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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Silver Lake Sand Dunes & Oceana County, Michigan
Cherry Point's lavender labyrinth near Silver Lake peaks mid to late July; pair it with Little Sable Point's 1874 lighthouse and the dunes.
5 places · updated October 17, 2026
Oceana County's shoreline is built around the Silver Lake Sand Dunes, about 2,000 acres of open sand between Silver Lake and Lake Michigan. Two-thirds of the dunes are for walking only; the rest is the only place east of the Mississippi where you can ride a vehicle on sand dunes. Inland it is orchard and berry country, with Hart, New Era and Montague linked by a 22-mile paved rail trail.
Cherry Point Farm & Market, farmed by the Bull family since 1949, sits 1.5 miles south of Silver Lake on Scenic Drive. Its lavender labyrinth, 12 interlocking circles around a geometric herb garden, is free to walk during market hours, and the lavender usually peaks from mid to late July. That makes July the month to come: berry picking has started, the lighthouses are open daily except Monday mornings, and Cherry Point serves whitefish boils three evenings a week.
The lavender farms
- Cherry Point Farm & MarketLavender farm · Shelby
mid to late July
Market open daily 9 AM–6 PM through October 31 (2026); labyrinth and herb garden free during market hours; fish boils by reservation in summer.
Best time to visit
Lavender in Cherry Point's labyrinth usually peaks from mid to late July, something is blooming in its herb garden all summer, and the market stays open daily through October 31. Jazz U-Pick We-Pick in Shelby opens for blueberries, blackberries and raspberries around July 11 and runs into early September, and Palmer's Blueberries near Whitehall picks July through September. Little Sable Point Lighthouse is open May 11 to September 27, 2026, with free concerts at its base every other Wednesday at 7 p.m. from June 17 to August 26. Cherry Point's 2026 fish boils ran Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings from June 19 through Labor Day, plus a fall boil on October 10. After Labor Day the lighthouses switch to Thursday–Sunday hours, and the White River Light Station stays open through October 25.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Silver Lake State Park🌳 State park · Mears · about 3 mi, 7 min drive
About 2,000 acres of dunes and nearly 3 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. Two-thirds of the dunes are walking-only, reached from the pedestrian lot at the end of North Shore Drive; a separate 450-acre area is set aside for off-road vehicles. Leashed dogs are allowed on the shoreline outside the swim beach.
Dune ride concession runs 40-minute tours in summer; horseback riding on the shoreline November 1–30
Michigan Recreation Passport required for vehicle entry
- Little Sable Point Lighthouse🗼 Lighthouse · Mears · about 3 mi, 7 min drive
An 1874 brick tower over 100 feet tall that still holds its original third-order Fresnel lens; 130 steps lead to the top, and a paved, accessible walkway reaches the base, where there are restrooms and a gift shop.
May 11–September 27, 2026: Monday 1–5, Tuesday–Sunday 10–5 through Labor Day; Thursday–Sunday 10–5 from September 10
Fee to climb the tower
- William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail State Park🥾 Trail · Hart to Montague · about 10 mi, 16 min drive
A 22-mile paved rail trail between Hart and Montague that passes through New Era; the Hart trailhead lot is just east of US-31 exit 149. Used for biking, walking and, in winter, skiing and snowmobiling.
- John Gurney Park🏞️ Park · Hart · about 10 mi, 17 min drive
Hilltop city park above Hart Lake with a campground, beach, boat launch, playground and courts. Hart Commons Park on the same lake hosts the Music on the Commons summer concerts.
- Charles Mears State Park🌳 State park · Pentwater · about 14 mi, 22 min drive
A 50-acre park with a quarter mile of sandy Lake Michigan beach beside the Pentwater pier, a pet-friendly stretch at the south end and an accessible fishing pier.
Michigan Recreation Passport required for vehicle entry
- Pentwater🏘️ Town · Pentwater · about 14 mi, 22 min drive
Village on the channel between Pentwater Lake and Lake Michigan. Channel Lane Park has a waterside walk with pavilions and restrooms, the Village Green gazebo hosts the farmers market, and Bass Lake Outlet north of town is a shallow, dog-friendly place to swim.
- White River Light Station🗼 Lighthouse · Whitehall · about 28 mi, 35 min drive
Historic light station and maritime museum on the channel between White Lake and Lake Michigan; climbers must be at least 40 inches tall and can't be carried.
