The Intern Tour of the Grand Haven Area
We, the interns, went on an adventure in the Grand Haven area to obtain a better feel for all that is available for visitors to see and do. We being Ben & Kristina the Marketing & Media interns and Eryn the Grand Haven Salmon Festival intern. All three of us went on a group adventure to indulge in the many offerings of the area for two days so that we can better assist visitors with their travel plans. Ben & Kristina are from the Chicago area but have vacationed with their families in Grand Haven over the years. Eryn was born and raised in the Grand Haven area so she is the ‘local’ in the group.
Though we are all pretty familiar with the main highlights of the area, almost all of us had not stepped foot into the local lodging properties. There are also plenty of shops, eateries, and shops we’ve never checked out before. Needless to say we were excited to be given our itineraries and hit the road to experience the Grand Haven area!
~Day 1~
On our first day the itinerary had us set out for an early morning tour of the beautiful Blue Water Inn. This unique Inn has all different size rooms and accommodations for nearly all travel preferences. The photo below is the jaw dropping view of the beach and Lake Michigan!
After our tour we drove up the well renowned 5 mile hill just behind the Blue Water Inn. It is called 5 mile hill because you can see five miles in any direction from the top! You can access it from the intersection of S. Harbor Drive and Emmet Street or Prospect Street.
From there we cruised back down the steep hill and got our shoes full of sand on the beach at Grand Haven State Park. It turned out to be a gorgeous 70 degree day and we all got some much needed sun.
It was difficult to leave the beach but the tour goes on! Our next stop was the Harbor House Inn that overlooks the Grand River Channel and boardwalk. This unique Inn features a large deck in a premium location with a scenic view of the pier and river.
Now that we’ve worked up an appetite we decided to indulge in the incredibly popular Pronto Pup. This small stand has been located along Grand Haven’s waterfront for almost 70 years! We all had different preferences and got some plain and some with ketchup and mustard. Insider tip: It’s not a corn dog, its a Pronto Pup!
After our delicious pups we took a drive over to the Holiday Inn in Spring Lake. Our tour included seeing the rooms, the indoor AND outdoor pools and even the unique game room! We also decided to get off our feet for a short while and enjoy lunch with a view of the Grand River and marina at Jack’s Waterfront Bistro. They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a bar with live music and a tiki bar! The Holiday Inn even picked up the check for our meals – thanks Holiday Inn!
After lunch we explored the downtown area and took a ride on the Trolley! Check out this quick video we put together of our drive around town featuring Chinook Pier, the beach, and the downtown shops. We highly recommend jumping on the Trolley when you first get into town during the summertime – it’s a great way to get an overview of the area and get your bearings. Plus it’s really fun too!
Following our tour around town we stopped by the Khardomah Lodge for a tour. This property features a historic 4 story lodge built in 1873 and has a comforting view of the wooded area in the back.
Our final stop of the day was at the Serendipity Resort, conveniently located across the street from the Visitors Bureau! This resort offers an array of room options and even includes an outdoor pool with grills!
Day one was a fun time filled with lodging property tours with amazing views, delicious food that we can’t wait to have again, and go pro videos that we will be making a lot more of! The Grand Haven area is filled with great scenery, shops, restaurants, and hotels!
Day 2
Day two started out at the Days Inn which is located a short drive from downtown. Our favorite part about this hotel tour was the large indoor pool with a balcony view! The pool is huge and great for families with kids!
Next stop was the Best Western Beacon Inn where we got to see all four buildings of the property! This lodging property has rooms to accommodate families and couples with private suites behind the main building and is located just minutes from downtown and the beach.
Next we explored the Rodeway Inn in Grand Haven. When we walked in, we could smell the delicious continental breakfast! The Rodeway Inn is also located minutes from downtown and the beach.
Next on our agenda, was the Looking Glass Bed and Breakfast. This B&B features a large deck with a remarkable view of the beach and Lake Michigan. Of course, we had to take their unique trolley car down the hill too!
After our tour of the Looking Glass, we headed down Lakeshore Drive and got a tour of the 6,500 sq ft house on the water – the Lakeshore Inn. This property features an impressive display of presidential and historic memorabilia and also a private beach with an insane view of Lake Michigan between Grand Haven and Holland State Parks.
It was our time to explore some of the beautiful Ottawa County Parks in the area! We went to Hemlock Crossing Park Nature Education Center where we got to see a wildlife watching station, fish tanks, educational displays and more. The Nature Education Center regularly offers events and programs including hikes with Parks Naturalists, children’s activities and even kayak trips down Pigeon Creek.
Our favorite part of the day was lunch at Righteous Cuisine! Located on 7th street near downtown Grand Haven! Righteous serves up Mexican and BBQ cuisine made fresh to order. After two delicious chicken burritos and one brisket burrito, we walked out of there very full! Righteous Cuisine is always a good idea!
Next on the list was the Washington Street Inn. This B&B is the perfect place to relax and enjoy a vacation. Located on Washington Street, it is within walking distance from all of the downtown shops and restaurants – A Trolley stop is located nearby!
Our last stop of the day was at Boyden House. This B&B features a variety of different themed rooms along with beautiful landscaping and places to sit back and relax outdoors!
That concluded day two! We had a fun time exploring the city of Grand Haven, trying new food, and touring lodging properties. After seeing the awesome views, tasting delicious burritos, and wanting to jump into the pools of the lodging properties, it was hard to head back to the office!
These tours were a great way for us to get more familiar with the area. Also, we have more of an insight on what we are suggesting for visitors to do and where to stay. Overall, it was a fun filled couple of days and we found it to be extremely helpful!
Until next time!
-Ben, Eryn, & Kristina
~Bonus ~ During our tour around the area, we started a SnapChat account for the Visitors Bureau and we posted most of our adventure on our SnapChat story! Follow us by adding VisitGrandHaven via the app to see our adventures around the area, insider tips, behind the scene tours, event coverage and much more.
Where would you like to see us go next in the Grand Haven area? Let us know in the comments below!