Muskegon / White Lake
Experience the Lake Effect in Muskegon County.
Like sand or snow, the memories made in Muskegon will not be ones to simply brush off. We’ll stick with you long after your visit to our area. Our sugar sand beaches and dunes are nationally recognized and they offer a perfect natural playground, but we are much more than sand between your toes. We’ll take your visit or vacation to a whole new level. Ride miles of thrills aboard the Shivering Timbers Rollercoaster or defy gravity on the Funnel of Fear at Michigan’s Adventure Amusement and Waterpark. Experience over 60 rides including the new coaster Thunderhawk. Enjoy a live concert on Muskegon Lake during Summer Celebration. Experience a rare thrill on the luge run at Muskegon’s Winter Sports Complex, 1 of only 4 tracks in NorthAmerica. Visit one or all of our 3 State Parks along the lakeshore for camping, hiking and relaxation. Our area also boasts over 60 miles of winding trails for bike enthusiasts. Include history and culture into your visit with Muskegon’s Museum of Art, Great Lakes Naval Memorial & Museum and the Hackley/Hume historic site.
The White Lake Area is comprised of the sister cities, Montague and Whitehall. This beautiful region is located in the most northern part of Muskegon County and stretches along the shore of Lake Michigan. It is often thought of as a 4 season’s playground with boating, fishing, hiking, skiing and snowmobiling, golfing, biking, or just kicking back on the beaches. Recreational enthusiasts will find a wide range of outdoor activities to enjoy in the White Lake area year round. Favorite attractions include the White River Light Station, Michigan’s Adventure Amusement Park, the World’s Largest Weathervane as well as historic neighborhoods and downtown areas. Visitors and locals enjoy shopping in quaint and charming stores along with a variety of dining in Montague and Whitehall. The arts abound with ongoing venues and projects along with performances held at the Howmet Playhouse entertaining thousands throughout the year. Community concerts are held weekly at the Montague Band Shell during the summer months while many festivals and multiple activities fill the calendar from season to season. All are invited to come, stay and enjoy the beautiful White Lake area, your 4 season’s playground.
Learn more at: www.visitmuskegon.org
Photographer: Stacy A. Niedzwiecki
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- Actor’s View – A view from the stage out into the beautifully restored Frauenthal Theater, downtown Muskegon, Michigan. Along with performances, the Frauenthal is rented for weddings and receptions, parties on the stage, business meetings and speaking engagements. Formerly known as the Michigan Theater, was built in 1929 by Muskegon’s own movie mogul, Paul Shlossman.
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- Appreciation – The Muskegon Museum of Art is considered one of the country’s premier art museums for a town of its size. It provides West Michigan access to a world-class collection of visual art – paintings, prints, sculpture and glass – enhanced by a wide range of temporary exhibitions. Educational programs, including classes, family programs, lectures, and hands-on activities, as well guided tours, provide a context for interpretation of the collection and make it accessible to diverse audience
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- Are There More? – Trying out a bit of fishing from a small dock at Bear Lake Channel – North Muskegon. Muskegon Lake offers the visiting angler opportunities to catch a wide variety of fish species in the early spring.
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- Beautiful Dancer – “The Muskegon River Band of Ottawa Indians performed its first public powwow at Hackley Park in downtown Muskegon. This young woman was preparing to dance at the Grand Entry of the PowWow. A dancer’s clothing is called Regalia, and he/she is said to be in dress. It is not a costume. A dancer’s regalia is a unique expression of spirit, often comprised of priceless heirlooms and other articles handmade by family and friends.”
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- Big Daddy Fox – Big Daddy Fox performing at the Alley Door Club, a venue featuring jazz and blues music is located on the 3rd floor of the Hilt Building in downtown Muskegon, Michigan.
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- Celebration – The Grand Opening Celebration of the Caboose No. 90702 mini-museum, located outside the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourist Information Center.
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- Dinner – A nice catch of bluegill reeled in by an ice fisherman on White Lake in Whitehall, Michigan.
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- Done Yet? – Riders (enjoying – perhaps?) the new Thunderhawk rollercoaster at Michigan’s Adventure Amusement Park. Seated in trains suspended from an overhead steel track, thrill-seekers fly on the Thunderhawk roller coaster through five inverting elements at speeds reaching 50 mph. This 2,260-foot long suspended looping roller coaster stands 105-feet tall and lasts just over two minutes.
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- Duck Lake Channel – Duck Lake State Park – a view of the beach at the spot where the channel empties into Lake Michigan. Located in north Muskegon County.
