“Spring is beautiful, and summer is perfect for vacations, but autumn brings a longing to get away from the unreal things of life, out into the forest at night with a campfire and the rustling leaves.” – Margaret Elizabeth Sangster
It’s color tour time! Although I’m always sad to see summer go, Michigan’s fall season helps soften the blow as we move into the gloomy months of November and December.
Michiganders live for football rivalries, harvest festivals, wine tours, and weekend drives to scope out the best color tours. Since we usually spend summer at the beach or on a boat, and we met in September, fall is typically the time we set off to explore Michigan.
Some of our favorite color tours are short trips from home – Frankfort, Traverse City, Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas – but the entire state puts on a leaf show.
Color tours across the state
The vast stretches of wilderness in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula usually start to change in late September, creating a kaleidoscope of color as trees turn bright shades of yellow, orange, and red. The stunning display of color moves south throughout October, spreading across the Lower Peninsula as the nights get cooler.
The fall color is behind a week or two this year because the warm weather keeps holding on. I’m not complaining! So, you still have plenty of time to plan a weekend road trip. We headed north last weekend. The landscape is still very green on U.S. 31 north to Ludington.
Look up where you live
The beauty of fall is you can admire the trees pretty much everywhere: walking in your neighborhood, sitting on your deck, or driving to work. I used to live in downtown Muskegon, and the mature trees provide a picturesque backdrop for fall walks. It’s a great time to discover places on foot or bicycle in your own community.
You can read more about Muskegon’s many attractions in my blog, Living History: Take a walking tour in downtown Muskegon. I even had a professional photo shoot done in downtown during the fall.
Even if the colors are drab, we never tire of Lake Michigan’s stunning scenery and visits to quaint coastal towns. I’m sharing a few favorite color tour drives and destinations to soak in the season of change in a three-part series.
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Muskegon: Depot-to-Depot color tour
A favorite local color tour is up Scenic Drive from Muskegon to Whitehall. We usually do this drive at least once a season to check out the latest color. The local CVBs have billed this the Depot to Depot color tour. There are various stops you can make at area parks, businesses, and attractions. You can even win prizes!
Some highlights include Muskegon’s South Pierhead Light and Pere Marquette Beach, Muskegon State Park’s hiking trails and Blockhouse, and White River Light Station. The allegedly haunted lighthouse, built in 1875, remains open for tours until Oct. 25.
Woodsy color tours: Hike among the falling leaves
An added bonus is we have several state parks in the area, including Hoffmaster, Muskegon, and Duck Lake, that have great hiking trails if you want to immerse yourself in the experience. I’m a firm believer regular walks in nature can improve mental health. Going for a walk or hike always makes me feel better, especially since I dread the drop in temperature and dark days to come. It’s nature’s last hurrah – join the party!
Hoffmaster and Muskegon state parks have wooded campgrounds that are lovely for fall camping. Venture out on a trail. You’ll find plenty of foot-powered color tours. And Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park in Muskegon State Park offers year-round activities. You can enjoy summer and winter luge tracks, dual zip line adventure, archery, rock climbing wall, ice skating, groomed ski and snowshoe trails, and more.
Muskegon to Ludington color tour
A 60-minute drive up U.S. 31 to Ludington also offers plenty of scenic highway views. Or you can make your own color tour and veer onto county roads that lead to Shelby, Mears, Hart, Silver Lake Sand Dunes, and Pentwater. A bicycle ride on the 22-mile Hart-Montague Trail, Michigan’s first linear state park, is another way to take in the changing leaves at a slower pace.
Ludington is a quaint coastal community that’s worth a visit in any season. Ludington State Park is one of the busiest in the state. Book early if you want to snag a campsite. Or enjoy off-season rates at a local motel or historic Bed & Breakfast. Whether you visit for the day or plan an overnight stay, you’ll find plenty of things to see and do on a fall color tour.
I really enjoyed exploring downtown, and soaking in the surroundings at Waterfront Sculpture Park, during my visit in May. I made some surprise discoveries while on assignment for my Legends of the Lake story for the fall issue of Michigan BLUE.
Top attractions include the historic S.S. Badger Lake Michigan Car Ferry, Stearns Park Beach, Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, Big Sable Point Lighthouse, and Sandcastles Children’s Museum. I also wrote a feature on Big Sable Point Lighthouse’s 150th anniversary, Guiding Light, and a story highlighting the maritime museum’s opening, Port of Call, back in 2017.
Walkable downtown with social district
I was pleasantly surprised to find several mom-and-pop motel options plus historic B&Bs within walking distance of Ludington’s waterfront and downtown shopping district. We made our first stop Stearns Park Beach, the city’s free beach, and spent an hour basking in the surprisingly warm late-spring sun.
After that, we headed for downtown to check out the city’s shopping and dining district. Most of the restaurants, bars, and stores are concentrated on Ludington Avenue and James Street in the city’s new Outdoor Social District.
