Michigan's 5 Most Charming Lighthouses Offering Unbeatable Midwest Beauty

Called the Great Lakes State for a reason, Michigan has no shortage of waterfront beauty. It is fortunate to boast 3,200 miles of breathtaking shoreline on four of the five Great Lakes, meaning there are golden-sand beaches, towering dunes, and picture-perfect communities that prove the state does small-town magic best. There is so much more, too, with places like Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore offering stunning hikes to sandstone cliffs, caves, and pillars. The lakes are beautiful to admire from the shore or to enjoy on a boat, but they've also served as shipping lanes for well over a century. To this day, massive freighters crisscross the lakes, stopping in ports at Milwaukee, Chicago, or Duluth. And where there are ships and jagged shorelines, there are lighthouses guiding them to safety.

Adding to Michigan's lakeside beauty are 129 beacons of all types. Tall, minimalist, elegant, or all of the above, they dot the state on the ends of piers, high atop dunes, or out on remote islands, many still swinging their beams throughout the night. Some offer tours, while others are forgotten and fading with time. Most have a certain beauty, and all tell a story. We put together a list of the five most charming Michigan lighthouses offering unbeatable Midwestern beauty, and you can find our methodology below. It wasn't easy whittling 129 down to five. Many favorites, like Lake Superior's Crisp Point Lighthouse, didn't quite make the cut, but the following five are historic, gorgeous, and worth a visit the next time you're cruising the Michigan coast. They're wonderful in the summer sun or surrounded by the golden leaves of autumn, but don't sleep on them in winter. A shoreline snowshoe to see them weathering the frigid elements can be an experience to remember.

The Lake Michigan shoreline and bays in the Traverse City area have many charming lighthouses, and none is more iconic than Mission Point Lighthouse. Situated at the tip of the Mission Peninsula and shining on a hill above West Grand Traverse Bay — precisely on the 45th parallel — this lighthouse has been a Michigan landmark since it was built in 1870. It was decommissioned in 1933, so these days it serves as a beautiful stop in one of the dreamiest parts of Michigan. The road into Mission Point is lined with cherry orchards and vineyards, showcasing the beauty for which the Traverse City area is famous.

Open daily from May to October and on weekends in November, the Mission Point Lighthouse features a historic white clapboard tower, a restored turn-of-the-century Hessler Log Cabin, a gift shop, and self-guided tours. Climb the 45-foot tower, learn about the history of the light (like the famous female keeper, Sarah Lane), and then relax on the beach or explore the wider Mission Point Park that surrounds the lighthouse.

Want to get the full late-19th-century lighthouse keeper experience? Apply for their Keeper Program, volunteer your time, and spend a week or more waking up in a Great Lakes landmark. Mission Point Lighthouse is a must-visit on any trip to Traverse City, where you can experience Italian vibes and an under-appreciated wine scene.

Two bright red lighthouses stand tall as waves crash against Grand Haven's south pier and wind sweeps the spray sideways — it's an iconic Great Lakes image, so iconic that the Grand Haven Lighthouses are among the most photographed in the Midwest. The 51-foot inner light is a round tower, while the second light at the end of the pier is shorter and shaped like a house atop a concrete block. They're not open to the public, but the juxtaposition of the vibrant red towers with the deep blue backdrop of Lake Michigan stretching to the horizon is an unforgettable sight in all seasons. The pier has been renovated, and a stroll along the twinkling catwalk lights is a lovely experience.

Aside from being a pair, part of what makes these lighthouses special is that their pier extends from Grand Haven State Park. There, you can find a popular beach for camping, fishing, volleyball, and swimming. The views are spectacular in the shoulder seasons, but summer is when the area really shines, and the beach can get busy as a result. There's even a trolley to take visitors from the beach to downtown Grand Haven, where you'll find restaurants, breweries, galleries, and local shops. You may not be able to climb the lighthouse towers, but visiting them is a Midwest experience in its own right. Plus, Grand Haven itself is a charming Midwest lakeside city offering serene beaches, a bustling boardwalk, and lively events.

Around four hours north of Detroit and just outside of Rogers City, 40 Mile Point Lighthouse graces the shores of beautiful Lake Huron. A relative late bloomer when it comes to Great Lakes lighthouses, this outpost was built in 1896, getting its name from its location 40 miles southeast of Old Mackinaw Point and 40 miles northwest of Thunder Bay. It had its last keeper in 1943 and was ​​placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, but its Fresnel lens continues to shine to this day.

