The Ultimate Summer Getaway to Hart & the Silver Lake Sand Dunes

“This place is just breathtaking Dad,” my 8-year-old daughter exclaimed after hiking up the dunes at Silver Lake. Little did she know we were in for an unparalleled adventure over the next few days as we explored the town of Hart and the Silver Lake area.

We were looking for a fun family getaway and the Silver Lake Sand Dunes delivered. We spent 3 fantastic days in the area and it was an action-packed itinerary perfect for our family – filled with epic adventures, gorgeous views, and plenty of tasty food. Let’s get right into it!

Thank you to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes & Hart Visitor Bureau for partnering with Awesome Mitten and hosting our family for these amazing adventures!

Day 1

Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo

You may think you’ve been to a petting zoo but you’ve never seen anything like Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo.

Unique Animal Experiences

This magical place lets you get up close and personal with some really fun animals – goats, camels, prairie dogs, deer, monkeys, and so much more. You can feed the various animals including a few of them in really cool ways. 

The goat pen has a conveyor belt where you can place your feed at the bottom and it pulls the food directly to the goat sitting on a porch, waiting for his afternoon treats. Or you can hook a lettuce leaf to a pole to feed it to the prairie dogs. 

Amazing Play Structures

The animals weren’t the only amazing things about this place. There was an Adventure Course – a next-level playground with all sorts of things to explore and experience. 

Then we headed to the giant slide. We carried our burlap sacks up to the top. On the way, we got to see some super whimsical fairy cottages. The slide down on the sack was fast and fun but safe for a variety of ages.

And of course, we had to check out the giant corn playground. If you’re thinking this sounds like a sandbox filled with corn kernels instead of sand, then you would be right. Our little one made corn angels and buried herself just like she was on the beach. All the kids were loving it!

Great Food And So Much More

We even grabbed lunch here. I usually don’t expect the food to be great at a kid-centric place but my chicken wrap was really good and my daughter gave two thumbs up for her burger.

With everything we experienced, there were still whole sections of the place we didn’t have time to see on this trip – an armadillo experience, capybaras, and more. 

You really could spend a couple of days at Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo. This has got to be as close to kid-perfect as a place can get. We went on a Monday and there were naturally fewer crowds for our time there which helped us to enjoy meandering the park at our whims.

Dunes Express Inn & Suites

After our experience at Lewis Adventure Farm, we checked into our hotel. Where you lay your head at night can make or break an experience when you’re out adventuring.

We had a great stay at Dunes Express. The staff at the hotel was caring and attentive. The breakfast had a variety of options to start our day. A big pool and hot tub made this a great family spot for a getaway. 

The hotel location right off the highway makes it accessible so you can get out and explore Hart, Silver Lake, Pentwater, and the surrounding area.

Hiking the Silver Lake Sand Dunes

This was an adventure. We parked near the dunes at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes pedestrian area. We went right up the trail which was very steep but doable. Our legs were fresh from the car ride so it was a blast heading up at this point.

The march of the sand dunes into these woods is powerful and amazing. Many trees are half-buried in the sand. 

We got to the top and hiked the peaks and valleys while admiring the dual view of Silver Lake and Lake Michigan. Then we went down to Silver Lake and waded in the water, which was smooth and shallow. This would be the perfect quiet beach to enjoy on a hot day.

The other side of the lake is the official beach area for the Silver Lake State Park where we later swam after our sandboarding adventure. 

After taking in the gorgeous view, we hiked back up the dune, hit a valley, and then up to another peak so we could head back down the path to our car. 

The pathway down to the car was very steep but felt safe as we bounded down. 

Let’s just say those legs were no longer fresh after all that but what a fun adventure and the beauty was awe-inspiring.

My daughter kept coming up with superlatives for what we were seeing and thought “breathtaking” was really the best she could think of. I felt like this was the closest I could imagine to what it would be like to be looking out over a desert expanse – the awe, beauty, and wonder. 

The Beach at Little Sable Lighthouse

Then we took a drive hugging the coast to get to the Little Sable Lighthouse. It is a beautiful, tall lighthouse that stands out against the blue of Lake Michigan. Just a short walk from the parking lot, this spot is easy to access compared to the entrance for the walk on the dunes at Silver Lake State Park. 

We walked along the beach and put our feet in the water. We stayed for the first colors of sunset and then headed off to dinner. 

Country Dairy Farm Store

We really enjoyed the vibe at the Country Dairy Farm Store. Everything about it is inviting and encourages people to stay and hang out. Corn hole. A playground. Ice cream. Food. They want you to settle in and stay awhile. 

The panini was delicious, the chocolate milk was phenomenal, and the staff was friendly and helpful. 

We got to pet and spend time with one of their Belgian draft horses looking for fresh grass near the fence. Draft horses are huge. It was really something to see one up close and realize how enormous they are in person.  

We didn’t get the chance to do the tour or rent bikes to bike around the working farm but that is definitely something I’d like to do in the future. 

Day 2

Climbing Little Sable Lighthouse

Rain can’t stop the true adventurer. So while our second morning was rainy, we headed back to the Little Sable Lighthouse to climb the steps – all 100+ feet up of them. I don’t love heights but I love exploring with my kids. I did the climb even with my knees shaking a bit, stopping for others as they came down, and even passed through the 2 hatches near the top.

Once at the top, we could see the original Third Order Fresnel lens that is still operating to this day. Stepping out onto the balcony was a humbling experience. Winds and light rain were blowing across the beach and you could feel the power of it, and the full height, as we walked around the small balcony. With sweeping views, the experience was unlike any other on our trip. 

Stella’s Coffee Shop

We love checking out local coffee shops when we’re exploring any area. This gives us a little peek into the normal rhythm of the town and the creativity of the people who live there. 

