professional, and offers a variety of beverages to complement the meals offered.
17. Eat At Maria’s Taste Of Italy
Maria’s Taste Of Italy is a family-run restaurant owned by the Diesfano Family, and the food is made from scratch using traditional recipes.
Maria’s Taste Of Italy menu items include Italian sausage and meatballs, as well as spinach artichoke dip, lasagna dinner, Caprese salad, chicken carbonara, and chicken parmesan served with spaghetti.
The restaurant also serves specialty pizzas with a wide variety of toppings, including ground beef, sausage, red onion, banana peppers, and black olives.
18. Stop At Three Blondes Brewing
Three Blondes Brewing offers a lovely interior with exquisite decorations and lovely colors and a wide selection of drinks and delicious meals prepared.
They provide expertly brewed beverages like Dill With It Cucumber Dill Berliner Weisse, Rubia Picante Spicy Jalapeno Blonde Ale, Hoosier Hearts Kiwi Extra Pale Ale, and Fat Tiki Fruit Beer.
Three Blondes Brewing also offers barbecue burgers, fish and chips platters, pulled pork sandwiches, pulled pork tacos, platinum turkey club wraps, berry flatbread, and Tater Tots.
You can also place an order for gourmet pizzas and select your preferred toppings, which include roasted or shrunken mushrooms.
19. Skate At South Haven Ice Rink
South Haven Ice Rink features a secure ice rink and offers stunning light displays while skating, giving a party atmosphere.
South Haven Ice Rink also has a sizable pavilion that covers the ice rink, enabling you to skate in a variety of weather conditions.
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20. Play Games At Rocket Arcade
Rocket Arcade is a gamers’ paradise providing a huge selection of video games to preserve arcade culture for future generations.
Pinball machines and a fantastic selection of classic arcade games can be found at Rocket Arcade.
You can choose to play challenging video games like Super Big, Atari Basketball, and Breakout alongside classics like Xybots, Donkey Kong, Pac-Mac, and Galaga.
Rocket Arcade also offers racing, four-player, shooting, fighting, and fighting-related games, such as The House of the Dead, Ferrari F355 Challenge, Mortal Kombat, and Gauntlet Dark Legacy.
21. Drive At Gingerman Raceway
Gingerman Raceway prioritizes all drivers’ safety on the racetrack and makes sure all necessary precautions are taken to ensure it.
With the addition of numerous sand traps and increased sight lines for drivers and riders, Gingerman Raceway makes sure that the track is designed to reduce accidents to the absolute minimum.
To get the chance to drive on the racetrack, you must either hire a track coach or enroll as a student at their driving school.
If you’ve never driven on the trackway, you can visit Gingerman Raceway on Open track days.
22. Go On A Tour With Sailing South Haven
Sailing South Haven is a family-owned company that provides an unforgettable sailing experience.
They provide a 37-foot cruiser called the Margaret Ann boat that has a fiberglass hull with teak trim, and the lower part of the boat has a cabin with a cozy port.
You can go on a tour on a luxury sailing vessel from Sailing South Haven which is equipped with a fully stocked bar that serves spirits, cocktails, and other drinks.
The tour provides all the thrills and delights you could want; all you have to do is relax and enjoy yourself.
23. Go On Tours With Jensen Charters
Jensen Charters is a tour operator that provides a sizable selection of boat tours for customers to choose from.
On their extremely comfortable and opulent boats, Jensen Charters takes you through the most amazing locations.
They provide a variety of boat tours, such as private cruises, day or early morning cruises, passenger pirate trips, and sunset cruises.
Make sure you bring your camera and recording equipment when you visit so you can record all the unforgettable moments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top attractions to visit in South Haven?
South Haven Lighthouses
Kal Haven Trail
North Beach
Michigan Maritime Museum
Cogdal Vineyards
Is South Haven Michigan worth visiting?
South Haven Michigan is a romantic getaway for couples, lured by the many cozy B-and-B’s and nearby wineries.
How do I spend a day in South Haven MI?
You can spend a day in South Haven MI by taking a stroll along the beach, swim, and taking a walk out south pier to the Lighthouse.
What is there to do in South Haven Michigan this weekend?
Interesting things you can do in South Haven Michigan this weekend are;
South Haven Lighthouses.
Kal Haven Trail.
North Beach.
Michigan Maritime Museum.
Cogdal Vineyards.
Van Buren State Park.
What is South Haven MI known for?
South Haven is known for offering seven different public beaches that allow for a variety of water activities
What shops are in South Haven Michigan?
Some shops located in South Haven, Michigan are;
Hood Outdoors.
Janny’s Beach House.
Johnny’s Lakeshore Jewelry.
Junebugs.
Kalamazoo Candle Company
What towns are close to South Haven?
Benton Harbor, MI, and Holland, MI, are towns close to South Haven.
Where is the best beach in Michigan?
Cheboygan State Park Beach,located in Cheboygan, is the best beach in Michigan.
Where do you park at South Haven beach?
When you go to the South Haven beach, you can park at the Main South Beach parking lot by the river.
How big is South Haven Michigan?
South Haven Michigan is 9.065 km² big.
Visit South Haven, MI
South Haven, a beautiful city in Michigan, will provide the best vacation you’ve ever had because of its abundant breathtaking attractions.
Overhiser Orchards, South Haven Lighthouse, Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum, Van Buren State Park, and Pilgrim Haven Natural Area are some attractions you’ll love exploring during this stay.
South Haven is a family-friendly city that offers a variety of enjoyable activities for all family members.
You can start planning your vacation to South Haven and always consult this guide for the best and most fun things to do in South Haven, MI.
Have a great day.
