Grand Haven is one of Michigan's most popular summer destinations. The beach town traces its history to a 1830s trading post for Jacob Astor's American Fur Company. Several years later, the settlers arrived. They cut all the timber and then Grand Haven transformed itself into a manufacturing and resort center. Much of this industry was aided and threatened by Lake Michigan and its violent storms. With its history as a commercial port of call and only three hours north of Chicago, Grand Haven offers Big City attractions and serene vistas of natural beauty. This is not Grandpa's tacky taffy fanny-packed tourist trap.
The Coast Guard Festival, July 30-Aug. 8, is the crown jewel of Grand Haven. The U.S. Life Saving Service, which merged with the pirate-fighting Revenue Cutter Service to create the Coast Guard, established a station in Grand Haven in the early 1900s. Grand Haven held a picnic with rowing competitions for Coast Guard personnel in 1924 and the first Coast Guard festival was held in 1937. Today, organizers expect to welcome 350,000 visitors to Coast Guard City U.S.A. The festival offers a variety of patriotic and family friendly events. The Coast Guard's National Memorial Service will be held at Escanaba Park on Friday, Aug. 6 at 4 p.m. The USO Liberty Bells will perform classic wartime songs by the Andrews Sisters and more on Friday at 7 p.m. on the Waterfront Stage. The festival's Fireworks Extravaganza has been called the best in Michigan. Held on Saturday, Aug. 7, the fireworks are shot from Dewey Hill and can be viewed from the Grand Haven Waterfront.
The Grand Haven Musical Fountain will entertain you during the fireworks, as it does every evening in the summer. Hailed as the World's Largest Musical Fountain - probably because New York City hasn't gotten around to building one yet - it is an engineering marvel. Built in 1962 by local business leaders for $250,000, the Liberace of water fountains processes more than 90,000 gallons of water with a synchronized display of water, lights and music. The 20-minute show begins at dusk and can be enjoyed from almost anywhere along the waterfront. Every night features a unique selection of songs and candy-colored liquid choreography. The Aug. 8 performance at 9:50 p.m. includes such toe-tapping tunes as "Top of the World", "Lore of the Loom", "Photograph", "La Traviata", The Incredibles' Theme, and "Old Time Rock and Roll'.
The Grand Haven Lighthouse was established in 1839. The current lighthouse and pier includes two lights, both painted red and dating to 1905 and 1922, respectively, connected by a lighted catwalk that runs to the boardwalk. Some teens like to jump off the pier into the crashing waves, where they learn the definition of "riptide." Others like to steal the life rings, meant to save the previously mentioned teens, as souvenirs. The site continues to evoke strong emotions. In 1987, Edward Zenko and daughter Sally raised $133,000 to rebuild the cast-iron catwalks and illuminate them. Then in June 2009, the Coast Guard retired the lights for transfer to community control. Our pinch-faced friends at PETA applied to convert them into the Fish Empathy Headquarters, with an educational center and vegetarian cafe, to memorialize the billions of fish killed annually by sport fishermen. Yum! Instead, the Grand Haven Lighthouse Conservancy took control.
The Grand Haven Boardwalk runs two-and-a-half miles along the harbor, starting at the City Marina and ending at the Grand Haven Pier and Lighthouse. It is lined with shops, restaurants, marinas and charter fishing boats. The boardwalk runs into the Grand Haven State Park (1001 Harbor Ave.), which consists entirely of beach sand and provides scenic views of Lake Michigan and the Grand Haven Pier and Lights. The 48-acre park is the most developed of the three beaches in Grand Haven. It boasts large paved parking areas, playground equipment, picnic tables, charcoal grills, public restrooms, and 174 modern campsites. More rustic beach-goers will enjoy the Grand Haven City Beach and the Northshore Beach, located just across the harbor.
The Grand Haven Bike Paths are a healthy way to enjoy the waterfront. There are more than 100 miles of bike paths throughout the area featuring the Lake Michigan shoreline, impressive sand dunes, quiet rural roads, woodlands, farms, and unique area attractions. The Lakeshore Connector runs for nearly 20 miles along the shoreline between downtown Grand Haven and Holland State Park, and is a favorite of bicycling enthusiasts. There are several beachfront parks along the way including Grand Haven State Park, Kirk Park, Tunnel Park, and Holland State Park. Camping is available at both state parks, however reservations should be made in advance. Free bike route maps are available at the Grand Haven Visitors Bureau office.
Exercise your brain at The Bookman (715 Washington Ave). The independent bookstore is located in a century-old building that once housed the Grand Haven Mercantile Exchange. With charming tin ceilings, free coffee, friendly staff, and lots of parking, the shop is popular with locals and visitors. The Bookman has a great collection of regional books and supports local authors. It also has a huge collection of award-winning children's books, popular with grandmothers and as baby shower gifts. 
It also has dozens of animal puppets that go great with the books. Look for excellent picture books like The Mud Fairy by Amy L. Young and challenging young adult novels like A Summer of Silk Moths by Margaret Willey. The shop will have a wine-and-cheese tasting on Aug. 12 to celebrate the publication of BOD-E-NOMICS by Viki Goldberg and GVSU-grad Wendy Schweifler.
