Lake Michigan City Named One of America's Best Summertime Spots

One of the 20 best lake towns in the country is only an hour drive from Kalamazoo. (No, it's not South Haven.)

Thrillist celebrates food, drink, travel and local culture. Their mission: "We serve the curious and believe that new experiences are what drive the rich lives." You knew when they compiled a list of the 'Best Lake Towns in the US' that Michigan would be well represented.

Our sandy shores took two spots on the survey, with Mackinaw City, St. Ignace and Mackinac Island all rolled into one. Here's what they said:

Once you’ve crossed the bridge you’ll find the small town of St. Ignace, home to even more lovely Lake Michigan beaches, plus shops selling fudge, coconut flake, smoked fish, and pasties -- giant, meaty hand pies that are basically the unofficial food of the U.P. Cross the lake by boat and stay on the hugely popular Mackinac Island -- cars are forbidden, but horse-drawn carriages take you anywhere you want to go. The famed Grand Hotel offers opulent rooms and scenic views of the lake from its white verandas and porches. Mackinac’s famous fudge is all sugar (and maple. And peanut butter) and you can take it home by the pound.
-Rebecca Golden, Thrillist

The other Michigan village making the list of Best Lake Town in the US is much closer to Kalamazoo; Saugatuck. Thrillist writers were impressed with the quaint town sometimes known as "The Great Art-Doors." Along with its sister city of Douglas, the local economy boasts 140 LGBTQ-owned or supportive businesses. Saugatuck is,

...the perfect road trip destination for city dwellers in search of a lakeside refuge. After you hit the shore and soak up some sun on the renowned Oval Beach, hike through Mount Baldhead Park or maybe do a little charter fishing on Lake Michigan.

If a trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas, Priest Lake Idaho, Ely, Minnesota or Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is in your future, you'll want to check out the entire list here of the Best Lake Towns in the US.

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LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

Filed Under: saugatuck