We have wanted to take the SS Badger forever, so we were thrilled to finally take our maiden cruise. 🚢 This is a one-of-a-kind experience. We would encourage everyone to take advantage of the movie, the sun deck, Bingo, the gift shop, and everything else. If you want a post card of the ship, be sure to get one in the gift shop. I’m sad we didn’t . But the whole experience, from blow horn leaving to the mooring at the end, was fantastic.

We had a blast (instead of driving around the lake) heading to our niece’s wedding. The ride was fun and weather perfect. Highly recommend to those looking for an experience instead of just a long drive. We played bingo, lounged on the deck in the sun, and enjoyed the breeze.

The S.S. Badger Ferry is a great way to "drive" between northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan. Although dated, the ship is clean and comfortable and has many modern amenities. The Crew (hands) makes the voyage fun and interesting. It has a museum exhibit covering ferry transportation. The four hours are stress free when compared to driving through Chicago and the time onboard is enhanced with Bingo and Trivia games. A truly enjoyable way to travel on U.S. Highway 10!

We loved the ride, it truly was a once in a lifetime experience for us. The staff was super friendly for the most part. I really enjoyed the thoughtful touches they had to keep you entertained while on board. We also happened to have amazing weather when we went so that definitely helped! They had free soda refills which is nice because you don’t see that much anymore and that worked for coffee as well. I think opportunities for improvement would be better wayfinding signage, maybe an informative posted agenda and overall a bit of a renovation, although it was unique in character. Overall we really enjoyed ourselves. Oh I should also mention, I had to change my reservation 3 times and they accommodated me each time with zero issues. I did have to pay a fee when I canceled my SUV and added a passenger ticket for my mom who has health issues so we decided to forego the jeep trip around the state and come back the same day. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to pay that fee with adding another round trip passenger but I also didn’t ask for it so it’s on me. We loved the badger bingo and the food was actually a little better than expected. And best of all… we made it! :)

What a great experience. The ship was much taller than I thought it would be. It swallowed up a whole parking lot full of cars, trucks and busses. We entered the vessel at the stern and up the stairs we went into the waiting/game room. There we had bingo to play while alcohol drinks and cafeteria style food were available for purchase. It was a foggy day so we heard plenty of the fog horn. My favorite part was the great gift shop and shouts of "Big ship, great fun!" The only drawbacks for me were the cost and the length of time (about 4 hours) it takes to get across Lake Michigan. Glad the water was calm.

Had a great trip and time on this classic and beautiful S.S. Badger. They offer food, drink. bingo, movies and so much more. The crew on land and sea was awesome. Thank you to all who work on on The S.S. Badger cruise ship.

Wow.. great trip everyone should take it once. Food not so good. They won't let you bring any open food on. We could have our lunchables but not our subway. Sealed drinks are ok. Bingo was fun and ya gotta buy something to take home.

This is by far my favorite State Park to stay at! Is it hard to get reservations? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely! There is so much to do, you'll never be bored. Spend your days walking the miles of beautiful trails; kayak Lost Lake or Lake Michigan; float down or fish the Big Sable river; take a walk to the lighthouse; spend the day at the beach; take in the wildlife while on a bike ride; end you're days with some ice cream from the camp store.

Love the beach at this State Park. It's always clean and well manicured. The bathrooms are also clean. (Wish they had hot water in the bathroom, though.) Our family has hiked to the lighthouse on the marked trail and have returned to the parking area via the beach. It's always a lovely walk (except for the time our three year old got soaking wet, when the temp was below 60° and it was windy. He said he was tired and needed to be carried the two miles back to the van 😳.) Highly recommend Ludington State Park!

July 25-28, 2025, hooked with our dogs, watched the sunset. The park is amazing and we hope to go back and try to camp. Lots of trails with shade.

