This town began when Canadian Captain Benjamin Hopkins built a mill here on the Grand River waterway to Lake Michigan. First called Hopkins Mill, the name was later changed to Spring Lake when the Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railroad built a station on the lake. It incorporated as a village in 1869. The lake itself is known for its clear, magnetic, spring-fed water, which makes it especially great for swimming.

Today, the lake remains the town’s #1 attraction, with tourism its main industry. The pure blue waters with surrounding dock walks, marinas and parks also attract boaters and sightseers alike, making it a great place to spend a summer vacation! The entire West Michigan shoreline is blessed with beautiful beaches from the Indiana border northward to Mackinaw City, Michigan. Grand Haven is famous for its “singing sands”, a unique phenomenon only to the Lake Michigan beaches along West Michigan. When walking on the sand, listen for the slightest utterings and squeaks from the sand below your feet.

Shopping in Spring Lake, Ferrysburg and Grand Haven is a casual, relaxing experience, while strolling in picturesque neighborhoods. Quaint shops in turn-of-the-century surroundings are the hallmark of Harborfront Place, a century-old piano factory converted into a charming retail complex.