Things to do & places to visit in Ludington, Michigan, United States

Ludington city in Michigan, United States. Timezone: America/Detroit, current date and time: Sunday, April 28, 2024, 22:32.

Top things to do (23)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Ludington State Park (975 reviews)
- Highly Recommend!
Sunday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM State Parks • Parks

The state park is the reason we choose Ludington for our vacations. We spent several days at the beach, but we walked about 1/2 mile north of the beach house to get a private, secluded alcove for ourselves. The view of the lake is magnificent. With the lake level rising, the amount of shoreline/beach space is rapidly decreasing. What used to be 50 feet of sand in alcoves is now 10 feet, so we had to walk a ways down to get comfy but it was worth it. On windy days, we walked many of the forest/island and skyline dune trails, including the inland trail to the lighthouse. We were amazed at the beauty and diversity of the nature included in the park. Everything was serene and private. Prices and food at the beach house were very reasonable. Entire facility was kept clean. Very friendly atmosphere. (last visit was July 2020 but we've gone here for many years.) See more..
5.0 Stearns Park (369 reviews)
- Oh the sunsets!
Beaches • Parks

There is a stream of folks heading to the park each evening for the west- facing park’s view of the setting sun...beautifully maintained and handicapped accessible. Plenty of parking and benches. The access to Ludington pierhead light is from this park. See more..
5.0 Ludington Waterfront Park (235 reviews)
- Wonderful Green Space
Parks

The City of Ludington has created one of the best, relaxing, interesting water-front green spaces I have seen. In addition to well-maintained sidewalks and multiple benches, there is a sculpture trail that perfectly reflects the character of the area. Have a seat and watch the boats and if you have kids, there is a large playground. There is also a building housing clean public rest rooms. As you stroll the area, you can't help wonder how much it might cost to live in one of those condos. See more..
5.0 The Jam Farm (112 reviews)
- Nice place - great jam!
Sunday: Spent < 1 hour Speciality & Gift Shops

We are a 40 acre working family farm with a licensed kitchen that makes sweet and or savory Jams, Preserves, Bread and Dip Mixes and yummy Granola. Plenty of samples available. Everything is made with the fruit we grow or our neighbors grow. We have tractors for people to sit on and take pictures and they are welcome to walk around the farm buildings and grounds. We have a quilt block on the barn and are part of the Mason County Ag Trail. Both have recorded information you can listen too. We are open 7 days a week in the summer and 4 days a week in the fall. We close just before Christmas and open again in the spring. Come and visit the Jamlady! See more..
5.0 Sandcastles Children's Museum (95 reviews)
- Great time at Sandcastles
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Children's Museums

We will reopen on February 3rd, 2023 Hours: Friday 9:30-1:00 Saturday 9:30-3:00 Sunday 12:00-4:00 Monday 9:30-1:00 See more..
5.0 The Windowsill Used & New Books (8 reviews)
- Great prices on recent best sellers, and some oldies
Spent 1-2 hours Speciality & Gift Shops

The owners specialize in recent publications, and price them very attractively. You can buy best sellers now at full price, or wait a few months, and get them at about 1/3 to 1/2 of cover price - some cheaper than that. They also carry some local interest items for travelers. If you like books, you'll enjoy your visit - we always carry away a box. See more..
5.0 Jump Around Fun Center & VR (6 reviews)
- Fun times!
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Game & Entertainment Centers

Jump Around Fun Center is a huge 11,000 square foot outdoor inflatable park with bounce houses and obstacles for a variety of ages. You can jump, crawl, roll & play all day with free same day re-entry! We encourage physical activity, along with family interaction. Socks required & weather permitting. We also have a Virtual Reality Arcade (separate fees apply). Come play in two different ways at our park! See more..
5.0 Lakeside Links Golf Course (6 reviews)
- Enjoyable round while on family vacation
Spent More than 3 hours Golf Courses

Enjoyed playing the course while on a long weekend to Ludington. There is a great variety of holes requiring different types of shots. There are subtle slopes in the fairways giving you varying lies. Greens were in great condition and the water hazards were manageable but required a bit of concentration. Our 13 year old loved the elevated tees and enjoyed seeing the wildlife. It was playable by all four of us with handicaps ranging from scratch to 40. The clubhouse is well maintained and the staff is extremely friendly. We loved giving a local family owned business our play. Highly recommend the course! See more..
5.0 Jaycees Mini Golf (4 reviews)
- Fun course for family on the beach
Spent 1-2 hours Miniature Golf
Cheap for a family. Fun course with holes that are themed based on Ludington. Fun time close to the beach. See more..
4.5 S.S. Badger: Lake Michigan Carferry (1.129 reviews)
- Amazing experience on a steam ship!
Sunday: 5:00 AM - 9:00 PM Historic Sites • Ferries