Great beach, with clear water tons of space. Three volleyball courts. Accessable walkway from shelter to beach, and beach chairs available. Bathrooms (no showers) located in the shelter. The shelter offers a store/cafe in the basement and a small museum upstairs. Large free parking lot. You do have to pay to get into the park, although we saw people parking just outside the entrance to the park and walking in (unsure if you have to pay when you walk in vs drive).

Great place to go for a hike and lots of beautiful spots to take it all in. Campgeound had electric hook up, however they pack you in like sardines. We needed a neighbor to move his truck just so we could get the camper into our spot. All main roads have been paved and there is a nice bike trail through the park!

The hike out to the lighthouse through the woods and over the dunes followed by a 2 mile stroll down a deserted beach was one of the nicest outdoor adventures we've had in years. The state of Michigan should be very proud of this park.

Our favorite state park! So much to do in nature there. We fish, kayak, tube, go to the beaches (on Lake Mi and Hamlin Lake), bike, hike, and love seeing all the deer and monarchs. Having a camp store in the park is an added bonus, and prices aren’t outrageous.

We took the first shuttle of the day and it was already very crowded at the lighthouse which is what we expected for a Saturday. The wait was long to climb so we passed but we got some great photos and our passport book stamped. The weather was amazing too so we had an awesome time. Would definitely recommend! P.S. Look for Mari at the lighthouse. She is a volunteer and is a gem!! Loaded with info and so friendly and helpful!

Beautiful lighthouse and hike over to it! The trail was nice and smooth to walk on but I had heard it sometimes gets covered with sand which is harder to walk on. Be prepared for a 1.9 mile walk one way. Bikes are allowed on the trail ao that is helpful. The lighthouse itself is charming. The inside is neat with history and wonderful volunteers who know everything about the history. There is a gift shop and you can climb to the top for a small fee. Overall a must see if you can walk it!

Super friendly staff! Was really enjoyable to talk with them about the history of the lighthouse and experience it for the first time in 40 years (went there as a kid in the mid/early '80s). Absolutely amazing views from the top and worth the 1.5 mile walk. The walk is flat and mostly hard packed sand/dirt. Could bike it most of it with a mountain bike or larger/fat wheels.

Beautiful site and not easy to get to like most other picturesque lighthouses in Michigan. This one takes an effort but well worth it. Vital location and history (A. Lincoln was an approved of the project to build it). I noticed what I thought was a shipwreck remains just north of the site. Is that accurate? Any more info on this? See the image I shared.

Absolutely one of the most beautiful lighthouses I've ever visited! Volunteer lightkeepers were very friendly and informative. Sandy gravel 1.8 mile trail hike to get there and back from the campground. May be a harder trail for those with mobility challenges but highly recommend if you're able. Highly recommend this beauty!

It's a long walk, either through the water by boat, or over 3 miles by foot. We were disappointed because once we got there we were told you had to pay $8 each to climb to the top. Swimming in from the boat, we carried no money, wallet, ID, nothing. I asked if I could look at the control room and up the stairs, (3 steps in). The unfriendly reply I received by one of the men working there was, "No, that's included with your $8 admission." I snapped a quick pic and we left. It is beautiful and the history was interesting. There is a huge giftshop inside the addition that was added to the lighthouse years ago.

It’s a good hike to the lighthouse and back. Serene, mild incline (there), beautiful sand and pine trees. Lighthouse climb is 120 steps. Beautiful but windy beach.

Beautiful memorial here. The beach across road they had a bonfire and band playing. Love the walkway to beach each panel is donation with names and saying on. Toy box there with sand toys. Well kept up.

Best beach in Michigan ☺️ Gorgeous sand beach (very accessible with paths down the sand!), clear water, beautiful sunsets, and plenty of parking. I will always come back here to enjoy Lake Michigan!

A beautiful park on the beach where you swim, sunbathe and can go on a healthy walk on the path to the lighthouse. We eloped here for 2 days during the heat wave last weekend.

Sunset is absolutely beautiful here. The beach is mostly accessible for wheelchairs. It was not too crowded and plenty of space dedicated to swimming.