As craft beer lovers, we enjoy visiting local breweries across Michigan. But I recently made some dietary changes – giving up gluten and craft beer – so it was a bittersweet visit to Ludington Bay Brewing. My SO intended to try a beer (purely to help me with my story), but we looked over the menu and decided to eat dinner. After two months without pizza, one of my favorite foods, I couldn’t resist ordering my first gluten-free pizza!
Plenty of places to eat, drink
We also stopped in Sportsman’s Restaurant & Bar to check out the local pub scene. One of Ludington’s oldest dining establishments, Sportsman’s has been a family tradition since 1955. This historic Irish-themed pub adjoins The Mitten Bar and was surprisingly busy. But I can see why – the prices are cheap!
Ludington has several bars and restaurants to eat, drink, and be merry. Or you can take a drink to-go and walk around the Social District. But make sure to get back outside and explore the area.
Other top picks for food include: Crown and Cork, unique menu items, waterfront view, and live music; Jamesport Brewing Co., pub fare and entrees, craft beer, and an outdoor deck; House of Flavors for ice cream and breakfast; Luciano’s Ristoranti for Italian fare; and Timbers Steak & Seafood for steaks, seafood, and craft cocktails.
A+ for waterfront access
Besides watching the S.S. Badger cruise into port on her maiden voyage, I really enjoyed our sunset pier walk. It’s worth the walk if the lake is calm.
Walk the channel, learn about Ludington’s history
The next morning I woke up to blue skies and sunshine and saw the Badger pass through the channel and out to Lake Michigan. Next up: A walk along the water, passing the marinas on Pere Marquette Lake and reading the historical signs along the channel.
The Ludington Maritime Heritage Trail gives visitors the chance to explore the waterfront before or after a visit to Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. The museum and nearby Historic White Pine Village closes for the season Oct. 23.
If you run out of time like I did, you can walk along Pere Marquette Lake and the Lake Michigan channel and still learn about Ludington’s rich history. These interactive signs detail different eras and industries that made Ludington what it is today. At each stop, you can scan a QR Code with a smartphone or dial a phone number to hear stories related to the sign.
Lift your spirits at Waterfront Sculpture Park
Waterfront Sculpture Park turned out to be one of my favorite discoveries. This is a beautiful public park with waterfront access, nine bronzed sculptures, two playgrounds, a band shell, and plenty of green space. With views of the marinas and Ludington channel, I relaxed and enjoyed the scenery. It was time to refuel with coffee from Red Rooster Coffee and tacos from The Q Smokehouse.
Seriously, sitting in this park will make you feel happy. Kids laughed and played on the nearby playground while I admired the views and diverse public art. Each sculpture tells a story that relates to Ludington’s unique history. And the trees should be beautiful in the fall. If I lived in Ludington, I would walk here daily.
Locals, tourists love Ludington
“Michigan as a whole is beautiful, but there is something really special about Ludington and all the public access to the shoreline,” said Brad Reed, a Ludington photographer who owns a downtown gallery with his father, Todd. “I always get the vibe in Ludington that both the locals and visitors here are very kind to everybody around them. I think that’s one of the reasons that everyone loves Ludington.”
You’re on to something, Brad! As a native Hoosier, I prefer down-home folks who are friendly and unpretentious.
End the color tour with some shopping
Before heading home, I stopped in a few shops downtown including Grateful Home & Heart, Evergreen Natural Foods Market, The Giving Tree Garden Center, and Todd & Brad Reed Photography. My lone souvenir: a magnet from the Reeds’ gallery of the Badger with a pink-and-orange sunset sky and North Breakwater Light in the background. I put it on the front of my refrigerator.
Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Ludington is an easy drive from Muskegon, Grand Rapids, and Manistee. Make your own self-guided color tours on foot or bicycle or sightsee from the car. You can take U.S. 31, backroads, or two-lane highways and explore the country and farms along the way. Whether you visit for a day, a weekend or a week, you definitely won’t get bored!
Both Muskegon and Ludington state park campgrounds stay open year-round, so there is still time to plan a weekend adventure that includes fat-tire bike riding, hiking, or snowshoeing. There are so many trails to explore. Dress for the weather and enjoy a quiet walk in the woods.
Read more in my BLUE feature on winter fat-tire bike trails, Snow Coaster, in the area. Or you can join a guided snowshoe hike in Ludington State Park, detailed in my snowshoeing feature Timeless Tradition, Fresh Tracks, or Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park.
There are so many great fall drives and color tours as you head north along the Lake Michigan coast. Read my other color tour blogs here: Michigan fall drives: M-22 Manistee to Leelanau color tours and Michigan fall drives: Traverse City, Old Mission color tours.
Marla R. Miller is an award-winning journalist, travel writer, and content marketing writer who lives in Norton Shores. Please “like” or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