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- First Voyage – Testing the new kayak on Lake Michigan at Duck Lake State Park, North Muskegon County.
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- Flow – The waters of the Little Rio Grande Creek, which runs through Patterson Park near Ravenna, Michigan. The park is 28 acres on the river flood plain with wooded and open areas.
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- Flyover – Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) cruises over a small lagoon in Veterans’ Memorial Park in Muskegon.
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- Fresh – Nice display of fresh locally grown tomatoes at the Muskegon Farmers’ Market. The Muskegon Farmer’s Market is a division of the City of Muskegon. With 80+ vendors, the Market is the largest in Muskegon County.
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- Just Add Marshmallows – Two good friends enjoy a cozy campfire at Pioneer County Park, North Muskegon. Pioneer is the largest and most popular park. The area provides a 145-acre park offers camping, swimming, sunbathing, picnicking, tennis, softball, basketball and volleyball. The park is filled with a variety of mixed oak, maple, white pine and hemlock pine trees.
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- Little Flower Creek – Sunset at Meinert County Park, North Muskegon County, where the mouth of Little Flower Creek empties into Lake Michigan.
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- Little Flower Creek – Sunset at Meinert County Park, North Muskegon County, where the mouth of Little Flower Creek empties into Lake Michigan.
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- Michillinda Magic – The driveway entrance to Michillinda Lodge glows with morning sunlight. Originally a turn of the century country estate, Michillinda Lodge is situated on a broad expanse of wooded land atop a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan just south of Whitehall, Michigan.
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- 2009 Miss Michigan – Nicole Blaszczyk of Novi discovers she has just won the Miss Michigan 2009 at the annual pageant at the Frauenthal Theater, Muskegon. The scholarship pageant has called the city of Muskegon home for 59 years. Nicole is being awarded by Ashlee Baracy – Miss Wayne County, Miss Michigan 2008.
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- Order’s Up! – The Dog ‘n Suds Drive-In, located in Montague, Michigan, is family owned and operated. The location was founded by a Montague school teacher in 1963 who ran the Drive-In in the summer months. For many years, this Dog ‘n Suds has been the sole surviving location in the state of Michigan.
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- Picture Perfect – At Norman Kruse Park, a wheelchair accessible ramp leads down to a wooden platform on the beach – allowing the beach to be enjoyed by all.
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- Soul Friend – Harp player for Anam Kara (Gaelic for soul-friend) performs Celtic and traditional music at the Derbyshire Renaissance Faire on the Muskegon County Fairgrounds. An annual event, the Faire provides visitors the sights and sounds of a traditional Renaissance market place.
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- Sploosh! – Cooling off on a hot day at Michigan’s Adventure Water Park. The Tree House Harbor features a giant water-dumping bucket atop this childrens water play area, complete with slides and water guns.
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- Stauffacher – Muskegon Lumberjacks hockey team member Luke Stauffacher (Right Wing #21) at Muskegon’s L.C. Walker Arena.
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- Sunset Drive – Late evening on Lakeshore Scenic Drive looking out over Duck Lake State Park – north Muskegon County.
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- The Kitty Princess – Fun at the children’s face-painting area during Fruitport Old Fashioned Days event. People from all over gather in the small town of Fruitport, Michigan for this week-long event beginning the Tuesday before Memorial Day every year.
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- Together – Trillium wildflowers spring up from the woods of the in the Muskegon State Game Area, where it blooms in abundance from early May on.
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- Union Station – The historic Union Station was built in 1895, and now serves as the center of the Muskegon County Convention and Visitors Center. It is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.
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- USS Silversides – The USS Silversides sub was commissioned into the U.S. Navy on December 15, 1941, just eight days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Silversides sank 30 ships and damaged 14 ships. She ranks third highest among all World War II U.S. submarines in ships sunk. Visitors can view the sub’s compartments and see how the sailors lived and worked. The Silversides has been under restoration, largely through volunteer effort, since it arrived in Muskegon from Chicago’s Navy Pier in 1987.
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- White Lake Chamber – The White Lake Chamber of Commerce makes its home in a beautifully restored C & O Railroad depot.
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- White River Light & Museum – Morning at the White River Light Station and Museum, Whitehall, Michigan. Built in 1875 by Captain William Robinson, the White River Light Station now serves as a physical reminder of the rich nautical history of Michigan. The light house is now a museum and open to the public.
See the Other Spring 2009 Locations
