Southwest Michigan Photo | Lake Michigan Destinations
Explore Southwest Michigan!
The Southwest Michigan portion of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour is a beautiful drive that takes you through many charming towns along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Beginning in New Buffalo (known for its variety of vineyards) the Lake Michigan Circle Tour switches to I-94 through the St. Joseph / Benton Harbor region. Here is where you’ll find the popular Silver Beach County Park with an historic, restored merry-go-round called the Silver Beach Carousel, along with the St. Joseph North Pier lighthouse located at Tiscornia Park. Continuing north on I-196/US-31, you will pass though the Saugatuck / Douglas area on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour route.
Southwest Michigan Counties & Communities
Counties: Berrien County, Van Buren, Allegan
Communities: New Buffalo, Bridgman, Stevensville, St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, South Haven, Saugatuck, Douglas
Southwest Michigan Destinations
There’s nothing like being “Up North” and we think you will want to linger in this beautiful region, filled with outstanding Lake Michigan Destinations.
Here are but a few of the towns which are delightful to discover in Southwest Michigan:
Van Buren County, Michigan
Van Buren County is fun for all seasons, whether it be hiking the many trails, fishing the Black River, or skiing at Timber Ridge.
Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien county is located in the southwest corner of Michigan and just north of the Indiana border. It’s home to the St. Joseph River.
Benton Harbor, Michigan
Benton Harbor and St. Joseph are twin cities sharing the St. Joseph River shore. Both communities are along the Lake Michigan Circle Tour.
St. Joseph, Michigan
With 3 top beaches including thousands of acres of State Park land, St. Joseph, Michigan, is the perfect destination for beach lovers.
Douglas, Michigan
Known as the “Village of Friendliness since 1870”, Douglas offers a diversified variety of art galleries and fine dining.
Saugatuck, Michigan
Saugatuck, Michigan has been regarded as the “Art Coast of Michigan” and has approximately two dozen galleries to visit.
New Buffalo, Michigan
New Buffalo, Michigan is notably known as the Gateway to Michigan and is included on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour.
South Haven, Michigan
South Haven has always been a port city due to its location on Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Black River.
Southwest Michigan Lighthouses
Lighthouse lovers will love the lights located along the Southwest Michigan lakeshore.
Tiscornia Park St. Joseph Lighthouse
Photo by Molly Schuler Pate
View Lighthouses in Southwest Michigan
- New Buffalo Lighthouse, New Buffalo
- North Pierhead Lighthouse, St. Joseph
- South Pierhead Light, South Haven
- Kalamazoo River Light, Saugatuck
Lake Michigan Travel Regions
Michigan
- Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
- Northern Michigan
- Northwest Michigan
- Central West Michigan
- Southwest Michigan
Wisconsin
Indiana & Illinois
Discover More Lake Michigan Destinations
Waukegan, Illinois
North of Chicago, Waukegan is home to the Genessee Theatre, Great Lakes Naval Base, and mile long Waukegan Municipal Beach.
Fish Creek, Wisconsin
Fish Creek is Northern Door County’s most walkable shopping marketplace. Enjoy incredible galleries, clothing and gift boutiques, and dining.
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is on the southern tip of a narrow estuary off the western coast of Lake Michigan and has great fishing and other activities.
Arcadia, Michigan
While a small town, Arcadia has a lot to offer the adventurous outdoors-man with great fishing, boating, and golfing opportunities.
Oceana County, Michigan
Oceana County is located in West Michigan and is known for their asparagus crops and the Silver Lake Sand Dunes.
Winthrop Harbor, Illinois
Winthrop Harbor is located on the northern border of Illinois. It is a suburb of Chicago and houses the largest marina on the Great Lakes.