Updated July 2026: I first wrote this Saugatuck family vacation guide after our very first trip in 2023. We loved this little Michigan beach town so much that we have now returned four summers in a row! I continue to update this post with our newest favorite beaches, restaurants, activities and tips for visiting Saugatuck with kids.

Saugatuck, Michigan with kids

We have now spent four summers vacationing in Saugatuck, Michigan with our three kids, so I think it's safe to say this little Lake Michigan beach town has become one of our family's favorite places.

I first wrote this guide after our very first Saugatuck trip in 2023. At the time, our kids were 5, 4 and 2, and it was our first real family vacation! We wanted to get away somewhere that felt like a true beach vacation. But I also wanted somewhere we could drive to from St. Louis that wasn’t suuuuper far away.

I kept hearing people talk about Michigan.

As I started looking into different Michigan beach towns, Saugatuck immediately stuck out to me. An artsy little town on the water with cute shops, an amazing food scene and a walkable downtown?

Yep. I’m sold.

Fast forward four summers and we keep coming back to Saugatuck.

Life just slows down there. The houses are adorable. The shops are cute. The downtown sits right on the water. You spend mornings at the beach and evenings eating ice cream, eating on the water, or sitting around a bonfire. The mornings and nights are cooler, but the summer days are warm enough for the beach.

It honestly feels like you're in a little fantasy town that isn't real life.

I now completely understand why so many St. Louis families vacation in Michigan during the summer. Saugatuck is about a 6-hour drive from St. Louis, and for us, it is the perfect family road trip.

Is Saugatuck good for families?

YES!

This Saugatuck vacation guide is centered around visiting with kids. We first started going when our kids were really little and have continued returning as they've gotten older. There are wineries, hiking trails and plenty of things to do for an adults-only getaway, too. I would love to go back with just Chad sometime! But this post is all about our experience visiting Saugatuck with three kids.

Our typical Saugatuck day looks something like this: Coffee. Beach. Lunch. Relax.

Then after the beach, we walk downtown for dinner, let the kids play at the playground, walk by the water and get ice cream.

Nothing revolutionary. But that's kind of the point.

There are a lot of neighboring beach towns and day trips you can take from Saugatuck, but we spend a lot of our vacation right in Saugatuck and at the nearby beaches. Less is more here.

Quick tips for visiting Saugatuck with kids

After four summers in Saugatuck, these are the things I tell friends when they ask me about our trip:

Stay within walking distance of downtown Saugatuck if you can. We walk downtown multiple times a day and love not having to load everyone into the car.
Bring a wagon or stroller if you have younger kids. This makes walking downtown and hauling things around so much easier.
Go to Oval Beach early. We usually arrive between 9 and 10 a.m. It’s so peaceful!!!
Grab coffee at Outside Coffee on your way to Oval Beach. This has become part of my Saugatuck beach routine!
Bring a beach tent and pack a cooler with food/snacks/drinks. We set up for the day and usually stay through lunch.
Don't over-plan your trip. This is key! Our favorite days are the ones where we do almost nothing besides the beach, dinner and a bonfire.
Pack for cooler mornings and evenings. One of my favorite things about Michigan in the summer is that it can be warm at the beach during the day and cool enough for a sweatshirt and bonfire at night.
Go in July or August if beach time is your priority. We love going in July because we want to spend a lot of our trip swimming and playing at the beach.

Best Beaches near saugatuck, Michigan for Kids

The beach is a HUGE part of our Saugatuck trips.

Before our first Michigan vacation, all my oldest daughter talked about was going to the beach. She was so excited!

And after four summers of visiting different beaches around Saugatuck, we officially have a favorite.

Oval Beach: Our Favorite Beach in Saugatuck

If you visit one beach during your trip, do this one!!

Oval Beach is our favorite beach in Saugatuck. We have tried several beaches in the area, and this is the one we return to again and again. It's a super short drive from downtown Saugatuck (like just a few minutes) and is beautiful, clean and easy to access with kids.

Our biggest Oval Beach tip is to go early. We usually arrive sometime between 9 and 10 a.m. Before heading to the beach, we stop at Outside Coffee Co. for coffee. It's a SUPER cute outdoor coffee shop on the way to Oval Beach. Then we head to Oval Beach, pitch our beach tent and set up for the morning. We pack a cooler with drinks, snacks and lunch. We usually spend the entire morning at the beach and stay until sometime after lunch.

There are also showers at Oval Beach, which is really nice when you have sandy kids!

This routine has become one of my favorite parts of our Saugatuck vacations.

Douglas Beach

Douglas Beach is near Oval Beach but much smaller. It can be a good option if you're looking for shade in the morning because there are several large trees along the shoreline. Parking is very limited so go early.

There are stairs you have to walk down to reach the beach after you park. It wasn't an overwhelming amount of steps for us, but it is something to keep in mind if you're hauling a lot of beach gear or have really little kids.

The beach was also rockier when we visited, which made it a little harder for my kids to play. If you're looking for a big sandy beach where kids can spread out and play, we personally prefer Oval Beach.

Pier Cove Beach

Pier Cove Beach is right outside Saugatuck and is another smaller, more intimate beach. There is a little stream and rocks the kids can skip, which my kids really enjoyed.

We visited Pier Cove when Oval Beach was busier and wanted somewhere smaller for the kids to swim and play.

Parking is very limited, so keep that in mind before you go.

