Located in western Michigan, on the shore of Lake Michigan at sunset, is the charming little town of Pentwater, Michigan. For years, you would see a common bumper sticker around town that read “Where the hell is Pentwater?” Anyone who has spent time here is sure to fall in love with the area and will return again and again, which is why the continued darkness of the city seems to be an enduring mystery. Most people in Michigan are still completely unaware of this coastal gem.
Allow me to introduce.
Visitors to Pentwater arriving from the more popular southern route are initially greeted by Pentwater Lake as the road winds its way along its northern shoreline, dotted with quaint and charming cabins, the silhouettes of fishermen, and the occasional swan or family of ducks. As the road turns right, then left, and then nears the village, the view opens onto a mast-filled harbor, lined with active marinas and charter boats, truly reminiscent of the coastal towns of Maine or Massachusetts. This is New England, but much closer to home.
The road then turns sharply north and becomes Main Street Pentwater, perfectly lined with art galleries featuring creations by local and national artisans, numerous antique shops, clothing boutiques, and restaurants with open-air patios featuring music. Live and delicious seafood. and cold cocktails. It’s always happy hour here, if not officially, at least in spirit. This is a scene to inspire Norman Rockwell himself, with the white church steeple on the outskirts of town. People drive slowly; They take a deep breath and smile, because at Pentwater you feel like you’re on vacation, even when you’re not.
Near the end of town, our village tour turns west, continues a few blocks, and then ends at the main attraction: the freshwater shores of Lake Michigan. Guests who have never been to the Great Lakes are always pleasantly surprised, and the locals born and raised here never tire of it. An endless water horizon with the most beautiful sunsets in the world, warm sand between your toes, dune grass swaying in the breeze, the sound of waves, seagulls, kites and ice cream cones; this is Pentwater, not California, not Maine, not Carolina or Hawaii, but Michigan! And after a long walk along the water’s edge, all the way to the end of the pier, around the lighthouse and back again, you’re in love with Michigan’s secret beach town. You will come back again and again.
He is waiting, on the way, to welcome you and yours this summer season.