Nice big beach with two cantina to purchase food and snacks. One of which sells beer and bottled cocktails. Clean restrooms. Park is patrolled throughout the day. It also has a nice grassy shaded area for picnics, putt putt golf, skateboard park, volleyball nets, as well as the break wall to walk out to the channel marker lighthouse.

Great beach. Limited parking on busy days. Dog beach near the docks close by. Beach has concession stands, full bathrooms, shower facilities and metal walkway to the beach for elderly visitors

Beautiful beach, and walkway out to the lighthouse. The beach area is huge, and the sand is so pretty. The water is clean and clear.

Love this park! Great playground for the kids, nice views, incredibly soft grass. Neat to get food and watch the SS Badger roll in.

This is a cute place to bring the family for some play time or a picnic. Parking was supper simple. Would recommend.

This is a great place. The park is medium size but with something for everyone. It's nestled in between two marinas, the municipal marina and the Harbor View marina, with Pere Marquette Lake waterfront and lovely views in all directions. Many sculptures are scattered around in the park. There's a large playground for kiddos. Lots of benches and tables can be found all around. There's even a gazebo with five tables underneath. Restrooms and an amphitheater is available as well. Edit: Added pictures, Oct 2022.

Nice playground for big and little kids. swings, nice scenery, bathrooms, drinking fountain, benches. Kids loved it

Wow, what a beautiful place for a walk or take children to go play!

This park is some what breath taking! There's tons of sculptures. A lot of sidewalks taking you any where you want to go. A very nice viewing area to watch the badger arrive and depart. It's very peaceful. There's also a children's play area with places to sit for the adults. Public restrooms. Lots to do and see here!

We enjoyed walking here and looking at the marina. The park is beautiful. Ludington is nice and relaxing. Everything is taken care of beautifully.

Cool lighthouse lots of other things to see like the huge prop you can walk out to the lighthouse and go inside there is a gift shop in the ground floor of the light house.

This lighthouse is close to town and provides an excellent walk. In recent weeks the lighthouse has been opened for tours and a climb to the top.

Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse is a great piece of Michigan's historic shoreline. The staff is pleasant and informative. It is a short walk out on the pier, close to the beautiful town of Ludington. It is a great place to get a cose view the S.S.Badger go out and/or return from Manitowoc, WI. This is one of our favorite places to go for breathtaking sunsets and to see all of the beautiful boats in the area, Love watching the sailboats going by as the sun is setting in the background over Lake Michigan. Definitely worth a visit for the lighthouse junkie's like myself. Highly Recommend.

The light station was not open the day we visited, so did not get to go inside it, but it was still nice to be able to walk all the way out to it and get nice views to Ludington and of the coast in both directions.

We just fished on the pier. Easy entry and plenty of room with a lot of people fishing.

Gorgeous pier, calm waters and you can pay $8 to climb the light

Great little experience and worth the cost to climb to the top. Lots of neat history and photos along the way up. Four separate fights to climb with landings at each level. I didn't mind the $8 per adult and $5 per child when you think about helping with conservation and preservation. Military friendly as they gift free entry for the serviceman/veteran. The hike out itself is free and worth it even if you chose to not pay to climb to the top.

A great adventure/sensory option for ages 2-8. Hands on everything with 3 floors to explore each successive floor for an older age but still including something for a young age. An area for breastfeeding mothers available which was a plus! The sand pit construction zone while loved by the children was an unwelcome surprise to the parents, a warning at check-in would be nice. Not stroller accessible.

A child’s dream come true! We drove up from Muskegon because it’s a chilly cloudy day and we wanted an indoor activity and it was SO worth the drive. The play areas are well thought out and maintained. So much open-ended play! I was thankful there was plenty of hand sanitizer stations and a private nursing / baby changing room. An awesome place to play & learn and be a kid!

Hands down best children's museum we have ever been to.

A great local find that our children love to visit each time we are in Ludington.

