So after reading/posting on this site and getting ideas, we listened and booked our sites at Ponchos Pond RV park in Ludington for July 17-26.Can anyone give me ideas/things to do for our stay? We have a group of 3 children (ages 1.5-3) and a group of adults.Please recommend fun things to do/visit in the surrounding areas.Thanks a lot!

You can make day visits to the Ludington State Park, of course. There's a nice walk (mile and a half, I think) to the lighthouse, for one thing. Not sure if there's a playground area (been a long time since I was there), but I wouldn't be surprised if there were one.Take a day trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes. On the way there or back, if you want to swim there's a nice place, North Bar Lake, just north of Empire a couple of miles (take Bar Lake Rd.). Manistee has a good park with beach and lighthouse, too.South of there, Silver Lake SP area has driveable sand dunes. You can rent a dune buggy and kick up some sand.

Do a Google search for `Ludington tourism' and read on.

Ludington State Park is probably the best in Michigan - especially in the fall. Your kids are too young to appreciate it, but the adults will. You can swim in Lake Michigan or the inland lake near the dam. There's a great trail system around Lost Lake that you can access near the dam or the Beechwood campground. There's also a city park/beach on the west side of town.

We stayed there in 2013 and our kids were 10, 8, and 4; so a little older than yours but 3 and 4 are pretty close. You can easily spend an entire day at the beach. Bring your lunch, some sand toys and kites. The kids will love it. Just playing in the sand is a great time. Make sure you visit the beach at least once during a sunset. If you like to ride bikes and have a bike trailer for the little ones, bring it and go to the state park. There is a really nice paved ride that loops from one side of the river to the other and crosses over a dam in the process. You can fish at the dam or on the lake side. My kids enjoyed all of these. In town, visit House of Flavors for ice cream. It can have a line out the door after dinner, so time accordingly.Right down the street from the ice cream shop is a marina where you might enjoy walking down the piers to look at boats. There is also a wonderful park. Seriously, your kids will love this place. It is right next to where the SS Badger comes into port. It departs and arrives once a day and if you time your stay right, the kids can watch the freighter come in. That's always fun b/c the park is literally on the water.Ludington is 1.5 hours from sleeping bear dunes if you decide to go. As a family, we liked it, but we prefer other places. It's probably not the best place for young children, but the adults might like the view. The part my kids liked best about Sleeping Bear, was visiting the store Cherry Republic before we left. Everything cherry, and so good with free samples. It's worth going back just for the store. Our favorite place in the area is Silver Lake Sand Dunes. We have a dune buggy and have been going there for 18 years so we know it well. However, this park is not a place for walking with young children. To experience the park, you really have 3 choices. 1-Take a ride with MacDune Rides. 2-Rent a dune buggy, quad, or side by side. 3-Drive in on your own 4X4 truck. If those don't appeal to you, you'll never really experience the best of it and shouldn't bother visiting the area. Have a great time.

Ludington- Lake Michigan ideas | Good Sam Community

mister_d
Explorer
Jul 22, 2015
Everything mentioned is great! While in the Sleeping Bear area you could rent tubes and float down the Platte River.. ppl do the same in Ludington SP if you'd rather. Pierce Stocking (sp?) drive is well worth the fee. There is a giant dune climb that was posted in a pic earlier that is fun but difficult. Have fun!
jbres
Explorer
Jul 21, 2015
yes, so far we have visited stearns beach,the Ludington waterfront park and playground, Ludington state park and Hamlin beach, cherry point farm market(near silver lake), Lewis family farm and petting zoo, and u pick blueberries in shelby. We have really liked everything a lot so far!
We are going to try and make it to House of Flavors tomorrow afternoon, Pentwater Wednesday(thanks for the tip Hitchikerman), Silver Lake Mac Dunes(thanks Parrothead Mike) and Sleeping Bear towards the end of the week. Any other must sees that I am missing? Any other really nice small towns that are relatively close and a must see?
Thanks! auch a nice area and Ponchos Pond RV park is top notch!
hitchikerman
Explorer
Jul 20, 2015
You are so close to Pentwater...it's a beautiful little town and while there just alittle south is Silver lake sand dunes you have to have one or two days for those two area's. Enjoy
Parrothead_Mike
Explorer
Jul 20, 2015
Everybody has suggested some great things to do in the Ludington area. I would like to add that if you don't want to take your own vehicle onto the dunes there are dune rides available. We did this 2 years ago and enjoyed the ride. Plenty of families going on the rides. The drivers aren't crazy and consider the passengers.

