You can’t talk about West Michigan without talking about the Lake. When I moved to Grand Rapids from the east side of the state for college, I was ecstatic to learn that I was only 20 minutes away from the beach. In these last couple of years, I’ve explored many beaches, including Holland, Grand Haven, and Ludington. However, one area that I had not visited yet was Saugatuck.

Nestled between Holland and South Haven, Saugatuck was named one of America’s best lake towns by USA Today and is known for its stunning beaches. When my roommate recently asked me if I wanted to take a trip to the beach near Saugatuck, I agreed and was excited to explore a new area. West Michigan’s gorgeous beaches are something I cannot resist, so we packed up our bags and headed to the lakeshore.

I had never been to Saugatuck before, but when I got there, I was smitten by the unique downtown shops, stunning riverfront restaurants, and friendly residents. We decided to do some shopping downtown before we headed to the beach, but before I knew it, the sun was already setting. Yes, we ended up walking around downtown the entire day!

Wandering around Saugatuck led us to Uncommon Coffee Roasters, a cute coffee shop in the heart of the downtown area. While drinking our coffee, we noticed a flyer on the wall for a magic show called Magic Tonight presents the Amazing Hermann. We decided to see the show and it did not disappoint. The magician’s witty humor paired with tricks that kept you guessing made for a great show. After, we ate dinner at The Butler which led us to beautiful views of some harbor-bound boats.

Between shopping, grabbing a bite to eat, seeing a magic show, and admiring the views, we didn’t have time to make it to the beach! Now, we’re planning another trip to go back, and hopefully we’ll make it to the beach. But who knows? Maybe we’ll take a detour and find ourselves exploring another part of West Michigan.

The lesson I learned? West Michigan always has tricks up its sleeve. You’ll constantly be surprised by all the things to do and see.