Between Grand Rapids And Kalamazoo Is An Underrated Community With Lakeside Eats, Historic Buildings, And Golf

Shelbyville is a community in western Michigan that would probably be best described as a hamlet, consisting of a few quiet streets lined with historic buildings and a scattering of residential homes. At the same time, the wider Shelbyville area is quintessential rural Michigan, with golf courses, camping, and a stretch of shore on Gun Lake (pictured above). It's not a body of water in Michigan that makes it onto your typical top-15 lists or statewide marketing materials, but it's a beautiful 2,600-acre lake, featuring a 3-star full-service resort, lakeside dining, and watercraft rentals for sunny summer days.

As a destination, it might be more about the lakes and nature of the Shelbyville area than it is about Shelbyville as a village, but the charming streets should not be overlooked. Since its inception, Shelbyville has defined itself by its location between Kalamazoo (30 minutes south) and Grand Rapids (30 minutes north). The village was established in the 1870s as a depot for the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad, taking the name from the first station agent. Since Michigan already had a town named Shelby, a "ville" was tacked on at the end.

These days, it's a quiet village surrounded by natural beauty that a few thousand people call home. There aren't many building-filled blocks, but the Shelbyville history can still be felt downtown in the 1881 general store turned flea market, the Methodist Church from 1885, and the cozy tavern located in a century-old building. Shelbyville is a great stop to soak in those historic small-town feels while driving between Michigan's bigger cities, or the region outside of town is ideal for a rural escape into nature, waking up next to a lake, kayaking by day, and enjoying dinner to the sound of the waves.

The Shelbyville area has a mix of accommodation options. Just north of the village, the smaller Selkirk Lake has the Shores Campground on the waterfront. It's a quiet, private campground with 25 sites along the water, offering amenities like bathrooms, showers, and a community room with a kitchen and games. Nearby Gun Lake is a relatively popular summertime spot, so it is rimmed with rental houses, many of which are on the southern Shelbyville shoreline.

For those looking for a resort feeling in rural Michigan, the family-owned Bay Pointe is tucked on the Gun Lake waterfront. It's got accommodation for all types of vacationers. There are 38 hotel-style guest rooms or suites with whirlpools, 18 modern duplex cottages with access to nature trails, and the luxury boathouse villa in a remodeled late 19th-century building that sleeps up to 15 guests and has a veranda and private dock. Earning 4.6 stars on Google with over 1,400 reviews, it's one of the best hotels in the region. The resort is also home to the Bay Pointe Bar & Grille, featuring a dinner menu with gnocchi, sirloin, or Faroe Island salmon that can all be enjoyed on the terrace overlooking the water.

Whether visiting for the day or relaxing in a lakeside cabin for the weekend, there are more dining spots in the Shelbyville area. Down the road from the Bay Pointe resort, Lakeside Pizzeria is a cozy local restaurant across the road from the water that serves pizza, pasta, and burgers. Back on the quiet streets of Shelbyville proper, the Shelbyville Tavern sits in a storied building that goes back nearly a century at the corner of Tenth Street and 124th Avenue. These days, it's got small-town bar vibes and a menu to match, with Reuben sandwiches, patty melts, and chicken ranch wraps. It's quite popular on Google, with an impressive 4.5-star ranking and over 330 reviews.

Shelbyville's proximity to Gun Lake, a sandy gem and an under-the-radar beach for water recreation, has always been one of its defining features. Since the days of the Interurban electric railway a century ago, Shelbyville has been a stop for those on their way to enjoy Gun Lake (just minutes away by car). The lake is at a crossroads of communities in Barry and Allegan counties, so the southern shore lies within the Shelbyville community area, and there are more beaches and restaurants on the north side worth checking out.

To enjoy the water during beautiful sunny days, you can rent a pontoon, kayak, or paddleboard from the highly recommended Gun Lake Rentals & Marina. Another option is to set up at the Gun Lake Park, a green 4-acre spot with 450 feet of beachfront for swimming (pictured above). It's small, but it has a 4.4 rating and well over 500 reviews on Google, and the picnic tables, grills, pavilion, and playground make it a great place to have a family summer cookout.

This area of Michigan also has a number of quality golf courses. Orchard Hills Golf Course is less than five minutes from the main streets of Shelbyville (don't forget the gear you'll need to feel confident on the course). About the 27-hole Orchard Links, one reviewer wrote, "This golf course is a real hidden gem! It's a fun challenge that keeps you thinking on every hole." The highly-rated Mullenhurst Golf Course is also a short 15-minute drive away, while nearby Monterey Lake is Michigan's scenic lake with golfing, fishing, and an RV park resort.