Continue your education at the Tri-Cities Historical Museum (200 Washington Ave.). The museum has two locations: the 1870 Grand Trunk Railroad Depot, which the museum took over in 1972, and the newly renovated Akeley Building, built in 1871. The permanent exhibits explore Coast Guard and maritime history, Michigan geology, Native American traditions, the fur trade, and the lumbering eras. The Akeley building will host two summer exhibitions. A History of Banking will be based around an impressive collection of cash registers dating to the 1870s. The show will be enlivened by photo essays on the Baby Face Nelson Gang, which in 1933 robbed its first bank in Grand Haven. The other exhibition will feature 180 wood sculptures by artist Jim Ponchair. Each sculpture is a life-sized, hand-carved and hand-painted recreation of a bird native to Michigan. Sounds like a special treat for bird lovers, and confusing for cats, my pets.
Grand Haven has excellent an excellent beach cuisine, and by excellent I mean baked and fried and stuffed with meat. Make sure you stop at Waffle Queens on the Grand Haven Boardwalk. It's the only store in the country where you can get a stuffed waffle. The co-owners wanted to bring this Filipino treat to Grand Haven, but updated for 
American tastes. The menu ranges from savory stuffed waffles on a stick to sweet ones in a boat covered in whipped cream. The Filipino partners like the Reese's Peanut Butter Chips and the Wapple (spiced apple) waffles while their American husbands love the cheeseburger and The Godfather (pizza) waffles. Other wafflelicious concoctions include the Waffledog and the Wasausage. According to co-owner Luchi Nelson, "We always know when we have a first-time customer. There is awe, confusion, excitement, and anticipation when they order their first stuffed waffle."
Pronto Pup (313 S. Harbor Dr.) is a Grand Haven tradition. In 1947, a visionary named Charles (Chuck) Nelson built a 9' x 7' shack on a lonely strip of beach to sell the world's best corn dogs. His son Carl and Carl's wife Nancy continue the tradition. They dip Michigan-made hot dogs in special Pronto Pup batter, cook them to a golden brown in vegetable oil and serve them three ways. Carl likes his dogs naked. People from Chicago like them with mustard. You can also get them with ketchup. On a busy Saturday, Carl slings 1,000 Pronto Pups from what he calls "the world's most efficient kitchen." The biggest complaint is that they don't charge enough. At $1.75 per dog, Pronto Pup is proud to keep prices fair for its customers. The stand has served three generations of Grand haven residents and has fans all around the world. When asked about Pronto Pups popularity, Carl replied, "Pronto Pups has been the same for 63 years. It's something you can count on."
Butch's Beach Burritos (726 S. Harbor Dr) will stuff you too. Family owned and operated since 1987 by Liz and Jim Thayer, Butch's has watched its clients grow up and then bring their children. "Over 85 percent of our business comes from Grand Haven," said Liz. Popular items include the Original Beef and Bean Burrito and the Chiwawa Chili Dog, which is topped with taco meat, beans, cheese and salsa. They also make their world-famous guacamole fresh daily. The culinary Miss Carolita recommends guacamole on your hot dog, Chilean style. The casual restaurant is open five months a year and offers tasty choices for your little amigos. You can satisfy your burrito craving during the rest of the year at the Butch's Beach Burrito in Spring Lake.
The Kirby House (2 Washington Ave.) offers more upscale fare within walking distance of Lake Michigan. Located in a historic hotel, the building was completely renovated to create three restaurants: The Kirby, K2, and the Grill Room. Shake off the sand and head to the steakhouse, which balances Old World charm with a laid-back beach vibe. Chef Tom Webb Andrew Sprite has crafted an intelligent menu that spans the globe. Poppa Steve recommends the Prime Rib Dinner, with garlic whipped Yukon gold potatoes and roasted summer vegetables, and the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, consisting of Monterey jack, asiago, cheddar, bleu cheese, gemelli pasta, Maine lobster and grape tomatoes. The Kirby House's deck is a favorite place to kick back and watch boats, cars, and people go by while listening to live music. Get there early because the service, like the sunsets over Lake Michigan, is unhurried.
The Grand Seafood and Oyster Bar (22 Washington Ave.) celebrates Grand Haven's seafaring history. Tucked into the lobby of Grand Theatre, which was built in 1927, the restaurant offers an incredible selection of oysters, sushi, seafood, and steaks. With original crystal chandeliers, wood paneling, and 120-gallon saltwater aquarium, the Grand is one of the most romantic restaurants in West Michigan. Specialties include Maryland Crab Cakes and the Roasted Salmon served in an Ancho chile glaze. The Grand is a sushi bar, with clever creations like Pete's Roll (tuna, avocado, spicy sauce), Tahitian Moon (tuna, avocado, mango) and the Hijiki Forest (tuna, hijiki, carrot). Don't miss Maki Mondays: $7 sushi 2 p.m. to close. It also offers live jazz and blues throughout the year as well as outdoor dining in the summer.
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Photos: Tri-Cities Museum: Brittany Jacques; Pier: Ed Post; Fountain: Marci Cisneros; Waffle Queens: Sarah Asman
