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My husband Tony and I took a day trip to Manistee after it was recommended by a colleague of his. Tony rarely comes to me with day trip requests, so when he does, I make those a priority!
Nicknamed the Victorian Port City, downtown Manistee is on the National Register of Historic Places due to its preserved Victorian architecture.
If you are planning a vacation in Ludington, Pentwater, or near the Sleeping Bear Dunes, consider a day trip to Manistee. And if you’re looking for summer plans, this day trip offers plenty to explore! Read on for more information.
~ Trip Summary ~
Type: Daytrip
Where: Manistee
When: Saturday in June
Why: My husband expressed his interest in checking out Manistee. It’s usually me who suggests where to go, so when he asks to go somewhere, I bump it to the top of our priorities!
Time Traveled (one way): 2 hours from Grand Rapids, 30 minutes from Ludington, 45 minutes from Pentwater, and 1 hour from Sleeping Bear Dunes area
Time spent at destination: 5 hours
Budget: $$ – food, entrance to museums, gas
What We Did: Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary, 5th Avenue Beach and North Pierhead Lighthouse, North Channel Brewing Company, downtown, SS City of Milwaukee and the Acacia, Manistee Fire Station
Other Opportunities to Explore: Manistee Riverwalk, Orchard Beach State Park, Manistee County Historical Museum
~ Manistee Inspired Merchandise ~
~ Day Trip to Manistee Trip Details ~
Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary
Stop one is on the Northern side of town, next to Lake Michigan. There are two sections of Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary. One is by the Lake, and one across the road. We only visited the portion near the lake. There are a few walking trails that are all less than a mile (perfect for a pregnant lady!!) Please note there is a small parking lot here with only 5-6 spots.
While we love birds, our motivation was to check out the sequoia trees. In 1948, six sequoias were planted on the property. Three remain today. Tony took the photo of me hugging the largest sequoia so you can see its scale. I’ve never visit the sequoias in California so it’s exciting to check one out locally!
Important for pregnant people!! There is a restroom you can use, right in the middle of the Sanctuary.
5th Avenue Beach & Manistee North Pier Head Light
Next, we traveled South to the 5th Avenue Beach to get to the Manistee North Pier Head Light. There are plenty of parking spaces at 5th Avenue Beach, and you don’t need to pay to park here. There’s also a restaurant and restroom facilities available if you’re planning to stay awhile.
Built in 1855, the Light and Catwalk are on the Michigan Register of Historical Places. While the lighthouse isn’t exceptional compared to many in Michigan, it is notable as it has one of the four remaining catwalks on the west Michigan coast.
North Channel Brewing Company
Pre-pregnancy I loved checking out breweries, distilleries, and wineries during our day trips. If pregnant, I still recommend checking out such places (just don’t drink), but only if the brewery carries food. While your husband enjoys a cold one, you can indulge in dessert! Note: North Channel sells its own beer and a variety of liquors!
Located on the North side of the Maple Street bridge, there is a public parking lot right across the street as well as a small lot beside it. It is in a large building where both production and the restaurant are located. North Channel offers a variety of burgers with options to swapping out or upgrade your side. On the day we visited, we tried a stout brownie a la mode (all alcohol cooked out), which tasted even better than it looks!
Downtown Manistee
Once we finished our meal, we crossed the bridge to check out the downtown. From the South side of the bridge, there is a clearly marked entrance to the river walk. Not wanting to do too much walking, we decided to stick to walking both sides of River Street to admire the Victorian architecture rather than do the river walk.
Nearly all the buildings are colorfully painted with ornate details along the top of the buildings and around the windows and doors. There are a couple quirky points of interest we laughed at – a sign attached to a building that read, ‘On this site in 1897 nothing happened’ and a skinny door with the address reading 365 1/2. A pretty flower garden with paintings and sculptures also exists downtown.
S.S. City of Milwaukee & the USCGC Acacia
Our final big stop of the day was a guided tour of the S.S. City of Milwaukee followed by a self guided tour of the Coast Guard vessel the Acacia. The cost to tour both is $12 for adults and $10 for children (age 7-15). The tour season starts in May.
The guided tour of the Milwaukee is fascinating. As you walk through the ship from bottom to top, the guide explains why these box car ferries once existed, when they were in operation, and what everyone’s role was on the ferries. Over 40 years ago, most towns along the lakeshore had ferries carrying box cars and passengers to Wisconsin or the Upper Peninsula. This was to bypass the corrupt and busy Chicago rail yard. Tours start every hour on the hour and last around 45 minutes. It’s also possible to spend the night on the City of Milwaukee, check out their website here for more details!
Parked next to the City of Milwaukee is the Coast Guard vessel the Acacia. The Acacia belongs to the class of Coast Guard ships called the 180’s, which are all 180 feet long, built between 1942-44. All were built in Duluth, MN. A fun fact about the 180’s is that they are all named after different trees and plants around the world. The Acacia was the last of the 39 180’s to be retired, which occurred in June 2006.
Manistee Fire Department
A few days before our day trip to Manistee, I saw on the news that the Manistee Fire Department was awarded a Guinness World Record for oldest continuously manned operating fire station. Besides the commemorative plaque, the building itself is beautiful and well kept – maintaining the same Victorian charm as the city’s downtown.
Would you like to spend some time in Manistee?
from Michigan with Love,
Jackie
Kindly Note: Updated March 2021
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