Sandcastles is a very cool place! They have all sorts of exhibits and everything is so hands-on. Our kids loved the bubbles and sand areas best. It is a bit pricey, I honestly don't feel like parents should be charged admission but it's ok. Still worth it for the fun the kids had. We spent about an hour and a half there and our kids are 13, 8, 5, and 5 months for context.

Visited this museum today for the first time with my 3 year old and 2 year old. It was an amazing experience! So clean and so organized. The best children’s museum I have ever been to!! Highly recommend!!

Such a great place! One of the best childrens museums I've been to! So much to do you need a couple hours at least! Everything is completely hands on, realistic and fully stocked with everything to act out real life jobs, from a stage with costumes and curtains, to actual sand with loaders and dump trucks, to an ice cream/pizza place, to a post office with 'real' mail you can deliver to all the fun areas! Kids imaginations can go wild here. A definite stop if your in the area! We will be returning 👍🏻👍🏻 $9 per person to enter.

This is one the coolest places I've visited. It took about 2 hours to walk thru all the historic buildings. The staff is helpful and friendly. Please check this hidden gem out!

Really nice historic village! Very informative, historically accurate, and quite an extensive exhibit. We enjoyed walking through and learning about the history of the area

Wonderful location for historical education and enjoyment. Love the one-room schoolhouse that was a cafe with popcorn and ice cream and other treats. Highly recommend this as a summer and Autumn visit.

This place is amazing and kept up so well .Interesting all the buildings and historical artifacts they have we enjoyed this Took about 2 hours to walk and get thru it all. well worth it

We have stayed in Ludington a dozen times and always wanted to check this place out. Well it was worth it. We had fun looked at all the buildings and things inside of them.

Awesome historical place great for the family or friends anyone that loves history about Michigan.

It is a beautiful and educational experience. Takes you back in time to our grandparents era. Simpler and yet harder times. The way everything is displayed in each building brings things to life. Thank you for the enjoyable day. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable and well worth the cost to go through tak s 2 to 3 hours depending on want for and enjoyment of pictures.

Very fun and a great experience with the family. If you have kids or adults that are kid at heart you will have a blast.

Our family enjoyed our visit to Amber Elk Ranch! It was a beautiful day outside, our tour guide was a young lady that is very knowledgeable about the Elk! As she drove a John Deere Tractor like a pro, taking us to the area where the Elk were. We were supplied with the appropriate feed for these stately animals, the kids very much enjoyed feeding them. Our family was able to feed the Elk from our wagon, which thrilled the kids! A rest room is available before you leave on the wagon.

Ever seen eye to eye with an 800 lb animal with a rack of antlers that's 2.5 ft weighing 35 lbs? Well you can at the Amber Elk Ranch. Well worth the time. We had a bonus the day we went as there were 2 Sandhill Cranes feeding on the Ranch.

Nice place to spend a couple hours seeing the Elk and visiting their small petting zoo. Yes you can hand feed the Elk, included with the tour.

What a fun afternoon! The wagon ride through the different Elk enclosures was beautiful. The guides explain each habitat and give huge buckets of feed for up close experiences with these beautiful animals. We will definitely be back!

It's awesome. The people are fantastic. Very knowledgeable. They take there time and let you enjoy your self. A lot of fun.

Better and bigger than I thought, you can feed the elks, nice place

Perfect spot to take your dogs and enjoy the beach, nice wide beach area and can walk the beach south of the parking lot. Has two porta johns and also provides public lifejackets for kids. Plenty of parking, go during the week.

Awesome small stretch of public beach with great views. Visited on a Tuesday and had it to ourselves. And the pups loved it.

We loved this park/beach. The dogs were all having fun, running and playing on the beach, the humans were having fun, too! This is an easy walk from the parking lot and there is PLENTY of beach for all!

Buttersville Park is a gem in the Ludington area. It's south of the channel, offers beautiful view of Lake Michigan surrounded in sand. It's great for sunbathing, family time or a peaceful setting for a sunset.

