[WheredoIlive?]

I am considering up there. Someone told me the town is overtaken by tourists worse then St. Joseph. It does seem more working class {this is something I want} and more laid back and not as snobby as St. Joseph}
How is the community involvement up there? Is it more of a snobby resort town or does it have any community cohesion and how does it compare to St. Joseph MI? I know it is smaller and I have spent some time there [in the mid 90s], I liked South Haven then and thought it was friendly, [a lot friendlier then St. Joseph] but want to hear more comments. There does seem to be more laid back places and community action going on. Is the hospital decent? They have a lot of disabled housing I could apply to. Do they have a dial a ride busing system too?

[northstar22]

During the summer, it's overrun with college students from Kalamazoo and fudgies from Chicago. It's nice and quiet in the winter. It's beautiful, but very touristy. Good luck finding a job there.

[WheredoIlive?]

Originally Posted by flyingwriter

During the summer, it's overrun with college students from Kalamazoo and fudgies from Chicago. It's nice and quiet in the winter. It's beautiful, but very touristy. Good luck finding a job there.

I want to avoid tourists. LOL

Here that's made meeting people impossible, you go down town and you do not know who is tourist or not. It is pretty you are right ab out that.
There are no jobs there either, you are right about that.

[northstar22]

Originally Posted by WheredoIlive?

I want to avoid tourists. LOL

Here that's made meeting people impossible, you go down town and you do not know who is tourist or not. It is pretty you are right ab out that.
There are no jobs there either, you are right about that.

The tourists in South Haven are usually pretty obvious. If they're wearing shoes on the beach, wearing a Cubs or White Sox hat or a Bears shirt, if they have Illinois plates on their cars, or if they spend a lot of time in the shops downtown, THEY ARE A TOURIST.

[darstar]

South Haven is a nice small city. Clean , gateway to the blueberry capital of the World. Lots of things to do, on a budget. yes its tourist central in the height of summer , but , you do not have to hang out along the shore.... very rural in the country side east of town. Lots of small lakes , also properties owned by south side chicago folks. The area has gained favor due to lower cost resort area compaired to areas closer to Chicago. ( I lived in rural South haven area for 6 years , glad I left , but , there are lesser places., just too rural for me , without the natural attractions found futher north, way futher north.

[1974]

South Haven is really not all bad. Sure in the summer it is overrun by tourists that come to the Blueberry Festival & Harborfest but it is a beautiful place. The beaches are clean and the lighthouse is a big attraction. Jobs are definitely lacking there (but they are in all of MI it seems). I lived there for 30+ years and some of my family still lives there. You get dumped on with snow in the winter! They have a nice ice rink there though in winter that is used as a farmer's market in the summer. It is really crowded during summer but it is fun to people watch! I don't think it is anywhere as snooty as St. Joe. There isn't much to do there besides go to WalMart or the bowling alley. Just not much to do. I lived out in the country though and it was nice. The people are friendly. I liked it there!

[mackinac81]

Well, any lakeside town will be a little touristy. Out of the lake towns, South Haven seemed the least "touristy" of them all. I like Grand Haven better, but I'd recommend South haven any time.

[darstar]

South Haven has the History of most Lakeside towns , a boom and bust past. Some stores can't make it , some do for a while. It IS quaint in a small way, like most , has a few problems , mostly local crime,drugs , no more than any other Michigan village ,so close to Chicago.

Prehaps the most important thing to be remembered is , just outside South Haven is very rural Michigan. The fruit belt of the Midwest rules the area, provides the bulk of income and jobs. There are lots of migrant workers which helps keep down the inflation. There are some good buys in real estate to be found compared to the more expensive properties futher north in Holland.....Just a few thoughts, from living there 6 years. Would I go back , ? , hell no , but thats just me , a lot of folks love it there. Many of the Blueberry farmers have done quite well , but it has taken them a lot of years to get where they are today. Remember , the area is very rural farm country , not a bad thing , but I thought I had left that behind when I left Iowa many years ago , I soon found out I had not.

[northstar22]

I don't know if I would consider Van Buren County "very rural Michigan." It's fairly populated and near cities like Kalamazoo, Benton Harbor, and Grand Rapids. To me, "very rural" is the U.P. and some areas in the northern Lower like Antrim or Roscommon counties: very low population and far from any major cities.

[darstar]

When I said very rural , I ment to mean from an agricultural stand-point. You need land and lots of it to grow crops. Van Buren county, once you leave South Haven is quite flat , good for farmers. Blueberries have become the cash cow, very profitable. Apple's have been on the lesser side, but still are important. There are still lots of corn, beans, and asparagus fields. Peaches rassberrys , and plums have always been an important commodity as well.
It takes a lot of migrant workers to service the farms. There are many dorms for the faimlys that come to work in the fields. Farming, mostly fruit and veggies , is what Van Buren County is all about.

Mixed in with all the "rural" industry are small lakes, mostly surrounded with small cottages . , owned by South Side Chicago folks, used for week-end get a ways. The wealthy that have places on the big lake around South Haven , call these lakes " puddles".....I found out the hard way , when I bought a large home on one of these lakes to restore. After 5 years of toil I had more in it then it was worth , because of the "rural " nature of the area....... There IS more then just the lakeshore, Van Buren County has a lot to offer ...if you don't over invest , and , like living in the country. The Blueberries are the size of nickels , very juicy. The bushes grow twelve feet high these days, which requires special equipment to harvest.

The UP is very lightly populated , but its mostly forest land , some flat and swampy , some wild and mountainous. I love it up here on the shore of Lake Superior. I have a 50 mile view from my mountain top. Its a wonderful place , but , not for everybody , we like it that way......