These days, it's a laid-back historic destination. The grounds and surrounding park are open to the public all year, while the lighthouse museum and gift shop are open Tuesdays through Sundays from Memorial Day to mid-October. The site also features a historic schoolhouse and the pilot house from a large 1912 steamer ship named Calcite, which has been restored and placed on a low platform. Climb the 62-foot tower, take in the views, and try to spot the 1905 shipwreck semi-buried 200 yards down the beach — or you could walk down and see it up close.

While some of the other lighthouses on this list have quite a bit of foot traffic, 40 Mile Point Lighthouse is special due to its relatively secluded location, making it a beloved stop for many travelers. As one visitor wrote on Tripadvisor, "My favorite along the Michigan heritage trail (US Hwy 23) during our Michigan road trip ... the buildings are meticulously maintained, and the landscaping and grounds are spectacular." It's all free to enjoy, though donations are welcome, and those looking to donate their time and share their love of history can look into the Keeper's Program.

Standing far north in the Upper Peninsula on the shores of Lake Superior, about five hours north of Detroit, the Point Iroquois Lighthouse is named after Iroquois warriors massacred there by rival Ojibway in 1662. Built back in 1855, this lighthouse guided ships for 107 years along the important shipping route from Lake Superior to the entrance of St. Mary's River.

Point Iroquois Lighthouse has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975, and these days, the beautiful white-brick tower and keeper's house still stand tall behind an old, low stone wall. Officially part of the Hiawatha National Forest, the site is open from mid-May to early October. Tour the quarters, visit the museum with volunteer hosts, and climb the 65-foot tower overlooking Lake Superior with Canada on the distant horizon. Highly rated on Google and Tripadvisor, one visitor wrote, "My favorite lighthouse so far on the Great Lakes ... The grounds here are great with wooded walkways to Lake Superior ... this has always been a great place to go to, along with Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point."

The lighthouse is only 8 miles from Brimley State Park, where you can do some rural Michigan camping, or check out the nearby Canadian town of Sault St. Marie. No matter what, Point Iroquois Lighthouse is a great stop on a trip to the Upper Peninsula or for any lucky travelers doing the Superior Circle Tour, Michigan's majestic lake road trip that features waterfalls, scenic hikes, and crystal-clear swimming spots.

The black-and-white striped Big Sable Point Lighthouse, standing alone amongst rolling grass-topped dunes, is an iconic Michigan landmark — it's no surprise it was once named Featured Lighthouse of the Year at the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival. As one of many pristine and historic lighthouses on Lake Michigan's shore, what truly makes Big Sable Point Lighthouse stand out is its location in Ludington State Park. On the one hand, that makes it accessible for premium outdoor fun in the Midwest; on the other, it's almost a 2-mile hike to reach this circa 1867 gem, which gives it a faraway, walk-back-in-time feel.

That's also what makes the destination so breathtaking — the lighthouse feels like the only beacon on an imposing and gorgeous shore. You can tour the first level and the gift shop for free, but there's an $8 donation fee for adults to climb the tower (as of this writing), which ascends 112 feet above the lake. It's open from early May through late October, and is about a four-hour drive from Detroit.

A visit to the lighthouse isn't complete without enjoying Ludington State Park. Famously known as Michigan's most popular state park, it's an outdoor paradise thanks to more than 5,000 acres of natural beauty. You can camp, walk the 21 miles of marked trails, cast lines in the Big Sable River, or launch a canoe into the interior Hamlin Lake. Enjoy the 7 miles of sandy lakeshore, play some volleyball, explore the dunes, cool off in Lake Michigan, and then take a break for a snack in the historic 1930s park beach house. Finish the day with a blanket on the beach at the foot of Big Sable Point Lighthouse, watching the sun dip behind the horizon.

Creating this list was challenging due to the high number of strong contenders, such as the Wawatam Lighthouse (pictured above). First, we wanted them to be open to the public and relatively accessible, which ruled out spots like Grand Island Lighthouse or St. Helena Islands Lighthouse. There was also an intention to spread out the selection geographically and not simply choose five from the Lake Michigan shore — although an argument could easily be made for five lighthouses in that region alone.

We first looked at the top Michigan lighthouse rankings on Tripadvisor and cross-referenced that with blog posts and the r/Michigan subreddit, narrowing it down to 10 lighthouses on various Great Lakes. The final factor was the number and quality of Google Reviews for each of the final contenders, which ultimately narrowed the list down to five.