We had the opportunity to visit the Buttersville Park in APR_FY2024 and it was an amazing experience. We did a plant tour and for sure it's a beautiful place, especially to visit on a hot summer day. The land around the Buttersville Park is also remarkable, even a simple ride across the roads could be an unforgettable experience. Definitely, it's a place where we want back.

Loved this beach because my older dog was able to enjoy with ease. Parking right next to beach area. They offer doggy bags. Have porta-potties. And wooden stairs to the left that lead to a trail. Good spot.

Great sandy beach,it was not crowded. Pet friendly,you can let the dog off leash on other side. There is playground on the campground, it is great place to relax, while watching sunset,kids play in the playground.

An amazing little museum (was originally a coast guard facility) with tons of hands on exhibits for the kids! We and the kids enjoyed it.

We love this museum. It's modest in size - 3 floors but not a huge footprint - and every display is so well done. There are interactive parts the kids can touch that are well integrated into all three floors in the main display areas. I really like that they don't put all the most kid friendly bits off in one area, and that all the most kids friendly bits and truly all-ages: they might be the parts that will engage kids most, but adults can enjoy them too. Every area is so well thought out, and the storytelling with facts and visuals is top-notch. I find shipwrecks interesting but I'm not particularly into maritime things, but I am never bored there, and this was our fifth summer in a row going! You can get a good quick overview of everything it has to offer in an hour, or you could spend an afternoon and read every single bit of information in every room and immerse yourself - both are satisfying.

Stopped here to eat lunch and see the water. Appears to be a great place to launch a boat. There was also a tiny beach for my tiny one!

My son loves ship museums so when we are near one we go. This one did not disappoint. There are interactive activities throughout for kids, even a large room that is like a boat wheel room where you can captain a ship. If you are in the area I would suggest you stop by.

Excellent museum inside an old coastguard station! Friendly and helpful staff.

Bought the combo ticket and so glad we did This is one of the best Maritime Museums we have been to So interesting. Jacob Lunde scroll is so cool.Well worth it to go to this and White Pine Historic village on combo

Excellent historical site. A ton of information about the area, ships, wrecks etc... it was a bit pricey.

Great place for Rock Hounds. Weather you looking for fossils, agates, or othersemi precious minerals this is the spot. Also, beautiful drift wood to look at with your eyes

Great place to have a picnic with a loved one or family. Spend time walking the shoreline. An Awesome place to catch a romantic sunset. This park also has a great playground for the kids. The beach is sandy and ready for sand castles to be built. On your way into the park, make sure to grab some fresh fish from Bortell's to enjoy in the park. Enjoy!

Fun little park for ages 2-12 I'd say. Good condition and bathrooms available. Short walk to a gorgeous sand beach!

Beautiful park. Large parking lot and gorgeous beach! Beautiful rocks just below the shoreline. Kids love it here! Bathrooms are not very pleasant but they are flushing so still way better then the vault toilets.

Very nice area for rock hunters. Nice beach, play area, picnic area.

Lovely park with lots of activity options. For the kids, there is a pirate ship shaped play structure, S.S.Summit and with other playground things around it including swings. There is a basketball hoop and a tennis court closer to the entrance and a ball diamond next to the playground. As you get closer to the beach, there are lots of picnic tables. The beach is pretty neat. It's large enough and clean. There is a little creek flowing into Lake Michigan nearby. The kids who were there when I visited blocked the water and made a little pool for themselves. I also saw people hunting rocks. When I visited the enclosed pavilion was rented for a wedding and they had people using that building. I don't think that's usually open. The only thing that's tricky about this park is the accessibility of beach. There's sand/wood/root stairs going down to the beach and they're pretty uneven. I don't have any accessibility issues myself but it looked dangerous. In fact, when I was about to go back to my car, two old ladies were coming downstairs and one of them fell down. Thank goodness she didn't fall badly and was OK. Edit: Forgot to mention the pavilion.

