Family Trip to Lake Huron (Greenbush/Harrisville, MI)

Greenbush and Harrisville, MI are a little slice of heaven just waiting for you to experience them! Beautiful sunrises, beaches and the nicest people. Below are tips and recommendations when visiting with families!

What to pack:

• Beaches are a combination of soft sand and rocks, and change daily. One morning we will wake up and have a rocky beach, and the next day it’s sand for as far as the eye can see. Be prepared and bring water shoes! I love these water shoes for my boys, and also recommend these for Men and these for Women. 
• If you are visiting in the winter months – hiking the snow covered beach is a ton of fun, so dress warm! Bring snow pants and boots and all the winter gear.
• Bring life jackets if you want to swim! We also heard that boogie boards are a good option for the waves when a bit calmer. 
• Sunscreen & hats! Even when it’s very chilly the sun will get you. 
• It gets chilly at night…make sure to pack long pants and a sweatshirt to stay warm and protect yourself from mosquitoes. 
• Bug spray!
• If you visit in the winter, pack your snow pants and snow boots! It’s a ton of fun to hike up and down the beaches in the snow and see the ice volcanoes along the Lake Huron shore!

Where to eat:

• The Red Fork – Hands down best breakfast in area. On Sundays they feature a special benedict menu. Their kids funfetti pancakes are delicious. And you have to try their homemade white bread. And if you want a real treat, their chicken and waffle is just insane in a good way. We highly recommend The Red Fork for dinner too. Their whitefish and cod are delicious. Also try the loaded mac & cheese. 
• Grab a cup of coffee from Alcona Coffee Co. They have wifi and an ice cream shop next door.
• Connie’s is also a good breakfast spot about 20 min north on US 23. Their homemade cinnamon rolls are a real treat and they also have baked goods you can buy to take home.
• Bobcat Bar & Grille has a Sunday Brunch, and is on the Greenbush Golf Course, walking distance from our cottage. For dinner we recommend the Bunker Burger and spicy cheese balls. This spot is only open during golf season.
• Alcona Brew Haus – They have great food and are a good spot if you have allergy concerns.
• Harbortown Pizza – They have inconsistent hours but their pizza is great and makes for an easy dinner. Make sure to get the stuffed cheese bread.
• Shotmakers for bar food and they have live music on the weekends.
• The Mountain restaurant is delicious but gets busy very fast. If you’re not there as soon as they open you’ll have to wait.
• Country Cone & Fudge Shoppe has a large selection of ice cream and fudge! Bonus: new gift shop next store!

Where to shop:

• For small things you forget (shampoo, toothpaste, etc.) Dollar General has it all. They also have a small grocery section.
• If you’re cooking at home, you can find pretty much everything you need at the Lincoln Market in Lincoln.
• Main street in Harrisville has a few resale shops worth checking out for fun finds and local creators.
• If you want to do fun shopping for clothes and accessories, check out Styled by Blake boutique in Oscoda, near Oscoda Beach Park. Sunrise Kava Cafe is a yummy coffee shop right next door.

Beaches:

• Three-Mile Beach in Oscoda is a few miles south of Greenbush and has a stream that runs into the lake which is fun for kids to play in.
• The Oscoda public beach has a playground and splash pad for kids.

Other fun:

• Looking for stunning vacation photos? Amanda Bergeron Photography (based in Oscoda, but travels!) did an amazing job capturing our beach memories. Check out her work below – she’s incredibly talented and her prices are very reasonable!
• Lumberman’s Monument in the Huron-Manistee National Forest is a blast for all ages. A short hike leads you to the sand dunes and if it’s warm, you can swim in the river at the bottom. There’s also a gift shop with cute kid stuff and adult tshirts, sweatshirts and hats.
• Rockport State Recreation Area is a very cool spot to explore in Alpena. There is a HUGE mountain of rocks and limestone with a path to climb to the top – it’s a beautiful view! The water itself is a sight to see. It’s tropical blue and you can see the bottom which has to be at least 30 feet different. Great fishing spot (local fishermen told us they usually catch salmon) and you can bring kayaks to explore as well.
• Greenbush Golf Course  – Directly across the street from us, hole #4 is in our front yard!
• Harrisville has a new playground near the harbor. 
• We popped into the Harrisville library and checked out a few books for the weekend. They have a drop off box so you can return at any time. They also have movies you can check out as well. 
• The Harrisville Harbor has live music on Fridays
• Check out this calendar of events to see what’s going on around town.
• Both Downtown Tawas and Alpena have several restaurants, shops and coffee houses.