Downtown St. Joseph: Visiting a Charming Lakeside Town

On my last trip to the Midwest, I spent a lot of time in downtown St. Joseph. This is a historic beach town in Michigan with a lot of charm.

I hadn’t been there in a while, so it was nice to visit shops, plus grab some food. Most of all, there’s a nice walkway with pretty views of Lake Michigan. 

I’ll tell you about our experience, what to know and expect, and share some personal photos. You may want to spend a day there too!

Getting There

Now, you’ll want to specifically enter “downtown” when getting directions from whatever app you use. This area is right next to Silver Beach State Park.

We took US-31 North to M-139 North to get here. As we got close, signs were pointing to the destination. 

You can find free street parking in the downtown area. There are also free city parking lots next to the restaurants near Lake Street.

However, when we last visited, there were some parking meters on the streets. But it looks like they were on hold, and I’m not sure what’s going on with that.

Visiting Downtown St. Joseph

The hours of the buildings vary, so you’ll want to check ahead if there’s a certain store, restaurant, or museum you’d like to see.

Most of the shopping and dining is on State and Broad Streets. The historic points of interest are along Lake Street. 

Historic Buildings

Many people know this area for its historic feel. As a kid, we’d window shop and grab snacks after school over here.

Well, some of those stores we used to frequent have closed, but others have taken their place. Plus, I’ve seen more chains come in.

You can walk around State and Broad Street and see how the buildings have been preserved. We saw many boutiques with clothes, souvenirs, candies, and other fun things.

Tucked between the shops are restaurants and cafes. I haven’t tried any of the new ones yet, and have only eaten at the pizza place down at the beach.

But one of the things we like to do is get ice cream, walk around, or sit on the benches. And many other people love to do this too.

By the way, everyone goes to Kilwins and Cabanas. We like both, but be prepared to stand in line, especially during summer!

Viewpoints Along the Bluff

While eating ice cream, we also like to walk along Lake Street. There’s a sidewalk with plenty of historic points of interest and viewpoints.

This area is known as Lake Bluff Park, and here’s where you’ll find the stairs leading down to the beach. Here you’ll have a beautiful view of Lake Michigan at the overlook. 

Even if you don’t want to walk down to the beach, I recommend taking a look and perhaps snapping a picture. By the way, all of those housing units in the background weren’t there when I was growing up.

From here, you can walk along the St. Joseph Riverwalk towards the power plant or in the other direction.

You’ll find many historic points and memorial sites along the way. And I’ve read all the signs.

There’s a giant stone memorial with “LaSalle” engraved on it. He was the French explorer who made his way to this area in the 1600s.

The St. Joseph River, which runs through the area, was once called the Miami River. LaSalle made Fort Miami, which was the base for his explorations.

You can walk over to find the pavilion, views of the power plant, and the harbor. This is where Lake Michigan and the St. Joseph River meet, and a well-trafficked area.

We like to walk this path around sunset as the views are so pretty. If lucky, we can find an empty bench.

Once, we even got popcorn and watched the sun sink beyond the horizon. It’s very peaceful!

Krasl Art Center (KAC)

I’m including Krasl Art Center because it’s right off Park Street. It’s a short walk from the parking area I mentioned before.

But you’ll want to check the operating hours, as they open and close later on certain days. They are closed on Sunday and Monday.

We visited during the week and were just about the only people in there. They had a variety of wonderful exhibits by local artists.

We also went in their education center, where we learned all about making zines. This gave me a great idea for my blog!

The man at the desk said we could go in the classroom too. They offer many classes for a fee, and you can sign up online.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was the East Garden. This is an interactive outdoor space in memory of Maria G. “Lupe” Hopp.

We found a relaxing sound garden with whimsical pipes and a sculpture arching over the walkway. They also have a seating area, so you can enjoy it for a while.

Curious Kids’ Museum

I’m also including the Curious Kids’ Museum because it’s in this area. Actually, they have two locations, and the other one is closer to the beach.

Now, we used to frequent the downtown one a lot. Times have changed, and now you need to make a reservation or go on their walk-up days.

Anyway, they have a museum area and discovery zone. There are a lot of fun things for the kids to do, and I tried my hand at face painting.

So, if you have some younger family members who like hands-on activities, you might want to check it out. Oh yeah, and there’s a slight fee to enter for both adults and children. 

Travel Notes

Summer is the best time to explore this area. But as I mentioned in my other post, this is a popular place.

Many people from Chicago love to spend summers here. So, if you want to eat at one of the restaurants, I recommend making a reservation. When we pass by, they always look packed.

And when you’re done exploring the downtown area, the beach is a short walk away. So, you could visit this whole area in a day.

Final Thoughts

Downtown St. Joseph is one of my favorite places to take a stroll. It’s also a place of nostalgia, since I have a past connection.

I love looking at all the historic buildings, grabbing a snack, and walking along the pretty lake views. Perhaps you’ll like it as much as I do.

More Travel Adventures

I have many other related posts on my blog. You might want to check them out. 

• You’ll also want to visit Silver Beach State Park, since you’ll be in the area.

• If you like exploring small historic towns, let me tell you about Dowagiac.

• Shipshewana is another historic area, with fun ways to spend the day and learn about Amish culture.

I’d love to hear about your travel adventures!

Originally published: December 11, 2025