Lakeshore Community: Fennville

Blue Star Studio of Wood and Glass

Blue Star Studio of Wood and Glass is the studio and gallery of artist Barbara Hogarth, who employs a variety of techniques that create a multi-media experience for the studio visitor. Open to the public Thursdays & Saturdays from June through mid-October. 164 Blue Star Hwy.

Express Yourself Art Barn

Paint pottery, create mosaics and fuse glass at Express Yourself Art Barn, an art studio in a vintage barn. You’ll get everything you need to create your masterpiece guided by expert staff. A great activity for families, friends, date nights and team-building events. Open May-Sept. 6459 Riverside Rd.

Fernwood 1891

Situated in a restored classic brownstone storefront in downtown Fennville, Fernwood 1891 is both a working pottery studio and a fine arts & crafts artisan gallery. You’ll find everything from oil paintings and handmade coffee mugs to local coffees and spice mixes here, all locally sourced. Fernwood 1891 is connected to Root Café, Coffeehouse & Spirits, so you can enjoy a meal and/or a beverage before or after your gallery visit. 120 E Main St.

Khnemu Studio on Fernwood Farm

Khnemu Studio is the working studio and gallery of ceramic artist Dawn Soltysiak, who specializes in unique firing techniques, including the primitive methods of pit and smoke firing and the dramatic Raku firing process. Khnemu hosts feature a seasonal gallery, workshops and classes in a restored barn on an 1890s farm estate. 6322 113^th Ave.

Peachbelt Studio & Gallery

An 1867 one-room schoolhouse is the setting for Peachbelt Studio & Gallery, which features original oil paintings and other art pieces by Dawn Stafford along with occasional workshops and special events. The lovingly restored brick building also features a beautiful backyard garden. 6292 124^th Ave.

Sgt. Donaldson and Analilia Salinas Poppy Fields

Tucked beyond a stand of pine trees next to the Fennville Cemetery, this four-acre memorial field was planted by Joan Donaldson and John Van Voorhees of Pleasant Hill Blueberry Farm. The sea of red, white and blue flowers bloom each year in honor of their son, Mateo, who was a beekeeper at Pleasant Hill before he served a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and took his own life after returning from service with PTSD. Poppies typically start to bloom in mid-June and last to around the 4th of July. 5897 124th Ave.

Bella Vista Farm

A small, family-run u-pick farm nestled in the heart of Fennville, Bella Vista Farm grows 20 varieties of applies plus peaches, nectarines, plums, pumpkins, blueberries, raspberries and more. Open seasonally. The farm is also home to White Barn Flower Co., which grows and sells a wide array of flower varieties from April through October. 6017 124^th Ave.

Dee’s Lakeshore Farm

Family-owned and operated Dee’s Lakeshore Farm grows and sells asparagus, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots, plums, peaches, apples, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, pears, melons, beans, peppers and more. Also: honey, jams, jellies and fresh-cut flowers. U-pick raspberries and blueberries. Open from mid-May through October. 1672 70^th St.

Fennville District Library

Located in heart of the city’s downtown, Fennville District Library is stocked with books and other resources, maintains a seed library and offers programs and events for all ages. 400 W Main St.

Gold Coast Farms

Operating for more than 130 years, Gold Coast is a 112-acre farm growing 15 varieties of apples and seven varieties of peaches. Visit the self-serve barn for those and other fresh-picked fruits. 6331 120^th Ave.

Hutchinson Garden

Hutchinson Garden is a downtown Fennville greenspace equipped with picnic tables, checkerboards and two public art pieces. It’s also the site of the community’s annual holiday tree lighting. 110 Main St.

Lakeshore Berry Farms

Lakeshore Berry Farms is a u-pick blueberry farm offering a wide range blueberry varieties as well as fresh blueberries and blueberry products like jams, syrups and mixes. Typically open from July through mid-August. 2647 68^th St.  

Paradise Park

Paradise Park is Fennville’s main park, featuring a large playground, picnic areas, two baseball fields and a multipurpose field. There’s also a quarter-mile walking trail over a pond. 410 N Maple St.

Summerhouse Lavender Farm

Producing seven varieties of lavender, Summerhouse Lavendar Farm offers picturesque fields, a Lavendar Shop stocked with aromatherapy products, demonstrations, public events and more. Seasonal. 2975 65^th St.

