[skisinmi]

Hi,
Our family is considering a move the West Coast of Michigan. Which city would be better for a young family...Grand Haven or Spring Lake? Also, we have heard West Michigan has nice people-but stand-offish. Can anyone offer advice?
Thanks

[villagefish]

Hey Skisinmi, I grew up in Spring Lake, Michigan and would recommend living there instead of Grand Haven.

Grand Haven is a lot more crowded in the summer time with Coast Guard Festival, etc... Plus Spring Lake has a much better school system than Grand Haven. My wife went to Spring Lake schools and I went to Grand Haven; she got a much better education at Spring Lake than I did at GH. There are many nice places to live in both cities. However, I'd avoid the most of the east side of GH, especially near the Sewage Treatment Plant and Robinson Township.

Spring Lake Township is very nice. I grew up in South Holiday Hills, which is perfect for young families. Just avoid the Swiss Village area; they're mostly condos.

It's true that the people in the area are stand-offish. A movie titled "Keeping up the the Jones" could be taped in West Michigan. There's a lot of money in the West Michigan area and people love to flaunt it. Beauty and richness are definitely coveted. Take a drive downtown GH in the summer and you'll see what I'm talking about. A smogesboard of scantily clad, likely anorexic, young women walk along the boardwalk/bike path while guys in expensive cars, trucks, and SUVs try to pick them up. It's quite a spectacle.

There were quite a few BMW, Mercedes, Volvos, etc.. in my high school parking lot that mommy and daddy let their spoiled children drive to school; no offense if you drive one of those mentioned.

A lot of the rich families don't associate with the lower classes, many are downright rude. Their homes are west of US-31 overlooking Lake Michigan. However, many of the middle/lower-class people are friendly. But there's definitely a huge gap between the rich and the poor.

My parents were middle class while I was growing up and made me get a job when I was 16, pay for half of my own car: a junker, and buy my own food at school. Although I wasn't part of the "in" crowd, I turned out just fine; my wife can vouch for that. Browsing, just for fun, former classmates' facebook and myspace pages, it's obvious they are not well adjusted. Drinking, smoking (cigarettes & drugs), and materialism compromise most of their interests/lives. Many of them still live at home and they're 23 years old.

Once I was away at college my parents became more upper class and caved raising my younger brother who is given a $50 allowance per week for doing absolutely nothing, hasn't had even a summer job until he was 20 years old, and has been given a total of 5 very nice cars over 4 years; one was totaled, the other broke down from racing the engine, and two were sold because he got sick of them. Suffice it to say, my brother hangs with the "in" crowd because he is accepted for what he has. He's is not well adjusted at all.

Keep a level head on your shoulders and don't give into materialism and you should have no problem residing in West Michigan. It's a very safe and beautiful area. Raise your kids under the mentality that they should work for what they want and they'll be OK. Message me if you have any specific questions.

[skisinmi]

Thanks for the helpful info! Your insight is appreciated. We have lived in the Carolinas for 10 years-so this is quite a move for us. As we progress further with our move, we may have more questions.

[michiganmoon]

Villagefish,
I also grew up in South Holiday Hills. Lake Hills was an awesome school to go to as a kid with the woods to explore!

[michiganmoon]

Originally Posted by skisinmi

Hi,
Our family is considering a move the West Coast of Michigan. Which city would be better for a young family...Grand Haven or Spring Lake? Also, we have heard West Michigan has nice people-but stand-offish. Can anyone offer advice?
Thanks

I grew up in the area and I would personally advise living in Spring Lake over Grand Haven. I went to Grand Haven schools and they are a good school system. I am pretty sure that Grand Haven schools rank right up there with Spring Lake's. However, Grand Haven is crowded, very toursity, and the east side isn't nice as villagefish says. There are very nice places in Grand Haven though.

Keep in mind Spring Lake is a short car ride or bike ride from Grand Haven (there is a bike path over the bridge).

I grew up in Spring Lake township next to Ferrysburg...just to the north of Grand Haven and Spring Lake village. I love it there. I could jog to the beach, hoffmaster state park, the north pier (aka fisherman's pier), coast guard park (with lighted tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts for night play) and its a short drive to Muskegon's newer and nice mall area. Personally, I'd look at Spring Lake Township near Ferrysburg, I'll buy a house there soon and commute all the way to Holland I love it there that much. That part of town is Grand Haven schools, and if you really prefer Spring Lake you can school of choice your kids into Spring Lake and out of Grand Haven schools.