The S.S. Badger is the largest car ferry to ever sail Lake Michigan and has provided a safe, fun, and reliable shortcut across the inland sea for 67 years. The ferry takes passengers, autos, RVs, tour buses, motorcycles, bicycles, and commercial trucks across Lake Michigan between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin from mid-May through mid-October. See more..
4.5 Big Sable Point Lighthouse (393 reviews)
- Well Worth the Effort to Reach The Impressive Big Sable Lighthouse
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Lighthouses

Though it is a nearly 2 mile walk down a soft sand road, it is well worth the effort to see this impressive historic lighthouse on a beautiful stretch of Lake Michigan. Fortunately on the day we were there, there was an overcast sky and temps were in the low 70’s so it was a pleasant walk. There is no shade on the walk, so be aware that on a sunny, warm day it may become quite uncomfortable particularly if humidity is high. Bring water, a hat, and wear sunscreen! A few days in the summer there is a bus that ferries visitors back and forth so for those who cannot make a 2-mile trek it is worth checking into. The lighthouse is closed on Mondays. See more..
4.5 Ludington North Breakwater Light (226 reviews)
- Nice
Lighthouses

My husband and I were in Livingston for one night on our travels around Lake Michigan. This is an unusual looking lighthouse that is well worth the visit. I can’t swim so it made me a bit nervous walking the concrete pier out into the lake, but I am really glad that I did it. We climbed to the top. It was a cloudy day so we couldn’t see very well but the guide at the top was very nice and informative. See more..
4.5 Amber Elk Ranch (101 reviews)
- Awesome Rut bugling and hand feed cows, MASSIVE RACKS!
Spent 1-2 hours Ranches

We are closed for the winter, we will open again on Memorial Day weekend, we look forward to seeing you then! Working elk ranch, take a 50 minute ride through our 130 acres of beautiful pasture where you will see elk cows and calves, spikers and bull elk up close. You will have the opportunity to feed the elk right from the wagon. See more..
4.5 Historic White Pine Village (94 reviews)
- A Visit Back In Time
Sunday: Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums

Historic White Pine Village offers a living-history, family-friendly, fun-filled tour of a late 19th – early 20th century pioneer village. The Village boasts 30 historic exhibit buildings, including the original 1849 Mason County Courthouse (on the National Register of Historic Places ) and an authentic turn-of-the-century steam locomotive, tender car, and flat car loaded with logs and headed toward the Village’s working sawmill. Visitors come face-to-face with early settlers: first-person interpreters with scripts carefully prepared by staff and historians, they interact and improvise with visitors in the persona of historical characters and recreate actual personages from Mason County. The buildings contain thousands of authentic artifacts and archives depicting the rich lumbering and agricultural history of its area. Thousands of area school children, families, individual visitors and residents tour the Village annually. See more..
4.5 Buttersville Park (68 reviews)
- Beautiful campsite but bring earplugs.
Beaches • Parks

Nice township campground in a beautiful location. Do not miss watching a gorgeous Lake Michigan sunset sitting on the bluff at the campsite. We didn’t have a lot of interaction with the staff but what we did was all very pleasant. One thing: there is a manufacturing plant nearby and, I don’t know if it happens all the time, but we were there on a Sunday night and the beep beep beep of what sounds like the reverse alarm on trucks went on all night long. Unless you’re one of those sleepers who won’t wake up for anything, bring ear plugs or you’ll probably have a pretty sleepless night listening to what sounds like an alarm clock all night long. See more..
4.5 Port of Ludington Maritime Museum (48 reviews)
- A well appointed attraction which you need at least 2 hours in
Temporarily closed - Closed until May 6, 2023 Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • Children's Museums • History Museums

The Port of Ludington Maritime Museum brings history to life with digital storytelling, authentic images and artifacts, and engaging interactive exhibits that entertain, enlighten, and inspire a deeper appreciation for the region’s maritime history. Located in the former U.S. Coast Guard Station, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this family-friendly, three-story museum overlooks Lake Michigan’s wild shoreline, Ludington’s iconic North Pier Light, and the historic carferry Badger, extending the maritime experience beyond its doors in this vacation wonderland. The museum is operated by the Mason County Historical Society, which also operates the nearby Historic White Pine Village. See more..
4.5 Hemlock Golf Club (42 reviews)
- Best golf course in Western Michigan
Golf Courses

