South Haven, MI vs. Lake Lure, NC

We always go to Destin, FL, but are looking for a change of pace this year - something more quaint, not so commercialized. We have had people recommend these 2 places. Any thoughts??? We are needing a beach house for 9 - possible with pool.

We would be in town during the Blueberry Festival.

Thank you,

Stephanie Harrison

South Haven, MI vs. Lake Lure, NC

It will be cooler, weather wise, in all probability, in South Haven.

Both are beautiful places. I think we need to know more about what you like to do, what you expect, and how much of the surrounding area you want to explore. Please provide more details!

South Haven, MI vs. Lake Lure, NC

I love South Haven and Lake Michigan, but that is because I am a native Michigander. I used to take my girls to the beach at South Haven when they were small and we lived in the area. Since we moved a little farther south, I have learned that not everyone is as comfortable with the cool Lake Michigan water temperatures as I am. Still, I think that the lake and beaches are beautiful. The sand is so clean that if it is humid, it squeaks as you walk through it. The lake has an uncluttered, sandy bottom with a very gradual descent that is wonderful for small children to play in. South Haven is a typical Midwestern style town that happens to sit on the shore of a Great Lake. There are only a couple of blocks to the downtown area that house tourist shops and restaurants, with some larger hotels by the highway.

We have vacationed in Destin, and we enjoyed it. It was a little more developed than I am used to compared to the west coast of Michigan. I am not familiar with Lake Lure NC, so I can%26#39;t give you any comparison to that.

I think that early August is the best time to vacation in the South Haven area. The lake will be at its warmest. If you are thinking of vacationing in South Haven at that time, I think that you%26#39;d have to reserve your rental soon. The season is short, and I imagine that the prime weeks for the prime properties fill up fast.

I hope that you enjoy your vacation wherever you decide to go.

I%26#39;ve been to both places and really enjoyed Lake Lure a whole lot more! Maybe I just had a not-so-good trip, but I just don%26#39;t get all the hype of South Haven.

Lake Lure is in a gorgeous setting! The Inn is just beautiful, the lake is nice (but cold!), the boat rides were fun, there is a nice (but smallish) beach and playground area.

Its not far from Chimney Rock, which is worth the park entrance fee just to walk around even if you don%26#39;t do the hikes, ride the elevator to the top!

The Dupont State Forest has some amazing waterfalls! Go to www.dupontstateforest.com and click under %26#39;explore%26#39; to see each waterfall and some information. This is my kind of hiking...very easy!

You%26#39;re not far from Asheville either. Some of the smaller towns are fun to walk around, Brevard, Hendersonville, etc.

There are a lot of rental cabins in the woods or on lakes/rivers that you can choose from, most of private hot tubs.

It really is a beautiful area.

Well having been to all three places that you%26#39;ve mentioned...I%26#39;d honestly say that you can%26#39;t go wrong with either Lake Lure or South Haven.

It will all come down to what kind of vacation you want. South Haven is going to compare more to Destin in the sense that you will have beautiful white sand beaches as far as the eye can see. The water will be cooler than Destin for sure but in late July/early August the water is at its warmest and quiet refreshing. The upside to South Haven over Destin is that it is a a small quaint vacation town without all the commercial development like Destin. There are also several great beach/art towns within 20-30 minutes both north and south of South Haven. Grand Haven has their big Coast Guard festival the last weekend in July with a terrific fireworks displays. Sagautuck has great shopping, art galleries %26amp; harbor area, whereas St. Joe offers splendid beaches as well. You can also take Sand Dune rides nearby.

Lake Lure as a poster previously mentioned is going to offer you a fabulous mountain/cabin style vacation. Lots of hiking, woodland nature, canoeing, boating, inland lake type activities. Chimney Rock is beautiful and has some good hiking trails whereas the Biltmore Estate is breathtaking (probably why I got married there ;)

Again it will all come own to preferences. Both places are wonderful vacation spots and you can%26#39;t go wrong with either choice

i%26#39;m not familiar with Lake Lure but can%26#39;t say you%26#39;ve been steered wrong with the above posts...the only thing is during the blueberry festival it%26#39;s going to be crowded with lots of ';commercial'; type of things going on....it%26#39;s fun but i%26#39;m not sure thats what you%26#39;re looking for

i like south haven best in the off seasons....the beach is deserted and while the water is indeed cold being ont he sand by that big blue water is like nothing else in my opinion. The town has little shops, some interesting restaurants, an old theatre that shows first run movies incredibly cheap, free concerts on the black river on Thursdays, and wonderful walking and people watching.

good luck in your choice!