South Beach in South Haven

South Beach in South Haven is another fun beach to visit with kids.

It's about 20 minutes from Saugatuck. There is a lighthouse you can walk out to and a playground in the sand that my kids loved. The parking was also close to the beach, which always makes life easier when you are carrying approximately 4,000 beach items for three children.

Be sure to get there early (9-10 am), because parking and the beach gets really busy.

You also drive through downtown South Haven on the way to the water. There are storefronts and places to eat, so you could easily spend more time exploring the town.

Indiana Dunes State Park: A Fun Stop on the Drive Home

One year, we left Saugatuck in the morning and stopped at the Indiana Dunes State Park on our drive back to St. Louis.

We stopped at the beach at Porter Beach and spent a few hours there. There was a main building near the beachfront with food, including a walk-up window where you could get fries, hot dogs and ice cream. There were also showers and a changing area. We played at the beach, ate lunch and changed the kids before getting back into the car.

And then the kids fell asleep almost immediately. Parent road trip win. It was such a fun way to break up the drive home and squeeze in one more beach day.

Best Things to Do in Saugatuck With Kids

We honestly spend a lot of our Saugatuck vacations relaxing, but there are several fun family activities in and around downtown.

Here are some of our favorites!

Ride the Saugatuck Dune Rides

After talking about the Saugatuck Dune Rides for YEARS, we finally did it during our 2026 trip!

This is one of the most popular things to do in Saugatuck, and now I understand why. It’s wild.

The kids loved riding through the dunes, and it was something completely different from our normal beach days. We booked the ride the day before and did it after a lunch.

Take a Star of Saugatuck Boat Ride

One fun thing to do downtown is take a boat ride on the Star of Saugatuck. It takes you around the waterfront and out on lake Michigan, it’s so neat to see the area from the water. You can get food and drinks on the boat. It’s a special experience. We do it every few years.

Ride the Saugatuck Chain Ferry

Be sure to Ride the Chain Ferry across the river! The ride is super, super short, but it has a lot of history and my kids loved it.

It's an easy little activity to add while you're already walking around Saugatuck.

Climb Mt. Baldhead

If you're up for a workout, climb the steps at Mt. Baldhead. There are a lot of steps! But you get a great view of Saugatuck from the top.

My kids have done it, so it is definitely possible with kids, but prepare your legs.

Visit Holland, Michigan

One year, we took a Saturday morning day trip to Holland, Michigan. It’s only about 15 to 20 minutes from Saugatuck. We went to the Holland Farmers Market and had brunch at Bowerman's on 8th. A great day trip if you are looking to travel to another nearby town for the morning.

Play Mini Golf

Saugatuck Mini Golf is a fun and easy family activity. My kids loved it! We have been doing it every year. A great activity if you need a break from the beach or something to do before dinnertime. It’s a cute place and there are sno cones.

Rent a Retro Boat

You can rent one of the retro boats in Saugatuck! This is on my to do list, we haven’t tried this yet. But looks super fun.

Go Blueberry Picking

Blueberry picking has been on my Saugatuck list for years!

We still haven't done it, but Michigan blueberries in the summer just sound perfect.

Shop in Downtown Saugatuck

Downtown Saugatuck has so many cute stores and boutiques. Take an afternoon and just walk around! We love popping into the shops, letting the kids visit the toy store and getting ice cream.

Our Favorite Waterfront Restaurants in Saugatuck with kids

There is something about eating dinner on the water that just feels like vacation, ya know?!

After four trips to Saugatuck, our two favorite waterfront restaurants are The Butler and The BARge. Those are the two we keep going back to and our kids want to go to, too.

The Butler

The Butler is probably our favorite dinner spot in Saugatuck. We have returned multiple times because it is family friendly and you can sit outside right on the water. We go around 5 pm and haven’t had to wait for a table, so my advice is to get there early to avoid wait times.

The atmosphere is exactly what I want on a summer vacation. Super casual and all open air by the water. We can eat dinner or get some apps, have a drink and watch the boats on the water.

The BARge

We also love The BARge for a waterfront meal. This has become another favorite for our family and a place we would absolutely return to.

Again, give me dinner and a cocktail by the water. I don't ask for much. :)

The Grilled Cheese Shack

The Grilled Cheese Shack is such a fun, casual lunch spot in downtown Saugatuck.

You can walk up, order a sandwich and sit outside. It's an easy lunch if you're already walking around downtown or shopping with kids.

It’s also right next to Basecamp Coffee that serves yummy waffles my kids love so could also order something from there!

Our Favorite Family Vacation in Michigan

We have now vacationed in Saugatuck, Michigan four summers in a row. And every year, I leave loving it just as much. There is something magical about the entire Saugatuck area.

Life feels slower. We spend mornings at the beach. We walk downtown. We eat dinner by the water. The kids get ice cream. We have bonfires and make s'mores.

And we aren't running around trying to do allll the things.

For our family, that is what makes Saugatuck such a special place to visit with kids.

If you're looking for a family beach vacation in Michigan - or an easy summer road trip from St. Louis - I cannot recommend Saugatuck enough.

And if you visit Saugatuck and try any of these places, reach out on IG and tell me!

I seriously love connecting and hearing about your trips.

I hope you love Saugatuck as much as we do!

xo,

Anna

Saugatuck, Michigan With Kids: A Family Vacation Guide