Fall Colors Are Everywhere
If you think Southwest Michigan welcomes you with the joys of Lake Life in the summer, wait until you see us in the fall. From dune-lined shores to the heart of our vineyards and century-old farmsteads, discover why this season feels so good.
In autumn, our leaves gradually change to jewel-tones, arching over quiet trails and reflecting in clear rivers and inland lakes. This is an unhurried, slow-simmer season perfect for gathering crisp crimson and gold apples, plump pumpkins and just-picked soup vegetables. Fill a glass or growler with amber, ruby, russet and rose-colored craft wines, beers, hard ciders and spirits along our Makers Trail and celebrate with other fall color chasers at happy-go-lucky harvest festivals.
The trees’ fiery hues begin in early September, when the warm air and water still invite you to a day at the beach. Evenings close with sunsets painted in scarlet and lavender. Then from October until early November, vibrant colors drench our forests and Lake Michigan’s deep-blue waves on one day lap the shore and the next, roar at the historic lighthouses. Here, even the smallest moments — a sip of warm cider, a stroll down a leaf-strewn sidewalk, a paddle past a still heron — fill your heart with awe and joy.
