Nature’s Paradise

Culture trip

“Muskegon has great museums,” says Lukens, mentioning the USS Silversides Submarine Museum, a Gato-Class World War II submarine; the stunning Hackley and Hume Historic Site, two elaborate Queen Anne and Victorian-style homes; as well as the Muskegon Museum of Art.

Though Muskegon Winter Sports Complex features an Olympic-design luge track, ice skating, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and sledding, it’s not all about snow. Its Summer Adventures held on weekends in the summer include luge experiences on the only wheel luge track in North America, as well as kayaking and paddleboarding.

The lakeside Heritage Landing is the place for fishing, events, concerts, and also has a child’s playground and a Tall Ship dock.

A tale of two cities

The nearby cities of Whitehall and Montague, separated by a bridge spanning the White River as it flows into White Lake, retain their quaint charm. New construction is revitalizing the downtown, but the past is not forgotten as historic buildings are being repurposed. An old bank in Whitehall is now Fetch Brewing Company, and the United Methodist Church constructed in 1872 now houses the Montague Museum. One thing remains the same though: An early 1960s-style Dog ‘n Suds with flying buttresses and drive-in slots with call buttons on the White River in Montague.

Pitkin Drug & Gift Shoppe, with its large orange and blue Rexall signage, has been a Whitehall stalwart for more over 135 years. While it’s still a pharmacy, Pitkin now also sells beachwear, souvenirs and home décor. Next door, its Posh by Pitkin boutique clothing store caters to women of all ages. First opened in 1878, Lipka’s Old Fashioned Soda Fountain in Montague is no longer a pharmacy but retains its namesake’s old-fashioned soda fountain, serving shakes, ice cream and sandwiches. The Book Nook & Java Shop & Best Cellars Wine Bar just around the corner is the place to go for — you guessed it — books, wine and lattes, as well as fresh pastries and live entertainment. The space is very cozy, with a two-sided fireplace and lots of comfy chairs in a 19th century building. Figg’s Boutique in Montague is a new addition to the area. This women’s clothing boutique offers both casual and formal apparel, home decor and accessories.

The kitchen belonging to Valerie Hanson, owner of Amanda’s Bequest and Bygone Basics, cooks up farm-style meals, teaches classes on canning techniques for preserving fresh fruit, as well as how to make soap, cheese, yogurt, sour cream and butter. Hanson also does a lot of baking in her 1872 kitchen, the oldest historic home in Montague. She makes breads, cakes, pies, cookies and pastries to order — just be sure to call ahead.

The plethora of attractions — restaurants, a cinema, art galleries and unique shops like Beth I’s Pies (the place to go, as far as I’m concerned, for sugar cream pie) — are within walking distance of many of the marinas. Transient slips can be had at the White Lake Municipal Marina, Whitehall Landing, Montague Marina, Crosswinds Marine Service and Ellenwood Landing Marine and Yacht Club.

Armstrong Marina on White Lake has day-only transient slips. The Municipal Boat Launch & Fish Cleaning Station in Montague has six launch docks, restrooms and a cleaning station. Because access to the beautiful waters is what it’s all about, there are numerous public launch sites, as well as rentals for boats, paddleboards, kayaks, pontoons and bicycles.

The fish runs through it

“Walleye travel back and forth between Muskegon Lake and Bear Lake, which is really shallow — about 10 feet deep,” says Captain Patrick Shiller, owner of charter boats Shelly Lee and No Problem. He notes that both Bear Lake and Muskegon Lake abound with largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, perch and catfish.

“Here, near Lake Michigan, is great for fishing for Coho, walleye and salmon,” says Jim St. John, a local fisherman, as he casts a line. “White Lake is known for its bass.”

Panfish aficionados and those who like fly fishing for bluegill in early summer should check out Duck Lake, a 728-acre day-use state park separated by a bridge from Lake Michigan. The park boasts a marvelously picturesque beach dotted with driftwood and marked by a towering sand dune standing sentinel above the water’s edge.

“On weekends at sunset, this area is often full of cars with people coming for the view,” says Amy VanLoon, executive director of the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.

In spring, summer and fall, Captain Dan Scheib, owner of Getaway Charters in Whitehall, offers fishing charters on Lake Michigan aboard his 33-foot Wellcraft Coastal. During the winter, Scheib’s son, Isaac, runs trips for salmon and steelhead on nearby rivers, including the White River, which is only navigable by small boats, canoes and kayaks.

Not just for anglers

“We’re about relaxation and enjoying the lake,” says Cathy Russell, whose husband, Ron Russell, is captain of Third Swan Charters, a 40-foot twin diesel motoryacht offering sunset cruises and afternoon shoreline tours on White Lake and Lake Michigan. “It’s about gathering with friends and family to enjoy a great lake for boating.”

In keeping with their Swan brand, the couple’s White Swan Inn, a lovely 1884 bed and breakfast in Whitehall, is an easy walk from White Lake Moorings where their cruiser is docked. The inn is just steps away from the Historic Howmet Playhouse, which opened in 1916, and downtown Whitehall.

Hit the Trail

Bike paths, including the 22.7-mile William Field Memorial Hart- Montague Trail State Park, are the No. 3 tourist draw near White Lake, VanLoon tells me, noting that the trail heads south and will eventually connect to Muskegon. Those taking the northern route can cross the bike bridge traversing the White River into Montague; be sure to note the world’s largest weather vane as you go by.

“It’s the state’s first linear trail and has 15 different pieces of public art along the way,” VanLoon says about the bikeway that was once a railroad track.

Farther south, the Lakeshore Trail, a 12-mile paved road running from Pere Marquette Park and Beach to the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, provides peddlers views of the lakes and dunes. The 26-mile Musketawa Trail is an interior trail coursing between Muskegon and Mame.

“There’s so much to see and do here, and people are so friendly,” VanLoon says, as she drives through Tannery Bay, a new housing community going up at the former site of the Whitehall Leather Co. tannery. “There’s always something new — and old — to discover.”

Get Your Camera Ready

Scenic South Shore Drive parallels White Lake, taking travelers to such gems as the brick Norman Gothic-style White River Light Station Museum. Here, I ran into the museum’s curator, Matt Barnum, who, although it was his day off, was working on a building project.

“I just thought I’d stop by and get a few things done,” Barnum says. It’s this type of dedication that led to the formation of Lighthouse Friends, whose goal was to save and maintain the White River Light Station after it was decommissioned. Raising funds for restoration, the 1875 station is now a maritime museum and major tourist attraction offering a glimpse into life on the Great Lakes through the centuries.

Located on the south pier, the station offers panoramic views of the Lake Michigan, White Lake and the dunes.