This is where we rode the dunes.

http://www.macwoodsdunerides.com/
APT
Explorer
Jul 20, 2015
Welcome! We love Ludington! Looks like you have great weather too! If it is very windy, check out Hamlin Beach in the State Park. Also, the lazy river from Hamlin to Lake Michigan. House of Flavors at least once - for ice cream and food is good too. Our family loves sunsets at the state park beach house. Frisbee, football, and the kids tend to get in the water, often in street clothes.
jbres
Explorer
Jul 19, 2015
Just wanted to post on here, arrived at Ponchos Pond in Ludington Fri night and will be here 9 total nights. I am so glad everyone suggested this place. By far the nicest campground I have ever been to. Extremely clean, updated, such friendly staff, and just a very classy place. Visited Stern Park Beach today, and moving on to Ludington State Park tomorrow. Such a nice area. Glad we made the 8 hour trip.
travelnutz
Explorer II
Jun 27, 2015
Actually, michigansandzilla's same pics could have been taken at:

Indiana Dunes SP south of Michigan City, IN.

Warren Dunes SP south of St Joseph, MI.

North side of Saugatuck, MI

South side of Grand Haven, MI or the north side also at North Ottawa Dunes

PJ Hoffmaster SP between Grand Haven, MI and Muskegon, MI on it's 2-1/2 miles of tall dunes and sandy beach

Muskegon SP at North Muskegon, MI

Silver Lake SP south of Pentwater, MI

Ludington SP north of Ludington, MI

Sleeping Bear Dunes Lakeshore NP north and south of Empire, MI and also on North Manitou and South Manitou Island in the NP

Petoskey SP north of Petoskey, MI

North of Cross Village on Lakeshore Dr

All are public Dunes/lands and the pictures wouldn't look any different except for the one taken on the lake side of the lookout at SBDL NP. The kids are at around 450' above the lake on a very steep sanddune. Climbed that dune 7 times over the years and you'll find lots of aching muscles you didn't even know you had! Extremely fast going down cause you can't stop but what a climb going back up. Simply climb up 3 steps and slide back down 2, then repeat over and over hundreds of times with lots of rest between and the sweat pouring off like a wild river. So much worse than climbing a 50 story building on stairs as they aren't nearly as steep and aren't soft sand. Not for out of shape people by any stretch. Ohhh to only weigh 100 lbs like when I was about 8 years old! What a view up there 360 degrees though!
jbres
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015
Again, thanks for all the replies
We will definitely have to hit the cherry point farm and market for some cherry strudel. Also,GOLFKNUT- thanks for the response. We will have to make the trip to the Friday Night Live event, and the sunset bonfire at stearns park. Should be a fun trip
golfknut
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015
Is this your first time at Poncho's. If it is you will enjoy your stay. It is a nice place.

The city of Ludington has "Friday Night Live" parties downtown on several Fridays during the summer. There will be one on the 17th and 24th. The kids would enjoy them. They close off the main street through downtown and have lots of activities, food, entertainment, etc.

There is a nice large playground at the Waterfront Park in downtown Ludington. Pack a picnic lunch (or pick up pizza on the way) and eat it on the tables at the park and watch the boat traffic.
The car ferry "Badger" docks there also and the kids (and parents) would enjoy seeing it depart or arrive. Check the schedule but I think it arrives back from Wisconsin around 6:30 pm and departs around 8:30 pm. It also has an A.M. arrival and departure.

Thursday the 23rd there will be a sunset bonfire at Stearns Park along the Lake Michigan beach. The beach at Stearns Park is very nice and a walk out on the pier is always fun. The House of Flavors ice cream restaurant downtown is within walking distance of the beach/park.
The beach and hiking at Ludington State Park is great also. If you have bikes the state park has a nice paved trail in the park.

If you're a fan of The Eagles (tribute band) music there is a free concert at the band shell at Waterfront Park on the 25th. One of only two such concerts during the summer, they usually draw a good crowd and it's a fun time.

Be sure to pick up some locally grown sweet corn while in the area.

We have gone up there to the state park for a stay every summer for decades.
Enjoy your stay.
dverstra
Explorer
Jun 26, 2015
While you're in that neighborhood(Silver Lake), stop by Cherry Point Farm and Market. Grab some of their Cherry Strudel.
Cherry Point arket
If we are within 10 miles, we stop for some.