The Grand Haven pier walk ends at the lakeshore’s most photographed red lighthouse | 40 minutes from Grand Rapids down I-96 where the Grand River meets Lake Michigan. Local wisdom: gorgeous almost any evening, packed beyond reason during the Coast Guard Festival (early August), and dramatic in a safe-distance way when fall waves come up.
Grand Haven Pier & Lighthouse
Drive west at 6, walk the pier at sunset, beach-town dinner after. The perfect half-day escape.
Beach plus boardwalk plus lighthouse | a full kid day. Skip Coast Guard Festival week unless you love crowds.
The classic visitor request | out-of-towners ask for the lighthouse more than anything downtown.
- What
- Day Trip
- Where
- Grand Haven / Lakeshore
- Address
- Grand Haven State Park, 1001 Harbor Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417
- Price
- Free (state park parking fee)
Source: www.visitgrandhaven.com· checked 2026-08-04