Outdoor Recreation
Dunes, beaches, trails and water-based adventures
Fill your days with dune climbs, Lake Michigan beaches, trail hikes, small towns, craft beverages and plenty more.
Our challenges reward you for enjoying the best of the area — from beach days and outdoor adventures to delicious restaurants, local shops, galleries, craft beverages, summer music concerts and year-round festivals.
From pristine beaches, award winning wineries, distilleries and craft breweries to stunning lighthouse tours and one of a-kind adventures, Southwest Michigan offers unforgettable experiences for every taste. Explore our list of featured experiences below and discover what makes this region so special.
Southwest Michigan is a beautiful place to get close to nature — and our hiking trails are the best way to do it!
Our paved trails, boardwalks and well-worn paths take you along our Lake Michigan shores, into the woods and across our wide-open farmland. Many are ADA accessible so everyone can enjoy the outdoors.
The region’s longest trail is the 34-mile Kal-Haven Trail State Park between South Haven and Kalamazoo. Sarett Nature Center and the Galien River County Park have walkways over the treetops. Your reward for hiking the dune trails in Warren Dunes, Grand Mere and Van Buren State Parks is seeing the jaw-dropping views of Lake Michigan. You can also get rewarded for visiting 5 area trails with our Southwest Michigan Trails Challenge! Check-in with the Visit Southwest Michigan App to earn prizes.
For a twist on fall color tours, combine your leaf-peeping hikes with stops along the Makers Trail. In winter, leave footprints on these tranquil trails, before sipping mulled wines by our wineries’ crackling fires. Return in spring when the dogwood, redwood and trillium bloom and our makers introduce their new craft beverages. And come often in summer as butterflies dance across sun-dappled forest floors blanketed in wildflowers, capping your adventures with a frosty beer or citrus cooler.