May 12–October 25, 2026: Monday 1–5, Tuesday–Sunday 10–5 through September 7; Thursday–Sunday 10–5 from September 10
Tower climb $8 adults, $5 ages 17 and under, free for active military and veterans (2026)
- Ludington State Park🌳 State park · Ludington · about 35 mi, 50 min drive
Seven miles of Lake Michigan beach, 21 miles of marked trails and a 4-mile canoe trail on Hamlin Lake. The 1.8-mile Lighthouse Path leads to Big Sable Point Lighthouse, which has shuttle bus days in summer.
Big Sable Point Lighthouse open May 4–October 25, 2026
Michigan Recreation Passport required for vehicle entry
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- Country DairyIce cream or creamery · New Era
Working dairy that bottles its own milk, with an ice cream counter, a kitchen serving burgers and sandwiches, and farm tours booked by phone.
- Jazz U-Pick We-PickBerry farm · Shelby
Pick blueberries, blackberries and raspberries from about July 11 into early September; closed Tuesdays.
- Palmer Blueberry FarmBlueberry farm · Whitehall
U-pick blueberries July through September, plus the farm's own preserves, syrup and barbecue sauce.
- Stella's Coffee HouseCafé or coffee shop · Hart
Coffee bar overlooking Hart Lake with house-made pastries, a few minutes from the Hart trailhead.
- Lewis Adventure Farm & ZooFamily fun farm · New Era
Family farm with a petting zoo of more than 70 animals and a market known for homemade donuts and cider.
- The Fresh Coast Inn at LudingtonInn or B&B · Ludington
Inn in a historic home on Ludington Avenue, with breakfast in your room or the dining room and the car-ferry dock less than a mile away.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMCherry Point Farm & Market
Walk the lavender labyrinth and herb garden while the lavender peaks, then shop the market, about an hour. Call ahead now if you want a seat at the evening fish boil.
- 11:15 AMLittle Sable Point Lighthouse · about 8 min drive
Climb the 130 steps for the view over the dunes and Lake Michigan, about 45 minutes.
- 12:30 PMCountry Dairy · about 25 min drive
Lunch from the kitchen and an ice cream cone, about an hour.
- 1:45 PMHart-Montague Trail at New Era · about 3 min drive
Walk or bike a stretch of the paved rail trail through orchard country, 45 minutes.
- 2:45 PMJazz U-Pick We-Pick · about 12 min drive
Pick blueberries or raspberries for an hour (closed Tuesdays).
- 4:15 PMSilver Lake State Park · about 15 min drive
Climb into the walking-only dunes from the North Shore Drive lot and walk toward Lake Michigan, about 90 minutes.
- 6:00 PMCherry Point Farm & Market · about 10 min drive
Whitefish boil at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Labor Day; reservation required.
Tips
- Cherry Point's fish boils are by phone reservation only, and your spot is confirmed only when the market calls you back.
- Photographers using Cherry Point's labyrinth should check in with the cashier first; the gardens are open only during market hours, and the orchards are off-limits.
- Walking the dunes is harder than it looks; start from the pedestrian lot at the end of North Shore Drive, away from the off-road vehicle area.
- Most of Ludington State Park's beach is closed to dogs to protect piping plovers; use the pet beach between the beach house and the Big Sable River.
- The lighthouses open only in the afternoon on Mondays in summer, so plan a climb for Tuesday through Sunday.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
When does the lavender bloom at Cherry Point Farm & Market?
The labyrinth's lavender usually peaks from mid to late July.
Does it cost anything to walk the lavender labyrinth?
No. The labyrinth and herb garden are free during market hours; professional photographers are asked to leave a donation for garden upkeep.
Can you pick your own cherries at Cherry Point?
No. Cherry Point does not offer U-pick cherries; for picking, Jazz U-Pick We-Pick in Shelby has berries from about mid-July.
Can you climb Little Sable Point Lighthouse?
Yes. There are 130 steps to the top, and a fee to climb. The 2026 season runs May 11 to September 27.
Are dogs allowed at Silver Lake State Park?
Yes, on a leash no longer than 6 feet, along the Lake Michigan shoreline and Silver Lake, but not in the designated swim beach.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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