Lake Macatawa is the best place to paddle board around Holland, especially for beginners: it’s an inland lake behind the dunes, with a paddleboard rental kiosk at Holland State Park. For something more scenic, paddle Kalamazoo Lake between Saugatuck and Douglas, or take a calm summer morning on Lake Michigan itself, well away from the piers.
Holland and Saugatuck work for paddling because each town sits on a sheltered lake connected to Lake Michigan by a short channel. That gives you protected water most days and big-lake beaches when the wind drops. The catch is Lake Michigan: it has rip currents, strong currents along the piers and cold water, so treat it as a calm-day option only.
Quick answer
- First time on a board: Lake Macatawa at Holland State Park, renting from the self-serve kiosk across from the campground.
- Most scenic: Kalamazoo Lake and Wade’s Bayou in Douglas, with Saugatuck’s harbor and Mount Baldhead’s dune behind.
- Big-lake paddling: Holland State Park’s Lake Michigan beach, on a green-flag morning only, and far from the pier.
- A longer river trip: the lower Kalamazoo River from New Richmond, a slow, marshy stretch with eagles overhead.
- With a dog: the designated dog beach on Lake Macatawa at Holland State Park.
The best places to paddle board in Holland and Saugatuck
Lake Macatawa at Holland State Park
Directions
Best for: beginners, families, dogs. Flat water, but watch for boat wakes.
Holland State Park has two separate units on the north side of the channel: one on Lake Michigan, one on Lake Macatawa. The Michigan DNR notes that paddling is popular on Lake Macatawa, and the Lake Macatawa side is the easier of the two. You’ll look west toward the channel and the red Holland Harbor lighthouse, known locally as Big Red.
Where to launch: The Lake Macatawa day-use beach, along Ottawa Beach Road across from the Lake Macatawa Campground. There’s no boat ramp inside the park; the DNR’s Lake Macatawa boating access site is about a mile east, toward Holland. Every vehicle needs a Michigan Recreation Passport (residents) or a nonresident pass to enter the park.
What to avoid: Lake Macatawa is a busy boating lake with marinas along the shore. Stay close to the beach, cross boat lanes quickly, and don’t paddle west into the channel toward Lake Michigan. Boats funnel through it, and the piers at the end create strong currents.
Rentals: Whenever Watersports runs a self-serve kiosk at 2398 Ottawa Beach Road, across from the Lake Macatawa Campground. You book through its app. At the time of writing, a paddleboard was about $20 for an hour or $50 for a full day, with a paddle, life jacket and whistle included. There are only four boards, so go early on summer weekends.
Good to know: The park’s designated dog beach is on Lake Macatawa. Dogs must be on a 6-foot leash. Lake Macatawa is nutrient-rich and often green; local groups have been cutting phosphorus runoff into it for years through Project Clarity. Skip the water after heavy rain, and don’t paddle through visible algae scum.
Kollen Park (downtown Holland)
DirectionsBest for: a quick paddle from downtown. Flat water.
Kollen Park is a 24-acre city park at the east end of Lake Macatawa, a short walk from downtown Holland. It has a long waterfront boardwalk, restrooms, a playground and a public boat launch, so it’s an easy place to start if you’re staying in town rather than at the beach.
Where to launch: The park’s boat ramp, at 240 Kollen Park Drive. Launch quickly, move your car into a marked space, and don’t park on the ramp approach or the grass. The east end of the lake is narrower and less exposed to the west wind than the open water near the state park.
Good to know: You’ll share the ramp and the water with powerboats and fishing boats. Paddle along the shoreline rather than up the middle of the lake, and wear bright colors.
Holland State Park Lake Michigan beach
Directions
Best for: confident paddlers on calm days. Open water (Lake Michigan).
This is Holland’s big sandy beach, with Big Red across the channel and the Mount Pisgah dune behind. On a glassy summer morning it’s a beautiful paddle. When the wind blows, it is not a place for a paddle board.
Where to launch: The beach, north of the swim area and as far from the north pier as you can get. Look at the beach flags before you go in. In Michigan state parks, flags fly at buoyed swim areas: green means low hazard, yellow means moderate surf or currents, and red means high hazard, when the DNR recommends staying on the beach. Under state law, double red flags close the water entirely. Park staff change the flags during the day, so check them again before you head out.
What to avoid: The piers and the channel. The Michigan DNR warns that piers and breakwalls create strong structural currents, and that these can combine with rip currents. If you fall in near a pier, getting back to shore is hard. Stay out of the buoyed swim area too. Also avoid offshore winds (blowing from the east, off the land). They make the water look flat near the beach but push you out into the lake.
Good to know: The beach is one of Michigan’s busiest state park beaches, so arrive early on summer weekends. If you’re new to bigger water, read how to paddle board in the ocean first. Most of it applies to Lake Michigan surf too.
Kalamazoo Lake and Wade’s Bayou (Saugatuck–Douglas)
Directions
Best for: beginners and scenic paddling. Flat water, with boat traffic on the main lake.
The Kalamazoo River widens into Kalamazoo Lake between Saugatuck and Douglas, then runs past Mount Baldhead to Lake Michigan. You can paddle past Saugatuck’s harbor and waterfront homes, or tuck into Wade’s Bayou, a quiet cove at the edge of downtown Douglas. The local visitor bureau recommends the bayou for newcomers and as a spot to watch the sunset.