I played the Hemlock Golf Club this fall and boy was I impressed. The course was in tremendous shape, the staff was great and the golf well it was one of the most challenging and fun rounds I have ever played. The price I thought was a steal. I have played a lot of courses out that way including Arcadia bluffs which is in the over hundred dollar range. I learned that I can pay about half that, on a course that in my opinion offers a lot more. See more..
4.5 Pere Marquette River (42 reviews)
- Kayaking the river from Scottville
Bodies of Water

This National Scenic River is one of Northern Michigan's prime fishing spots. See more..
4.5 Summit Park (27 reviews)
- Our wedding vow renewal 2021
Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water • Parks • Playgrounds

We were married on this beach in 2011 and came back for our 10-year anniversary wedding vow renewal on the beach. There was a little bit less beach now than there was 10 years ago but it is still very nice. One of the things I like about this beach is there's some good rock hunting to be done here. All the children and adults love the beach. It seems as beaches became a very popular place in the last 10 years. In the afternoon lots of people go get food at the bortell's food market and bring it here to the picnic tables to eat and to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Lake Michigan. Kudos to Michigan Parks department for the wonderful playground equipment that they've added here for little kids. The bathrooms were also very nice here and very clean. See more..
4.5 Love Wines, LLC (18 reviews)
- Absolutely love Love Wines!!
Spent < 1 hour Speciality & Gift Shops • Wineries & Vineyards

We are a full winery in downtown Ludington. We also offer gifts and tastings. No reservations needed during business hours. See more..
4.5 Red Door Gallery (12 reviews)
- Local art - excellent
Spent < 1 hour Art Galleries

This is a great place to stop for local arts and crafts. Items are presented well and offer a variety of media. See more..
4.5 Maude's Garage (11 reviews)
- What fun! Cool shop.
Spent 1-2 hours Speciality & Gift Shops
This upcycled garage on the mainstreet is packed full of vintage and hand-crafted fun. We were looking for a local artisan souvenir and found several to choose from. Do take cash for your purchases. Enjoy! (send the guys and little kids for ice cream while you shop) See more..
4.5 JM Galleries (10 reviews)
- Framing done right
Sunday: Art Galleries

JM Galleries and Custom Picture Framing is beautiful photography gallery and full service custom picture frame shop.Choices from affordable ready made frames to extravagant custom framing options. See more..
4.5 Cartier Park (2 reviews)
- Best Campground!
Spent 1-2 hours Parks
This campground is a fantastic place to camp. I have come several times and my husband has been coming since he was a child (He's 45) very clean, friendly and reasonable priced. Path to walk or ride your bike and a small play ground. Family friendly really everyone friendly! We definitely be back. See more..
4.0 Harbor Cinemas 8 (18 reviews)
- Great "matinee" special, but go a little early!
Movie Theaters
From 4 - 5:30 they have cheaper movie prices, but when we went to see Minions 3D the lines were quite long. They had 3 lines (one had two registers going). You actually pay at the concession stand - 1 line was tickets only, and the other 2 were tickets and concessions. The place was a zoo! However, things moved a little faster than I thought at first, but I was stressing out while we waited. So leave an extra 10 minutes before you normally would for a weekday movie. The seating was comfortable and the theater was quite clean. See more..
4.0 Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness (17 reviews)
- Beautiful place
Nature & Wildlife Areas

To get to the wilderness area you do go down a dirt road for about 6 miles and the parking lot is small but there is parking along the road as well. The hike to the beach is a bit long but so pretty and quiet. Once out to the lake the water is so many colors of blue and great for swimming. See more..
4.0 Father Jacques Marquette Shrine (6 reviews)
- Beautiful picturesque
Spent < 1 hour Religious Sites

I live near this wonderful place. It is a must see in our little town. Well worth the trip. It does have stairs and is being remodeled. Breath taking view. See more..
4.0 Ludington Area Center for the Arts (3 reviews)
- Talented local artists display
Spent < 1 hour Art Galleries
The Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA) is a community arts organization and facility that cultivates regional arts: Music, Visual Arts, Performance, Dance, Culinary, Literary and more. The LACA Gallery features a variety of free visual arts exhibitions year-round. LACA also presents a wide variety of arts programming and workshops, as well as staged theatrical and musical performances. See more..
4.0 The Mitten Bar (2 reviews)
- Great Vibe, Great Music
Sunday: Bars & Clubs
Had a great night, music was delightful, place was packed, and its the place to be in Ludington at night. For a small town, they do this up like the city!! See more..
Ludington Seventh Day Adventist Church (0 review)
Spent 2-3 hours Churches & Cathedrals
See more..