Charming B & B Steps from White Lake and Biking Trails

Lake Michigan’s eastern shoreline is scattered with rolling sand dunes and uncrowded beaches. Here, you can sunbathe on sugar-fine sands, hike up the windswept dunes, or hire a fishing charter and search the cool, clear waters for salmon and trout. Only a few minutes away from the shore sits the White Swan Inn B&B, a charming, secluded inn filled with antiques and surrounded by trees.

The inn’s location is ideal for taking part in a wide range of outdoor activities—it’s just steps from White Lake, and for an extra fee, you can ask the innkeepers to reserve you a spot on Third Swan, a 40-foot yacht that cruises the lake at sunset. White Swan Inn B&B is also situated just off the southern trailhead of the Hart-Montague Bicycle Trail, which runs 22 miles between the cities of Montague and Hart; it winds mainly through rural forests but passes several scenic overlooks and picnic areas along the way. Hike or bike the trail in the summer, fall, and spring, storing your bike in the inn’s carriage house and unwinding on the screened-in, wraparound porch between adventures.

Inside the inn’s guest rooms, you’ll find antique touches such as vintage couches and carved wooden furniture. The Covell room's bathroom still contains the original oak-rimmed claw-foot tub as well as the ghost of the home’s first goldfish. The Jasmine room, which also has an attached private bath, channels the vibe of a vintage summer cottage with white wicker furnishings and seasonal views of White Lake. In the morning, gather in the dining room to enjoy a seasonal breakfast; past dishes have included Michigan-apple muffins and asparagus-and-red-pepper tarts.

Whitehall, Michigan: Historical Town a Few Miles from Lake Michigan

About an hour northwest of Grand Rapids and 5 miles from Lake Michigan, the town of Whitehall abounds with historical, small-town charm. One of the town’s highlights, the Howmet Playhouse, is just across the road from the White Swan Inn B&B. Built in 1916, the 400-seat playhouse hosts films, plays, and musical events all year long. Another historical must-see is the White River Light Station, a 19th-century lighthouse that’s situated on a peninsula between White Lake and Lake Michigan and houses a nautical museum.

Drive about 20 miles south to spend the day in Muskegon. While you’re here, visit the Muskegon Museum of Art or take in a show at the Frauenthal Center for Performing Arts. The Muskegon Winter Sports Complex opens its grounds each winter for ice skating, cross-country skiing, and luge classes.

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