This is the cutest park! My kids loved playing on the pirate ship playground and then wandering over to the beach to look for rocks. Great view of Lake Michigan from the picnic tables under the shade too. It has both men's and women's restroom as well which I appreciate!

The Red Door Art Gallery in Ludington is truly a treasure. We’ve collected so many amazing pieces from them over the years, and every time we visit, there’s something new and inspiring. Their variety is incredible—paintings, pottery, sculpture, jewelry—you name it. It’s one of those rare places where you can return again and again and always discover something fresh. Whether you're a serious collector or just love beautiful things, this gallery is a must-visit.

We absolutely ❤️ Red Door Gallery! We rented one of their cottages in 2021, and visited the art gallery. The owners are kind and compassionate in all that they do. The candle that we purchased smells amazing (created by Amanda) and once it is burned down, we can use the pottery for baking in the oven! We have already baked delicious bread in our other unique pot for quests! Highly recommend their eclectic artwork, beauty, and love that they’ve created with their own hands. Amazing!

We, daughter and son own 9 fish pieces among us and we have a collection of about 20 mugs. My daughter bought beautiful ceramic wall art and my son has vases and bowls. Obviously big fans of their creations. We stop every time we are in Ludington and even made a trip just to go to the gallery. Very positive interactions with the owners.

A very friendly and helpful young man was watering the flowers outside The Red Gallery when my daughter and I walked by this morning. He was so genuine in his demeanor that we entered. I unfortunately didn't get his name but he said he was filling in for two other people. Any questions we had he quickly answered and made us feel most welcome. We didn't purchase anything but had a lovely time thanks to his dog and his own friendly manner.

Absolutely breathtaking art. I walked past this building the night before and saw the whale art and had to swing by the next morning. Inside there are many unique pieces. I see they also have classes too.

Michael and I have visited the Red Door Gallery for the past 9 years and always look forward to seeing what is new and saying hello to Amanda and Nathan, the store owners. They make beautiful pottery and other works of art and have always been very friendly and welcoming. They go out of their way to be accommodating. We consider them good friends at this point. From my perspective, the superb quality of their work far exceeds the pricing.

Nathan and Amanda are phenomenal artists that have created a beautiful place to gather, display and share their meaningful and incredibly unique pieces with other artists and those in their community near and far. They are amazingly talented in creating each piece with the utmost patience and perfection. The intricate details of their work is astonishing! I can’t wait to have their pottery in my home for many, many years to come. Working with them to select the perfect display to have shipped to my door stop has been top notch. I highly recommend The Red Door Gallery, Nathan and Amanda, and the other contributing artists they feature. 5 stars isn’t enough! Props to you all👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Gives a tribute to Father Marquette. A huge cross overlooks both Lake Michigan and Pere Marquette Lake, right off the side of the road. We found it a 20 minute diversion.

Beautiful spot to sit and jus let the universe do its magic

Really nice . History of the river and the father is interesting. Pere Marquette.

One of my very favoritest places of all time

Really cool place in Michigan history

A great memorial for an important and pioneer of the Ludington area.

Nice spot between Pere Marquette lake and Lake Michigan.

Great place for the community of Ludington and visitors thereof. A nice building, well maintained, I believe it was a church that was built in 1896 and had an add on in 1926. They have music, art, crafts and more to explore. The staff there, are all super wonderful!!!

Enjoyed Girls Rock show. Loved the whole experience. A community bonded in exploration of the arts. A good time was had by all.

A gorgeous building cleverly repurposed into an arts center. I love the architecture as well as the programs they offer!

So many good things happening here, LACA is an absolute community treasure. Whether a gallery exhibition, classes, concerts, or more, they’re all done brilliantly and made available to everyone.

Incredible concert of the band Sturtz and the venue was perfect.

Very nice. Enjoyed the play. Little gift shop

Great center for art exhibits and music performances.