[suydam]

West Michigan's standoffish reputation is undeserved. You'll find neighborly people here that are willing to help out.

Spring Lake and Grand Haven are both great areas. I agree with previous posts but it's like picking between two fine wines. Great schools, great neighborhoods and proximity to water are both in huge supply with either community.

You cannot go wrong with either.

[MichiganBoater]

We moved to the area 6 years ago. We live in Grand Haven, west of 31, in the so-called snobby area (give me a break).

There is this wierd rivaly between Grand Haven and Spring Lake. It's like nothing that I have experienced before. Grand Haven has Lake Michigan shoreline and a real downtown with great shops, restaurants, and the beach. Spring Lake has their own lake which is attached to the Grand River that then flows into Lake Michigan. If you boat, you can run your boat from Spring Lake to Lake Michigan in about 20-30 minutes. Spring Lake schools are smaller than Grand Haven, but both school districts have good schools. Spring Lake has a wonderful Catholic School named St. Mary's. Best k-8 education in the area, they excel in reading, writing, math, science and especially English. Just ask the High School's English Teachers, they can spot a St. Mary's student immediately!

Spring Lake doesn't have much of a town, but Grand Haven is nextdoor and the Lakes Mall is 10 minutes north.

Spring Lake taxes are higher than Grand Haven. I think that you can't go wrong moving to either place. We love it here. It is safe, beautiful, good people, and just the right size.

[michiganmoon]

Yeah and a lot of it is what you want....

Do you want to be able to walk to a downtown with a lot of stores and restaraunts? ... Grand Haven

Do you want to be able to walk to vast natural parks and the lake? ... Ferrysburg/north Spring Lake Township

Do you want a more affordable view of water from your house? ... Spring Lake

Really all areas are good. I personally wouldn't live inside of Grand Haven, not that its bad, but I like being able to do things like walk to vast natural parks and etc. Grand Haven does have some parks, but smaller in comparison, and often not as natural - i.e. Rosy Mound has wodden boardwalk trails.

[Siberia]

Just remember that those "snobby rich people" pay a HUGE percentage of the property taxes. Would you rather pay 30-40% more yourself and not have rich Chicagonians buying 2-10 Million dollar "beach houses" along Lake Michigan. At say 25 mills, each million assessed is $25,000 into the township coffers. You should be delirious that "snobby rich people" wish to blow their wealth paying your taxes. Sure some of them have that elite mentality, yet in the end they die just like everyone else and there is nothing more special about their lives than the fact they blew more money on things they really didn't need...helping pay the sales/property/income/etc taxes for others.

And talking about taxes...how about the summer increases. Amazing that once the state economy collapses, then it is a good time to hit folks with a 15% or higher increase. Next year income tax increase, sales tax increase, booze tax increase, phone tax increase, cig tax increase, insurance tax increase (on both insurance companies who will charge more and on vehicle registrations), etc, etc, etc. Tiny budget cuts, huge tax increases (when considering the entire increase which includes many hidden items). You better pray that more "snobby rich people" show up to foot the bill...LOL

[Siberia]

Originally Posted by villagefish

It's true that the people in the area are stand-offish. A movie titled "Keeping up the the Jones" could be taped in West Michigan. There's a lot of money in the West Michigan area and people love to flaunt it. Beauty and richness are definitely coveted. Take a drive downtown GH in the summer and you'll see what I'm talking about. A smogesboard of scantily clad, likely anorexic, young women walk along the boardwalk/bike path while guys in expensive cars, trucks, and SUVs try to pick them up. It's quite a spectacle.

Many of the "keeping up with the Jones" simply "rent to own" everything through loans via the local banks. Count the number of new banks in West Michigan....even during a state budget crisis, new banks are popping up everywhere. IMO, what you "own" means nothing, financial freedom means everything. Very few are debt free and clear...and most will need to work until death to pay everything off...if even possible. "Wage slaves" with huge debts are the norm in today's America...it is virtually impossible to tell who is rich and who isn't. When you can lease a $80,000 vehicle for $400/month, how is it possible to tell who really has money. When you see them driving a $250,000 car, then you might know...but driving a BMW is possible for even those living off $30,000 per year.

And as far as scantily clad "anorexic" women...you must be talking about the few college school girls who have not had the chance to pack it on yet, as the obesity rate in Michigan is "enormous". Michigan is definately not a "fitness" state. And even with the few "anorexic" ones, the 6 weeks of summer (when the water is above 70 deg F) doesn't really count for much "flaunting"... Sitting around all 7 months of winter eating due to boredom does not bode well for fitness levels...