Where to launch: Wade’s Bayou Park on Bayou Street in Douglas, where the rental stand is. Schultz Park, on the river at 301 Riverview Drive in Douglas, has a city boat launch; the City of Douglas sells seasonal launch permits, so check its fees before you park.
What to avoid: The main lake and the river channel carry a lot of summer boat traffic, including pontoons and charter boats heading out to Lake Michigan. Stay along the edges. Don’t paddle out the river mouth into Lake Michigan: the harbor has pier structures at the entrance, and the same current hazards as Holland apply.
Rentals: Third Coast Paddling (26 Bayou Street, Douglas) rents paddle boards and kayaks at Wade’s Bayou, with life jackets included and boards from about $25 an hour at the time of writing. Its season runs roughly May to October. In downtown Saugatuck, Big Lake Outfitters (640 Water Street) rents SUPs and kayaks from the docks on the river.
Lower Kalamazoo River (New Richmond to Douglas)
Directions
Best for: experienced paddlers who want a quieter, longer trip. Gentle river current.
Upstream of Saugatuck, the Kalamazoo River winds through marsh and forest, much of it in the Allegan State Game Area. The Kalamazoo River Watershed Council describes the section below Lake Allegan as a designated state Natural River with very little development. Expect wide water, lily pads, herons and eagles, and few houses.
Where to launch: New Richmond Bridge Park, off Old Allegan Road near Fennville, is the usual starting point. The current here is slow enough that you can paddle upstream into the marsh and back. A one-way trip down to Douglas is a long day, so plan a car shuttle or check the distance and your pace first.
Good to know: There are few places to get off the river once you leave New Richmond, and wind can blow hard across the open marsh. Take water, a phone in a dry bag, and someone who knows the river. WaterTrail Ventures in Fennville runs kayak and canoe trips and shuttles on this stretch, but it doesn’t list paddle boards, so bring your own.
When to go
Paddling season here is short. NOAA’s water temperature guide puts Lake Michigan at Holland at about 54°F in May and 64°F in June, peaking around 70°F in July and August, then falling to about 66°F in September. The inland lakes warm up sooner and stay a little warmer than Lake Michigan in summer.
- July and August: the warmest water and the most reliable calm mornings, but the busiest beaches and boat traffic.
- June and September: fewer crowds, but colder water. Wear a wetsuit or dress for a fall in. Our wetsuit check uses water and air temperature to tell you what to wear.
- Time of day: mornings are usually calmest. Afternoon wind off Lake Michigan builds chop on Lake Macatawa and waves on the big lake.
- Check before you go: the National Weather Service’s Great Lakes beach hazards forecast (weather.gov/greatlakes/beachhazards) flags days with dangerous currents. If there’s a warning, stay on the inland lakes.
Planning a river trip? Our Trip time calculator estimates how long a route will take at your pace.
Rules and safety in Holland and Saugatuck
According to the Michigan DNR:
- Life jacket: every vessel must carry a US Coast Guard–approved life jacket for each person on board. Children under 6 must wear a Type I or II life jacket while underway. See our pick of the best PFDs for SUP.
- Sound device and light: the Coast Guard also expects paddlers outside swim and surf areas to carry a whistle and to have a white light, such as a flashlight, ready after dark.
Local rules and habits on top of that:
- Stay away from the piers. Michigan’s beach safety guidance says never to swim near piers and breakwalls. On a board, that means keeping well clear of the Holland and Saugatuck channels.
- Watch the flags. At Holland State Park, a red flag means stay on the beach, and double red flags legally close the water. Use the red zone number boards on the beach to tell 911 where you are in an emergency.
- Avoid offshore winds, which can blow a board out into Lake Michigan faster than you can paddle back.
- Wear a leash on Lake Michigan and the open lakes.
- Oval Beach doesn’t allow launching. The City of Saugatuck bans launching watercraft from Oval Beach.
- Dogs: at Holland State Park, only on the designated Lake Macatawa dog beach, on a 6-foot leash. Oval Beach doesn’t allow dogs from Memorial Day weekend through September 30.
FAQ
Where can beginners paddle board in Holland, Michigan?
Lake Macatawa at Holland State Park. Rent from the self-serve kiosk across from the Lake Macatawa Campground, stay near the beach, and keep out of the channel to Lake Michigan.
Can you paddle board on Lake Michigan at Holland State Park?
Yes, on calm days. The DNR says paddling Lake Michigan is popular when conditions are right. Go in the morning on a green flag, launch well away from the pier, wear a life jacket and leash, and avoid offshore winds.
Can I paddle board from Oval Beach in Saugatuck?
No. The City of Saugatuck’s rules for Oval Beach ban launching watercraft from the beach. Paddle Kalamazoo Lake from Wade’s Bayou in Douglas instead.
Do I need a permit to paddle board in Holland or Saugatuck?
Not to paddle. You do need a Michigan Recreation Passport or nonresident pass to park at Holland State Park, and city boat launches may charge for parking or require a seasonal permit.
Is there anywhere similar nearby?
Further south, Third Coast Paddling also rents boards at Van Buren State Park near South Haven. For a big-city take on Lake Michigan, see where to paddle board in Chicago. Choosing a board for lake chop? Try the Board Fitter.
