Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan ( MISH-ig-ən) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It lies 16 mi west of Hamlin Township. Weather is mildest over May to September, with 65–79°F highs.
A lake, 16 mi west of Hamlin Township
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is Hamlin Township, 16 miles east. Where to stay ↓
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 315K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 99% of the 7,799 attractions we track.
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 17°. When to go ↓
A day trip from Milwaukee
Milwaukee is about 89 miles southwest (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 65–79°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Warm months and cold ones
Plan a visit to Lake Michigan around the weather below.
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan ( MISH-ig-ən) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume (1,180 cu mi; 4,900 km3) and depth (923 ft; 281 m) after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (22,300 square miles; 57,757 km2), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that of Lake Huron through the wide and deep Straits of Mackinac, giving it the same surface elevation as its eastern counterpart; hydrologically, the two bodies are a single lake that is, by area, the largest freshwater lake in the world.
- Type
- Lake
- Area
- 22,297 square miles
- Elevation
- 577 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 315K a year
A base for Lake Michigan
The nearest towns with places to stay are Ludington (20) and Hamlin Township (18).
Ludington
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
7,634 people
16 mi east of Lake Michigan
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Lake Michigan | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ludington | 16 mi east | 25 min | 20 2 hotels · 7 motels · 8 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds | 7,634 | $201K | B− |
| Hamlin Township 31% vacation homes | 16 mi east | 25 min | 18 9 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 7 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 3,732 | $281K | — |
| Pere Marquette Township 26% vacation homes | 18 mi east | 25 min | 12 4 hotels · 2 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 3 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 2,371 | $297K | — |
| Pentwater Township 53% vacation homes | 23 mi southeast | 35 min | 14 5 hotels · 1 motel · 4 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 3 campgrounds | 1,671 | $379K | — |
| Golden Township 62% vacation homes | 27 mi southeast | 40 min | 20 4 hotels · 6 lodges & cabins · 7 campgrounds · 3 RV parks | 1,704 | $265K | — |
| Summit Township 44% vacation homes | 20 mi southeast | 30 min | 6 3 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds | 992 | $276K | — |
| Pentwater 50% vacation homes | 23 mi southeast | 35 min | 8 3 hotels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 909 | $344K | — |
| Amber Township | 21 mi east | 30 min | 6 3 hotels · 1 motel · 2 campgrounds | 2,550 | $229K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
After Lake Michigan
Also within 68 miles are these.
67 mi MuseumJim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia
43 mi National forestManistee National Forest
45 mi MuseumUSS Cobia
38 mi Ancient siteRouse Simmons
59 mi MuseumUSS LST-39359 mi Stadium & arenaMercy Health Arena
51 mi Theme parkBlue Harbor ResortPhoto credits
Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia: Jim Crow Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Manistee National Forest: RomanKahler, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS Cobia: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Rouse Simmons: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · USS LST-393: USN, Public domain · Blue Harbor Resort: self, CC BY-SA 2.5
Lake Michigan: what to know
What town is Lake Michigan near?
Hamlin Township, MI, about 16 miles east.
When is the best time to visit Lake Michigan?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 65–79°.
How far is Lake Michigan from Milwaukee?
About 89 miles southwest of Milwaukee, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Lake Michigan?
Muskegon County (MKG), about 63 miles away. The nearest big hub is General Mitchell (MKE), about 93 miles.
Where should I stay near Lake Michigan?
Ludington (16 mi, 20 places to stay), Hamlin Township (16 mi, 18 places to stay) and Pere Marquette Township (18 mi, 12 places to stay).
Tips from people in Hamlin Township
No one has shared advice yet; Hamlin Township’s Town Square takes questions.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.