Tawas Point: the lighthouse and the "Cape Cod of the Midwest"

The hook of sand that curls out to form Tawas Bay is one of the prettiest spots on Lake Huron — sometimes called the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.” Most of it is Tawas Point State Park, and its centerpiece is the Tawas Point Lighthouse, a white Victorian-style light first built in 1853 and rebuilt in its current form in 1876. It’s no longer an active navigational light, but volunteers keep it up and run guided tours — you can climb the tower for a sweeping view of the bay and the big lake.

The point is also famous for birds. It sits right on the Lake Huron migration flyway, and birders come from all over each spring and fall to spot the hundreds of species that pass through. Add a sandy swim beach, a campground, and trails, and you have one of the most popular state parks on this coast.

For buyers near here in Baldwin Township, the point is the kind of amenity that defines an area — a state park, a historic lighthouse, and some of the best beach and birding on Lake Huron, all close to home. The Michigan History Center’s site has the lighthouse tour hours.