The Best Beach Hotels to Book in Michigan

Envision sliding into an Adirondack chair at the edge of Lake Huron, watching boat sails bob when you aren’t burying your nose in a novel. Breakers Resort and Beach Bar will gladly provide the chairs and the view if you bring the book. As you turn the pages and the sun sets, this beachfront hotel in Michigan will light up every night with a bonfire. You’re welcome to continue reading, but if it’s a spooky tale you’re thumbing through, perhaps company around the fire would be preferred.

Spend summers in Michigan the way they were meant to be – with your toes in the sand at Tawas Bay Beach Resort. You’ll have your choice of fun in the sun, whether that be with a game of cornhole, tetherball or volleyball. Kids will love posing with the fake dolphins and polar bears on the sand, while adults can rent a jet ski on-site or cruise at a slower speed at Bikini’s Beach Bar. The jacuzzi king suite has bay views, and since you can technically see the beach, it pretty much counts as you being “in the sand.”

When the Gold Coast beckons you to bathe in the sun, Pointes North Beachfront Resort Hotel has a 300ft (91m) private beach for you to stretch out on – and we don’t mean only for the summer, either. With two-person spa tubs in every room, you’ll stay warm one way or another in this Michigan beachfront hotel. Might we suggest a ground-floor room with walkout access to the beach? You’ll want as easy a walk as possible after you empty your complimentary wine bag.

Take the Grand Traverse Bay as your bae for the weekend at the Sugar Beach Resort Hotel. This Michigan beach hotel near Traverse City is right on the pristine sand; you can skip your way to the shoreline in seconds. Brewing a coffee in your guest room? Throw it in a to-go mug, wolf down a complimentary continental breakfast, and take a relaxing stroll on the nearby Traverse Area Recreation Trail if you want to save sunbathing for later in the day.

Some of the best hotels on the beach in Michigan aren’t on the Great Lakes. Indeed, Beachfront Hotel will show you that Houghton Lake can be just as great. This pet-friendly hotel is an all-season affair with a dock area for summer boating and an indoor pool for swimming when it’s snowy outside. A full breakfast buffet in the morning will get you ready for whatever you please, including ice fishing, water skiing or laying out on the private beach. If you need more space for your party, rent a comfy house or cabin.

You’ll want to stay at the Grand Beach Resort Hotel simply because there’s so much to do right outside each villa. A sprawling sugar-fine sand beach is just the tip of the sandcastle. When you’re not absolutely loving life in a three-bedroom, three-bathroom villa with a private patio and a fireplace, you’ll be within minutes of Traverse City State Park, minigolf and the Traverse Area Recreation Trail.

A visit to Mackinac Island is a must for anyone traveling around northern Michigan, and Mackinaw Beach and Bay Inn and Suites in Mackinaw City will put you within striking distance. Check into a room with a private jacuzzi – you’ll want to soak your feet after a long day of casino-cruising and shopping. Sound like a lot of unnecessary walking? An indoor swimming pool (with a fun water feature), a game room, an on-site playground and family-friendly evening shows will keep you and the kids entertained without lacing up your sneakers.

An inviting escape on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Beach Haus Resort wants you to sit back and savor the Michigan sunsets with a glass of wine in hand. How you choose to spend the time between then and waking up in your beach-view king room with a veranda is up to you. The 200ft (61m) private beach includes gazebos, grills and patios for maximum relaxation. Sit back and watch (or join in) a game of bocce ball while the smell of sizzling steak makes you wish summer would never end. Ready to retire? Your room has a lovely soaking tub, with fancy Gilchrist & Soames toiletries coming as standard.

You’ll feel like you’re living your best life in this rustic, Michigan vacation resort right on the sand. It encourages you to bring your own towels and cookware so that you can truly make yourself at home. Step outside a fully furnished one-, two- or even three-bedroom cottage and enjoy a firepit, a playground and a grill. Watch the freighters cruise across the waterfront from the swing seats as the sun sets on yet another amazing day on the shores of Lake Huron.