by DANIELLE DEVOTA

Ludington is one of my favorite cities to visit. No matter how many times I go, I always find myself coming back for more. Beaches, lighthouses, the state park, and the SS Badger are a few of the must-sees. 

I recently popped back to Ludington for another visit. My first move after driving a couple of hours was to stop for a bite to eat at The 10 Spot—a collection of food trucks. One of my favorites is a hot-pink food truck called Brunch Babes. An order of loaded tots and a couple homemade doughnuts had me recharged and ready to go for a day full of adventures.

After walking off the grub on one of the trails in Ludington State Park, I headed to Historic White Pine Village. What most people might not know about Ludington is its rich history. In fact, the Mason County Historical Society manages both Historic White Pine Village and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. Ludington was settled more than 150 years ago as its acres of dense forest made the perfect spot for a logging operation, and the area has a rich history in the lumbering industry.

White Pine Village has over 30 buildings on exhibit and is one of the largest live interpretation museums in Michigan. Some of my favorite exhibits were the Siddon Print Shop and the Sugar Shack. While I didn’t have time on this particular visit to see both museums, the historical society offers a discounted combo ticket price. Any time is a great time to visit the museums, but the historical society is celebrating the 50th anniversary of White Pine Village in 2025 and is planning some special events that will make for an even better time to visit this collection of historic exhibits.

After my museum tour, I quickly set off for another unique experience. Now, I’ve watched the SS Badger in the harbor plenty of times. It’s truly one-of-a-kind as the last coal-fired steamship in operation in the country. While still in active service as a car and passenger ferry sailing from Ludington to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, it’s also like a floating museum of maritime history. I learned the ship offers shoreline cruises during the summer, complete with a buffet dinner, which seemed like an opportunity I simply couldn’t pass up. I managed to get in with a group touring the Badger and had a great time meeting the tourgoers. I was pretty amazed when I saw their coach bus loaded on the steamship!

My time in Ludington, as always, ended too quickly. But I’ll definitely be back for more adventure again soon.

Photos Provided by: PURE LUDINGTON