Top Tips for Planning a Family-Friendly Trip to Southwest Michigan
Visiting Southwest Michigan with your kids can be an epic discovery for the whole family. With its rich history, greenspaces, lakes, and beaches, there are plenty of kid-friendly attractions available for every season.
While your trip will depend on your family's personal tastes and proclivities, we highly recommend including at least a few of our recommendations to get the most out of this spectacular area. Here, we’ll look at where to go, so everyone can soak up the fun.
Downtown St. Joseph
301 State Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085
Known for its kid-friendly atmosphere, including toy stores, ice cream shops, and restaurants, St Joseph's downtown is a charming location for any family. You’ll find a list of all its attractions at the St. Joseph Today Welcome Center, so we recommend starting there to help plan your day. Stroll along and take your time browsing the merchandise and menu items.
The city hosts a number of events throughout the year, including the Fall Fest, where kids can meet all the many animals in the Critter Barn.
Silver Beach Carousel
333 Broad St., Saint Joseph, MI 49085
Likely one of the most unique attractions on the list, the Silver Beach Carousel features 48 figures, including a panda, tiger, and clown fish, under 1,000 festive lights. Open all-year-round, each hand-carved, hand-painted animal is made by Carousel Works, AKA the world’s largest wooden carousel manufacturer.
This merry-go-round is below the bluff in St. Joseph’s on Silver Beach, and it's great place to learn more about the beach’s history, which once included a much larger amusement park near the shore.
Whirlpool Compass Fountain
700 Broad St., St. Joseph, MI 49085
The Whirlpool Compass Fountain is a splash pad near the beach, and a different way to beat the heat throughout the spring, fall, and summer. While it may ostensibly be for kids, you’ll see plenty of adults venturing out as both the fountains and the cannons spray water into the center arena.
(Part of the reason why so many adults get involved comes down to lack of shade, so make sure you pack some sunscreen and water for this activity.)
History Center at Courthouse Square
313 N. Cass Street, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
The History Center at Courthouse Square is the restoration of an 1800s county courthouse-turned-museum. Not only did the Berrien County Historical Association save and preserve this institution, they also preserved the heritage and culture of the much larger county and surrounding areas.
Kids will love wandering around exploring the Murdoch Log Cabin, Sheriff’s Residence, and, of course, the old county jail.
Fernwood Botanical Garden
13988 Range Line Road, Niles Michigan 49120
Fernwood Botanical Garden is 105 acres and home to 10 ecosystems in Niles, MI along St. Joseph’s River. There are miles of hiking trails here, as well as herb, Japanese, and rain gardens. The grounds even have a reconstructed prairie that began in the 1970s.
Kids can climb the platform in the center and see the same view that a pioneer would have seen as they entered the land on horseback. This kid-friendly attraction is a great place to learn more about homesteaders and how they might have faced the elements.
St. Joseph Lighthouse
301 State Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085
St. Joseph’s Lighthouse gives the perfect perspective of the harbor spread out below. You can tour the first floor for free, known as the North Pier Inner Light, or you can pay for a ticket to make it all the way to the top. If you’re looking to sit and watch the boats, you can head to the Outer Lighthouse to see all the action.
There are even tours every Saturday morning and interactive programs on select Saturdays during the summer if you and your family want to absorb more about the function and history of the lighthouse.
Build Sand Castles at the Beach
2300 Pipestone Road, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
Whether you visit Silver Beach, Lions Park, or Tiscornia, you’ll find soft sand that’s ripe for building. Visiting the beaches of Southwest Michigan isn’t just a great low-cost activity, considering you can grab an affordable lunch or dinner spread at the nearby grocery stores, it’s also an interactive way to help your kids create something from nothing.
Even if you’re not a civil engineer, you can teach your kids (and yourself) the basics as you use tools to create works of art.
Dine at Bistro on the Boulevard
521 Lake Blvd, Saint Joseph, MI 49085
Southwest Michigan’s flavors come alive at The Bistro. This restaurant has a separate children’s menu (that comes with plenty of crayons, of course), and serves up breakfast, brunch, and dinner classics. Menu choices include blackened catfish, shakshuka, and a biscuits and gravy skillet.
This (largely) American restaurant is family-friendly, but it’s also a stylish, modern spot to enjoy a meal. This is a popular restaurant, though, so consider a reservation — especially if you have a bigger family.
Curious Kids Discovery Zone
333 Broad St., St. Joseph, MI 49085
Founded by educators and parents, this spot is attached to the Curious Kids’ Museum and aims to inspire children’s natural curiosity with exciting, hands-on exhibits. Here, your kids can suspend objects in midair while learning about wind patterns, or use a miniature crane to unload a miniature cargo ship.
Suitable for younger kids up to age 10, this affordable indoor activity can help everyone put on their thinking caps!
Love Creek County Park & Nature Center
9292 Huckleberry Road, Berrien Center, MI 49102
The Love Creek County Park and Nature Center is over 100 acres of marshes, creeks, and forests. You can hike, bike, ski, or even snowboard along the trails, making it a good year-round activity for the family. If you want to rent a fat tire bike for the fat tire trail, there are bikes available for both adults and kids.
The nature center also features a bookshop and a variety of displays where you and your kids can learn more about the birds, animals, and wildflowers that grace the Michigan meadows.
Peat’s Cider Social
6201 Red Arrow Hwy, Stevensville, Michigan
At Peat's Cider Social, you and the kids can bowl, challenge each other in the arcade room, or just order up a round or two of drinks. It’s a great place for adults to sample an array of hard ciders and for kids to enjoy a soft drink and relax.
Half the fun is enjoying the vibes in this 1960s bowling alley where the owners have gone to great lengths to strike a balance between refreshing the decor and preserving the space’s natural history.
Part of the fun of taking your kids on vacation is introducing them to all the kid-friendly attractions in the area. Use our tips to help you plan each day to the fullest, and don't be afraid to branch out!
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