St. Joseph, Michigan, is arguably one of the most romantic, beautiful beach towns in the state, and it’s worth making it your base camp for a few bliss-filled days in summer or fall. Here, you can visit Silver Beach, historic lighthouses, shop in the quaint downtown, or hit the Makers Trail. Its position on the shoreline gives you access to a multitude of destinations within easy striking distance for a weekend trip including the exciting city of Chicago. But for this article, we will focus on three Michigan southwest destinations that are less than 100 miles from St. Joseph.
Safari Adventure (summer): St. Joseph to Battle Creek
Distance: 79 miles
Driving Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Why it’s the ideal Michigan summer destination: Did you love corn flakes growing up? This is the birthplace of the iconic Kellogg’s company and there’s an annual summer cereal festival to celebrate. But more than that, Battle Creek has historic museums (including a cereal exhibit in the Welcome Center), sculptures honoring the Underground Railroad, and the stunning Leila Arboretum worth walking through during the summer months. Most of these attractions are low cost or nothing at all.
Make sure to visit: The Binder Park Zoo is one of the largest zoos in Michigan and features animals from Africa, North America, and elsewhere across our beautiful planet. It makes for a fun family outing on a summer weekend.
MARVAC campground members (seasonal)
Leaf Peeping (fall): St. Joseph to Three Rivers
Distance: 51 miles
Driving Time: 1 hour, 13 minutes
Why it’s the ideal Michigan fall destination: Approximately 20 miles south of college town Kalamazoo (also worth a visit via this driving and walking tour), Three Rivers is aptly named because of the conjunction of the St. Joseph, Rocky, and Portage rivers. It’s the perfect little fall town, as it has one of the most complete historic downtowns in the state, and it’s simple to partake in favorite fall activities, such as visiting neighboring orchards and walking through local parks and around nearby lakes.
Make sure to visit: If you happen to be in the area in early October, you might be lucky enough to attend the day-long Fall Fest in the historic downtown area. Also, located an 11-minute drive east of Three Rivers is the Langley Covered Bridge, which is the longest remaining wooden covered bridge in Michigan and spans 282 feet. It’s a historic landmark that crosses the St. Joseph River. You can drive across or choose to walk across. There’s a quaint riverside park next to the bridge.
MARVAC campground members (seasonal)
Snowy Wonderland (winter): St. Joseph to Holland
Distance: 54 miles
Driving Time: 57 minutes
Why it’s the ideal Michigan winter destination: Holland may be best known for its spring display of colorful tulips and the Tulip Time festival, but the town is downright magical during the summer months. From the heated downtown sidewalks (no need to worry about ice!) to the homey breweries, you’ll feel warm and cozy after spending a day outdoors snowshoeing at one of the nearby Pigeon Creek Park, Riley Trails Park, DeGraaf Nature Center, or the Outdoor Discovery Center; or simply walking the snowy beach and taking in the vista at a completely different time of year.
Make sure to visit: The Holland Ice Park, which opened in 2025, has an ice-skating pond and a 700-foot skating ribbon. Tickets must be purchased in advance as there is limited number of skaters allowed per session.