Wild West Ranch Horseback Riding

Family-owned and operated Wild West Ranch offers year-round horseback riding, hayrides, buggy rides and pony rides, plus sleigh rides in the winter. Horses for all sizes and experience levels. By appointment only. 865 52nd Street.

Blue Goose Café is a local favorite open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving a variety of comfort-food staples. 210 E Main St.

Brew Sisters is a cozy café serving fresh coffee, teas, homemade pastries and breakfast items. 205 W Main St.

Chicken Scratch Farm & Bakery offers made-from-scratch baked goods and ready-to-eat options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, much of it made from ingredients from their own farm. 1896 Blue Star Hwy.

Crane’s Pie Pantry Restaurant & Winery serves an array of homemade sandwiches, soups and salads in addition to its famous fruit pies and other baked goods, craft wines and hard ciders. Order a pie slice or pie flight, or take a whole pie home with you. 6054 124^th Ave.

El Jaripeo Mexican Restaurant is Fennville’s destination for authentic Mexican cuisine and drinks. 106 E Main St.

Fenn Valley Vineyards offers wine tastings, tours and private party options on its 240-acre grape farm. 6130 122^nd Ave.

Iggy’s Pizza is known for its slow-fermented sourdough crust, which they top with best from local, American and Italian artisans. 218 E Main St.

Michigan Wine Company creates small-batch wine and cider, and offers them for tastings or by the glass in its tasting room. 6781 124^th Ave.

Modales Wines offers tastings of its cool-climate, terroir-driven wines and tours of their La Gracia Vineyard. 2128 62^nd St.

Root Café is a casual spot using locally sourced ingredients for a wide array of breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes. 120 E Main St.

Salt of the Earth is an acclaimed “Rustic American Eatery & Bakery” that was featured on the Food Network channel. 114 E Main St.

Tastee Treat is a seasonal ice cream shop offering all kinds of frozen delights as well as burgers, fries and other hot foods. 744 E Main St.

Virtue Cider serves its award-wining cider in a tasting room, offers tours and guided tastings, hosts special events and more. 2170 62^nd St.

The What-Not-Inn is a family-friendly eatery featuring burgers, fried chicken and more, a full bar and frequent live music performances. 2405 68^th St.

The Fennville Social District allows visitors to purchase alcoholic beverages from participating downtown bars and restaurants and enjoy them as they stroll around town.

Boundaries are marked by signage and include the entire Central Business District, west to south and Rose Sts., north to First St., east to the railroad tracks and south along Fennville St.

Untapped Sights & Tours offers join-in and private bus trips to wineries and breweries in Fennville and close-by Allegan, Pullman, Saugatuck and South Haven. 1843 64^th St.

Campit Outdoor Resort

Campit is an outdoor resort for all people identifying with the LGBTQIA+ communities along with their friends and allies. In addition to camping for both tenters and RVers, Campit log cabin rentals, vintage trailers and a five-bedroom bunkhouse B&B, all just 10 minutes from Saugatuck/Douglas, the Midwest’s most popular LGBTQIA+ destination. Weekly scheduled events and activities, a heated outdoor pool, clubhouse and other amenities provide many choices for outdoor recreation and meeting great people. 6635 118^th Ave.

Ely Lake Park

Containing 73 primitive campsites, vault toilets and a swimming beach, Ely Lake Park offers a backcountry camping experience close to downtown Fennville. Other amenities include a boat launch, fishing opportunities, hiking and cross-country ski trails, grills, picnic tables and horse trails. Canoes, kayaks and rowboats are allowed on no-motor Ely Lake. 5020 116^th Ave.

New Richmond Bridge Park

A fully restored swing bridge, originally built in 1879, is the centerpiece of New Richmond
Bridge Park. The park also contains an actively used railroad bridge, five fishing piers, a half mile of boardwalk trails along the Kalamazoo River, restrooms, a small picnic area and a boat launch. 3160 Old Allegan Rd.

Pier Cove Park

This small but popular Lake Michigan beach access point is famous for its beautiful views, flowing creek and unique rocks, beach glass, and “lightning stones” (crinoids). Pier Cove Park is ideal for wading, especially for young children. There is a step stairway down to the beach. 2290 Lakeshore Dr.

