Holland MI.
#11
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Comfort Inn 616-392-1000
Country Inn by Carlson 616-396-6677
Days Inn 616-392-7001
Holiday Inn 616-394-0111
Hampton Inn 616-399-8500
That's most of the major ones. My Holland phone book is a year old (I live in Grand Rapids) so the new Best Western isn't in it (neither is the New Holiday Inn North).
Country Inn by Carlson 616-396-6677
Days Inn 616-392-7001
Holiday Inn 616-394-0111
Hampton Inn 616-399-8500
That's most of the major ones. My Holland phone book is a year old (I live in Grand Rapids) so the new Best Western isn't in it (neither is the New Holiday Inn North).
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#12
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What are you looking for? Cruising? Seeing Lake Michigan? Nightlife? Holland is a beautiful place to visit. It has the busiest State Park in Michigan. Excellent beaches, sand dunes, Lake Macatawa, etc., it just doesn't have much in the way of restaurants or bars that you can get to by boat. It is a great starting point, though. Saugatuck is about 7 miles to the south. About 20 miles north is Grand Haven. Both of those ports offer parks and beaches as well as many more ameneties for the traveling boater. In both towns you can tie up and be right in the middle of everything. One of the best things for a boater in this area is the miles and miles of sandy, rock free beach. In most places along the shoreline you can bring your boat within wading distance of the shore without needing to be concerned about rocks. If you have never been there before you will be amazed at what a boaters paradise the west coast of Michigan is.
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#14
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Saugatuck doesn't have any big chain hotels. Mostly small ones ore Bed and Breakfast type places. Muskegon has all the same major hotels that most fairly large towns have.
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In that case I would go with Grand Haven. Nice town and the Grand River and Spring Lake to boat on, too. Unless there is a storm the big lake is usually pretty good this time of year. With your boat you should have no problem unless it is really rough. Watch the weather report, pick a time that looks good and enjoy!
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Just remember if you go to GRAND HAVEN that SPRING LAKE is NO WAKE for any boat over 26 ft. IT SUCKS GOING BACK TO PARTY COVE. Thats the only thing bad about a bigger boat.
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If you want to sleep don't plan on staying at the Coral Gables. It goes all night. Watch the markers in the "bay" of Saugatuck. It is about 3 ft deep in most places. Grand Haven is about 30mi from there by water and has the best place for off lake boating. Holland is not all that bad but there is no night life by boat. GH will be full but you can tie up to a huge rusty steel wall with rollers coming down the channel if you want
The wind is going to be out of the North this weekend so it may be a beating from Saugatuck to GH, but a nice ride back
I would say GH will give the most fun now. Plus the inner lake and river are great always and lots of running room. Just get here and have fun.
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Muskegon is nice, but a little on the dull side too----yes, it does have more to offer a powerboater than Holland does, but it's still not the place I think you're looking for. All ports can be kind of neat to visit because they are all unique in their own way. But if you're looking to have more of an upbeat time, Saugatuck is a good start and also as MACDAD has stated; Grand Haven is another interesting port with good accomodations for the adventuristic powerboater.
MACDAD, you may be right about Holland's State Park being the busiest park in the state, but I must admit I have seen at least one state park that makes Holland's look like a sand box! That being Warran Dunes State Park about 15 miles or so North of the Michigan/Indiana border along Michigan's west shoreline. They have a camp grounds there just behind the beach and in the tree line at the foot of some of the dunes. The Warren Dunes parking lot for the beach goers will make Holland's look like a postage stamp. Several Chicago and Indiana people go to Warren Dune's. Warren Dune's also has a nickname called "Tower Hill"-------it's because the dune's are so incredible! I love boating down there and going swimming off my boat while looking up at those awesome dunes.
MACDAD, you may be right about Holland's State Park being the busiest park in the state, but I must admit I have seen at least one state park that makes Holland's look like a sand box! That being Warran Dunes State Park about 15 miles or so North of the Michigan/Indiana border along Michigan's west shoreline. They have a camp grounds there just behind the beach and in the tree line at the foot of some of the dunes. The Warren Dunes parking lot for the beach goers will make Holland's look like a postage stamp. Several Chicago and Indiana people go to Warren Dune's. Warren Dune's also has a nickname called "Tower Hill"-------it's because the dune's are so incredible! I love boating down there and going swimming off my boat while looking up at those awesome dunes.
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If I had a 33 foot cat, I'd be staying in Muskegon. Muskegon Lake is NOT no wake no matter how big you are. Spring Lake in Grand Haven is long and boring at no wake speeds (over 26', you're going slow or gettin a ticket!!!). It's 12 miles from Muskegon south to Grand Haven on Lake Michigan.
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