Creating memories that last a lifetime
The Saugatuck, Douglas, and Fennville area has been entertaining families for decades with plenty of attractions and things to do, promising hours of swimming, dune climbing, and sand castle building—and that’s just at the beach. No matter how old your kids are, where their interests lie, or what the season, we have dozens of ways to show your family a good time.
Get Moving…
Miles of trails, roads, and waterways offer fresh discoveries at every turn. Depending on the season, you can rent hydrobikes to “ride” down the river, traditional bikes to tool around the town, paddleboards or kayaks to explore the wetlands, or snowshoes and cross-country skis to explore the dunes and forests at their most magical time of year.
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...Or Get Lost
During harvest time, nothing beats a corn maze for fun and memorable family outings. Fennville’s Crane Orchards designs a new puzzle every year, challenging kids (and equally mystified adults) to find their way out of the 20-acre maze. No matter how long it takes, victory is sweet, with U-pick apples and cider available at the end.
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Cast A Line...
Fishing trips have a knack for building bonds between the generations—but you don’t have to bring your own gear to get in on the fun. Rent tackle and a pontoon boat to try your luck on your own, or treat older kids to an adventurous charter fishing trip in the deeper water of Lake Michigan.
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...Or Learn To Draw One
With art organizations like Express Yourself Art Barn in Fennville, Saugatuck Center for the Arts and Curious Children's Museum in Fennville, everyone can be an artist for a day. Whether it's a drop-in studio providing supplies, equipment, and instruction or a summer arts camp for the kiddos, family-friendly creativity thrives here.
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Look Around You…
There are lots of fun ways to explore here. Climb aboard the Star of Saugatuck for a leisurely, narrated tour down the Kalamazoo River and into the big lake. Get your heart pumping with a Harbor Duck Adventures tour - driving through the streets of Saugatuck and Douglas as a truck, splashing into the harbor to swim away as a boat. Or, see the dunes by buckling into an open-top truck for a roller-coaster ride through the dunes.
Or Look Back in Time
Pay a dollar to ride the chain ferry across the river from Saugatuck to Douglas or back—the kids might even be able to help turn the crank. In use since 1838, it’s the only remaining chain-driven ferry in the U.S.—and the best way to get to Oval Beach.
When you want to escape the rain, wind, or even the heat, the Saugatuck-Douglas History Museum will whisk you back to the 1860s. Wander through the classrooms, looking back in time through a collection of old photos, student lockers, and artifacts.
On top of these ongoing attractions, our local calendar is always studded with family-friendly events. Whether you come for a day or stay for a week, good times—and good memories –happen here.