Jessie Voigts shares the story of one of her favorite Michigan beaches on Lake Michigan today.
One of the gems along Michigan’s sunset coast, Oval Beach is in Saugatuck.
Saugatuck deserves its own entry here at Midwest Guest, but for now, I’ll just say that it is heaven for foodies and art lovers. It’s a small town (often paired with Douglas, across the river and the road), with a nostalgic and walkable downtown. Art galleries, shops, fudge, a general store, boutiques, a great coffee shop, and great restaurants all provide plenty to do. However, head across the river and down the dunes to Oval Beach – one of Condè Nast’s top 25 summer shorelines in the world – and in MTV’s top five most beautiful beaches! It is truly one of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever see. Saugatuck’s population triples in the summer, when Chicagoans (and people in the know) descend on the area. Be sure to check out the Saugatuck Centre for the Arts and their events calendar, if you’re staying at one of the many B&Bs in the area. To get to Oval Beach, cross the river from Saugatuck, and head down a winding road – take a left (lakeside) at the sign for Oval Beach, right before the BeachWay Hotel. If you keep going up the hill, you’ll head to Mount Baldy, which is also great fun. You can climb LOTS of stairs (282, although it feels like more) and then run down the dunes to the lake. If you prefer to approach the Big Lake more sedately, drive along the windy, forested road until you crest the hill – and see spectacular Lake Michigan beckoning. If you come in the winter, you’ll see Lake Michigan as few see it – which is gorgeous and its own special time, as the edges of the lake freeze and form enormous ice and sand dunes. There will be an attendant at the gate, and fees are around $6 (or purchase an annual sticker) per car. There are lifeguards on the northern end of the beach, concessions, picnic tables, grills, and a great changing room/bathroom with outdoor showerheads for rinsing off either feet or whole body, if you’re so inclined (and extra sandy). There are two distinct areas of Oval Beach. The northern end is more populated (probably due to the presence of lifeguards, and the wide, flat, smooth beach). The southern end has a steep wooden staircase and a narrower beach - and far less crowds. Both ends of Oval Beach are popular for walkers (with or without dogs) – walk north past the old wooden pilings to the piers at the entrance of the Kalamazoo River, or head south and meander along the coast. Wherever you lay your towel and set up your sun umbrella, you’ll find clean, fine sand, seagulls, driftwood, lots of feathers for fairy sandcastles, gentle stones upon entry into the water, a few sandbars (depending on the waves each year), and gorgeous, clean water. Sometimes, the waves are gentle. At other times, huge waves beckon surfers and body boarders. Always, there are sailboats. Be aware that Lake Michigan has an occasional riptide – the key to surviving this is to let the current take you out, and then float or swim parallel to shore, until you’re past the riptide – then swim in. I’ve not been in one yet, and I grew up near this beach, and have swum there thousands of times. At the end of the day, as you’re waterlogged, full from your lovely picnic, and finished building your sandcastles and digging holes to China, stop and breathe in the clean air - and enjoy one of the most magnificent sunsets of your life. Jessie Voigts is the publisher of Wandering Educators, a travel resource for global educators. Love to learn about the world? Head to http://www.WanderingEducators.com Photos and text © Jessie Voigts 2011 All rights reserved, used with permission
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