WaterTrail Ventures

Rent kayaks and canoes for paddling the Kalamazoo River and elsewhere at WaterTrail Ventures. They also offer DownRiver Concierge Service, meeting paddlers upriver at the launch and driving your car to the landing, and Adventure Packages including a furnished base camp tent and up to four kayaks. Rustic glamping sites are also available. 3151 57^th St.

Wau-Ke-Na, W.E. Smith Preserve

This public preserve maintained by the Southwest Michigan Land Conversancy features two tracts: The North Tract (1970 Lakeshore Dr) includes a half-mile packed-dirt trail through old-field habitat, shady coastal woods, a scenic Lake Michigan bluff and a steep path down to a small, natural beach. The South Tract (1500-1600 block of Lakeshore Dr) offers a 3-mile trail loop through woods and fields, past ponds and marshes, and across large grasslands.

West Side County Park

Spanning 11 acres and 630 feet of sandy beach on Lake Michigan, Westside County Park is a great place to view a spectacular Lake Michigan sunset. Amenities include a gazebo overlooking the lake, stairway to the lake, picnic tables, two covered pavilions, modern restrooms, a fenced playground and an open field recreation area. 2152 Lakeshore Dr.

The Woods Luxury Camping

Located on 45 wooded acres, The Woods offers 18 adult-only glamping cabins, a state-of-the-art modern bathhouse, winding trails, crackling campfires and more. 6708 118^th Ave.

Antiques

Anderson’s School House Gallery, set in an old barn, is filled with an eclectic collection of vintage and antique treasures. 6270 124^th Ave.

Featherstone Antique Mall in downtown Fennville sells a wide variety of antiques, jewelry, “new farmhouse” décor and Native American art. 221 E Main St.

Food & Drink

Evergreen Lane Creamery crafts artisan goat and cow’s milk cheeses, offers u-pick apples in season and is home to a herd of friendly goats. 1824 66^th St.

Las Brazas Tortilla Factory is a downtown Fennville business where you can buy freshly made flour tortillas and a few other Mexican food products. 204 E Main St.

Lyons Fruit Market is the retail outlet of a local third-generation farm, offering a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, plants and other farm goods. 6829 124^th St.

Supermercado La Poblanita is a Mexican grocery store stocked with authentic south-of-the-border staples. 310 W Main St.

Wagoner’s Hometown Grocery is a locally owned supermarket offering both everyday essentials and specialty items from around the world. 121 E Main St.

Miscellaneous

Alexander’s Drug Store is an independent retail pharmacy and gift shop serving Fennville since 1956. 211 E Main St.

Dickinson True Value is where locals shop for tools, building materials, paint and more. 111 E Main St.

Huntree Nursery, established in 1955, is a full-service garden center offering quality plants and expert advice. Seasonal. 2346 68^th St.

Lodging

If you plan to visit Fennville during your Grand Rapids trip, consider booking a hotel on GR’s southwest side for easy highway access to the lakeshore. Grandville’s Comfort Suites, Country Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites and Staybridge Suites are less than a 40-minute drive from Fennville.

Then again, downtown Grand Rapids is just another five minutes away from Fennville – book a downtown hotel to explore Fennville by day and enjoy a night on the town in Grand Rapids.

Events

Fourth Fridays

The fourth Friday of every month from April through September is reserved for a free community event in downtown Fennville: Fourth Fridays include many different activities, including art, free giveaways, scavenger hunts, music and more.

Summer Concert Series

Thursday evenings in July and August play host to artists from all over the world who come to play on Fennville's outdoor stage across from City Hall. Bring a lawn chair, grab a drink from the Social District, and sit back and enjoy the music. 

Blue Coast Artists Fall Tour of Studios

Numerous Fennville artists participate in this annual tour offering glimpses into their creative process. October.

Holiday Celebration

The holiday season kicks off every year on the first Saturday in December, with a festive celebration featuring with live reindeer and Santa Claus, shopping and crafts at local businesses, a nighttime parade and a magical tree lighting ceremony in downtown’s Hutchinson Garden.

Crane Orchards Lightshow

A mile-long drive-thru lightshow featuring hundreds of hand-crafted, lit and painted props spans over a mile of beautifully lit orchard scenery. Holiday season.