Stella’s Coffee Shop offered a great space for people to work remotely and families to trickle in throughout the morning. 

In addition to our drinks, we appreciated the healthier soda options they had (like Zevia) that we bought to enjoy while out on the dunes and the beach.

It’s also in my contract with my kids (just kidding, but that’s actually not a bad idea…) that we have to try a place’s hot chocolate any chance we get. And Stella’s hot chocolate was superb. My daughter gave it her stamp of approval and, of course, I had to taste test it just to make sure!

Mac Woods Dune Rides

We love trying new things so we definitely wanted to explore the dunes in a few different ways. We had already hiked the dunes, so we headed to Mac Wood’s Dune Rides. This was a great option for our crew to take a thrilling drive out on the dunes. 

This company has been doing tours since 1930 and you can see that they love and care about the area. 

The buggy has a truck front and several rows of seating. Along with riding over the dunes, you get a great tour guide who does a combo educational and comedic tour, giving you history of the area, amazing views, and funny jokes. 

Take-Out Dinner at Hart Pizza

Next, we headed to Hart for some dinner at Hart Pizza. We had worked up quite an appetite exploring those dunes. After hometown coffee shops, we love hometown pizza places. 

The evening was so lovely weather-wise, so we decided to take our pizza to-go and enjoy it by the waterfront.

The pizza was delicious and the ambiance was excellent. We headed down to listen to the Music on the Commons, which is a summer outdoor concert series with a lively downtown vibe. 

We also wanted to try La Probadita but their kitchen was closed the days we were there. Many locals told us it is one of their absolute favorites.

Ice Cream at Hart Dairy Delight

When traveling with kids, just plan on getting ice cream as often as possible. That’s what we do and our kids love going on trips with us. Life hack unlocked. 

While we were enjoying the idyllic small-town vibes of an outdoor concert and amazing views, we topped it off with ice cream from Hart Dairy Delight. It was the literal and metaphorical cherry on top of our evening. 

Next time we’d like to spend some time in a few shops, grab a donut from Bakery on the Corner, and learn about the unique history of the Hart Historical District.

Day 3

Kayaking in Hart with Oceana Bike & Boat

We hit the ground running to fit in more adventures on our last day in the Hart/Silver Lake area. We had the option of biking or kayaking and my daughter chose to get out on the water. What a great choice!

We rented kayaks from Oceana Bike and Boat. They also offer bike rentals with access to the scenic 22-mile Hart-Montague Trail. On our next trip, we’ll come back to do bike rentals along this trail.

After stopping in the shop to manage the rental, we headed to the county park for the kayak launch. The entire process was smooth and well done. You just call, email, or walk in to set up a reservation. You can also follow their Facebook page to see scheduled swims, bike rides, and paddles.

We headed up the river and it was amazing all of the things we saw as we paddled along the slow meandering river – turtles, sandhill cranes, ripe and delicious mulberries hanging over the edge.

The whole paddle was an excellent experience. Paddling is so cathartic and such a unique way to experience nature. 

Lunch at Open Hearth Grille

We headed back towards Silver Lake for lunch, stopping at Open Hearth Grille. 

Open Hearth Grille was obviously designed with Silver Lake adventures in mind. On the bottom level, there is room for trailers and campers to pull right up at the gas station. At the top level, guests can get a great meal, just up the stairs.

We enjoyed the breaded perch – another favorite when traveling along the great lakes. And we were served by one of the friendliest restaurant staff I’ve experienced in a long time.

Craig’s Cruisers

The Silver Lake area is the perfect getaway spot for thrill-seekers, so we headed to Craig’s Cruisers for some adrenaline-pumping activities. 

There were so many fun options here and when it came down to it, we chose to go on the zipline, go-karts, bumper boats, and roller coaster. We didn’t have time for the arcade but it looked like a blast too!

This is a kid paradise (and frankly I had a great time myself!) and we could have spent even more time exploring each and every activity in this place. 

But we had one more adventure… out on the dunes. 

Sandboarding the Dunes

Sandboarding is basically what it sounds like – you take a board that looks a lot like a snowboard and ride down the dunes much like you would down a snowboarding run. 

After renting our boards at The Sand Box, we headed back to the pedestrian area of the dunes to ride down. You can start in several places but I would recommend the pedestrian area because we had such a cool experience here, with all the dunes before us.

When renting your board, you are given a small amount of wax. Wax up your board and head down the dunes. I will say that it took some getting used to. You can’t go straight down and sand moves slower than snow so it takes some practice to find the right edge to move quickly but not too quickly. Then of course, like sledding, you have to walk yourself and your board back up again. 

We had a blast trying something we didn’t know existed the day before. Such a unique way to experience the sand dunes!

Swimming at Silver Lake State Park

After working up a sweat, we headed to the beach area across the street at Silver Lake State Park to jump in and cool off. The swim was a great way to slow our pace and just enjoy the moment. What an amazing, adventure-filled trip we had! 

Before we headed out of town, we made one last stop at Country Dairy. Our daughter had seen the perfect souvenir there, a beautiful journal, so we headed back to get it – and a little more ice cream, of course! 

The Ultimate Summer Family Getaway in Michigan

The Hart and Silver Lake area is the ultimate Michigan summer destination for thrill-seeking families, like ours. The towering Silver Lake Sand Dunes are awe-inspiring to see and explore. We had so much fun experiencing the dunes in different ways – hiking, going on a dune buggy ride, and sandboarding!

While the sand dunes are the main attraction, there is so much more to discover here. From Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo and Craig’s Cruisers to kayaking and lighthouse climbing, the Hart and Silver Lake area is full of amazing adventures that will keep your family coming back year after year.