Family Friendly Fall Weekend in Ludington

I'm not sure how it took us this long to visit Ludington, Michigan - but man have we been missing out on this little slice of paradise along the shores of Lake Michigan! Our family took a roadtrip about 2.5 hours up the coast to explore this scenic area during the fall season. We enjoyed the quaint small town feel while still having access to a vibrant downtown and plenty of natural landscape to explore. Read more below to discover where we stayed, ate, and adventured during our weekend in Pure Ludington. 

Disclaimer: Our trip was planned in partnership with Pure Ludington. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

---

Where to Stay

During our visit, we stayed in a cozy A-frame cabin at Sauble Resort which is nested on the shores of beautiful Hamlin Lake. The resort offers 30, one- to four-bedroom cottages. The A-frame we called home for the weekend had three bedrooms (sleeps 10) with a full kitchen and outdoor grassy area located directly on the lake with picturesque views of sand dunes and sunsets each evening. Guests can also enjoy a playground, sand volleyball court, charcoal grills, and a heated pool (seasonal) on site. Sauble Resort is located just a few miles from downtown Ludington and Ludington State Park so you're only a short drive away from all the fun. 

Day 1 - Country Dairy, Waterfront Sculpture Park, Jamesport Brewing & Stearns Park Beach

On our drive up to Ludington, we stopped in New Era for lunch at Country Dairy which offers a cafe serving burgers, salads, paninis and hoagies. The best part - each meal comes with a bottomless cup of chocolate milk! They also have a market selling cheese, meat, ice cream and more. Depending on the day you can book a tour to learn more about dairy farm production led by Daze and Dan their Belgian draft horses. If you visit during the off season, you can still see some of the cows and horses grazing in the pasture which our daughter loved. There is also a small playground on site if you're traveling with kids. 

We continued our drive north to Waterfront Sculpture Park in downtown Ludington. This was one of the prettiest parks we've visited in all of our travels throughout the state. There are two playgrounds on site (one geared more toward younger children) as well as a pavilion and paved walking paths throughout the 5.3-acre park. Our favorite part was exploring the sculpture trail that features 9 bronze sculptures which each depict and tell the story of Ludington's rich history. Here you can also watch the SS Badger carferry returning or departing from Ludington (seasonal through first weekend in October). 

Before dinner we wandered around downtown and stopped into some of the cute boutique shops. A few of our favorite stops were Sister Bees, House & Harbor, and Grateful Heart & Home. Jamesport Brewing Company was the perfect place to grab a bite to eat and offers a casual environment serving traditional pub style food and handcrafted beer. I tried the watermelon mint sour which was very good paired with the fried perch. They also have a dog friendly outdoor patio garden (May-Oct) which overlooks the harbor. 

To end our first day in Ludington we headed to Stearns Park Beach to catch the sunset. This is the largest beach in the city with 2,500 feet of sandy shoreline and has been named one of the Best Beaches in the World by Travel Addicts, and was recently named the second best beach in Michigan by USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice 2024. In addition to playing in the sand, there is also a playground onsite and a mini golf course across the street (seasonal). I was impressed with how accessible the pier was with our stroller (also accessible for wheelchairs), and there is a ramp directly off the parking lot that leads all the way out to North Breakwater Lighthouse for stunning views as the sun dips below the horizon.

Day 2 - House of Flavors, Maritime Museum, Cafe 106, White Pine Village, Skyline Trail & Stix

We started our morning at the iconic House of Flavors which is a retro 50s style diner serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also have an adorable ice cream parlor and once held the Guinness World Record for the Longest Ice Cream Dessert.  This is such a fun stop for families and offers lots for kids to look at and who can be sad when eating some of the best ice cream in the Mitten State.

Then we were off to explore the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum which features three stories of digital storytelling, authentic images and artifacts, and engaging interactive exhibits that highlight the region’s maritime history. I was so impressed with how well the different exhibits were crafted and it really made you feel immersed in history as you listen to holograms of Captains Nels Palmer and Wallace Van Dyke tell stories of their time at sea or try your hand at docking the famed Pere Marquette 22 carferry into harbor (it's much harder than it looks!) 

After enjoying a delicious lunch at Cafe 106, we visited the Historic White Pine Village which features a late 19th – early 20th century pioneer village. It truly felt like we were stepping back in time as we wandered around the 30 historic exhibit buildings including the original 1849 Mason County Courthouse, an authentic turn-of-the-century steam locomotive, chapel, blacksmith shop, and one room schoolhouse. Each of the buildings contain hundreds of authentic artifacts and there is so much to see and learn here. 

Note: These attractions are part of the Mason County Historical Society and you can purchase a combo ticket if you plan to visit both locations to save money. Open early May through October and each take around 1-2 hours to walk through.

In the late afternoon we drove up the gorgeous M116, which has views of the dunes and Lake Michigan on either side, to hike Skyline Trail at Ludington State Park. A majority of the park (including Big Sable Point Lighthouse) is closed for enhancements through July 2025 but you can still access stunning scenery and climb the dunes via this hike and a steep set of stairs.

The full hike is listed as 1.9 miles on All Trails. Find the trailhead by taking the last road on the right just south of the river just before the main state park entrance and parking in the designated lot. You will see a set of stairs on your right that takes you to the Skyline Trail. If you're visiting in the fall, this would be a great hike to see some gorgeous fall foliage.

For dinner we stopped at Stix which was my favorite meal of the trip and is located just off M116 after leaving the state park so it was a convenient place to end our evening. The food here was fabulous! I had the seafood stir fry rice bowl and we shared the buffalo chicken dip. The real star of the show here is the massive outdoor beer garden. They weren't serving tables outside when we visited but you can still walk out to enjoy the views as well as yard games and outdoor seating. There is also a bowling alley on site if you're looking for a fun adventure after your meal!

DAy 3 - Trail's End Baking Company, Mason County District Library, Red Rooster Coffee & Lewis Farms

On our last day in Ludington we drove back downtown to grab breakfast at Trail's End Baking Company which had the yummiest quiche and homemade cinnamon rolls and then stopped at Red Rooster Coffee for an amazing selection of speciality drinks on their fall menu including warm caramel apple cider. 

If you're traveling with kids don't forget to check out the local library (especially if you get stuck with rain). Mason County District Library in downtown Ludington had one of the most beautiful children's centers we've found on our travels and my daughter loved exploring for a bit before we had to get back in the car. They even have a mini sailboat that kids can climb inside and pretend to steer! 

On our way back home we made one last stop in New Era to experience Fall Fest at Lewis Farms. Definitely plan to spend a least half a day here as there is so much to see and do. Your ticket gets you access to over 46 different attractions including a carousel, barrel train, corn maze, slides, corn bin, bubbles, rubber duck races, and the list goes on. You can also meet more than 100+ unique animals in one of the largest petting zoos in the area with everything from ponies and goats to camels, lemurs, and kangaroos. One of our favorite activities of the day was the aviary where you can purchase sticks of food and feed the birds from your hand. The fall season also features piles of pumpkins, spooky decor, and seasonal treats like their famous apple cider sundae. 

For more information to help you plan your next trip to Ludington, visit pureludington.com