Lakeside vacation rentals

Chicago residents have been escaping to the southeast coast of Lake Michigan for a century, and hidden among the tree-lined beaches of Lakeside are thousands of rustic cottages and inns. This is a retreat designed for relaxation: You can hike in the woods, swim, bike, go wine tasting, or just do nothing — many people are here specifically to soak up the sun and spend long afternoons reading amid the trees. Many shops, bars, and antique stores along Red Arrow Highway cater to urban tastes, and the mood is serene and friendly. (Lakeside is not an isolated getaway, however, and if you need to buy supplies, Michigan City, just over the Indiana border, is only 20 minutes away.)

If you prefer gentle climates, May through September are definitely the best months to visit the southern Lake Michigan coast. The lake tempers the heat during the summer, but temperatures in the 80s Fahrenheit are still common. As July segues into August the humidity goes up — you’ll want to make frequent trips to the lake to cool down. (Essential protections: sunglasses, sunblock, and bug spray.)

Autumn, which begins in mid-September, is a magnificent time to stay in one of the area’s cottage rentals, with crisp air and brilliantly colored foliage. Winters stretch from early December to the beginning of March. During those months, temperatures below the 40s Fahrenheit are the norm, and the lakeshore effect brings freezing winds and snows to much of southern Michigan and northern Indiana.

Warren Dunes State Park

Warren Dunes is kind of the Riviera of the southern coast, with miles of fine-sand beach that fills up with castle-builders and sun-seeking teenagers. If you hear excited screaming, look up to see kids who have climbed to the top of a 250-foot sand dune flying or rolling down.

Red Arrow Highway

This north-south road connects the towns of the southeastern Michigan coast, and the stretch from New Buffalo to Bridgeman is lined with galleries, craft stores, and antique shops selling both knickknacks and high-end furniture. You can also find welcoming cafes, roadhouses, and a beloved Turkish restaurant.

Three Oaks

The town of Three Oaks, just a few miles inland from Lakeside, is the center of the region’s biking culture. You can rent bikes from little cruisers to heavy-duty mountain bikes, and there’s a bike museum. Three Oaks has created 20 bike routes that range from short and flat to September’s Apple Cider Century bike tour of wine and orchard country.