Benton Harbor, MI Real Estate, Homes For Sale, School & Area Information

Benton Harbor, located in Berrien County along the Lake Michigan Shore, just north of its sister city St. Joseph. The community is being revitalized with an arts and shopping district. There are two world class golf courses in Benton Harbor, Harbor Shores and Point 'O Woods Country Club. This area features several great parks. Jean Klock Park a 76 acre beach park right on Lake Michigan and Rocky Gap County Park with 1,000 feet of Lake Michigan beach.

The history of Benton Harbor is told through the Mary's City of David museum tours; cataloging the history of one of the oldest Christian communal societies. This community also has a long history with the Blossom Time Festival. They host several Blossom Time events with St Joseph each year.

Whirlpool, one of the largest employers in Berrien County, resides in Benton Harbor. The homes for sale in the area go from starter homes to multi-million dollar lakefront homes. Being next door neighbors with St. Joseph adds to the variety of entertainment that is close at hand. If you are looking for an area to start a new business or buy at first home, Benton Harbor may be just the place.

Benton Harbor Charter School Academy is located on Riverview Drive in Benton Harbor. This is one of the many charter schools that has popped up all over Michigan and the country. The benefits of a charter school are the small class sizes. This allows the teachers to have better contact with each student. The academic standards are set very high in charter schools. These schools require parents to have an active roll in their children's education. The school attracts students from other communities.

We had the RE/MAX balloon come visit us in the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor areas for the Maytag Ironman Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon. My brother-in-law, Jon, participated in the triathlon and we had a lot of fun. The triathlon consists of biking, swimming and running. The course used Jean Klock Beach in Benton Harbor for the swimming event, they ran through Benton Harbor and around the Whirlpool Complex, then biked through the wine country and orchards.

The Maytag Ironman 70.3 Steelhead is a Regional Ironman TriClub Championship race. It has been run in Southwest Michigan's Saint Joseph/Benton Harbor area for years. This event shows how diverse the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor area is in its activities.

The RE/MAX balloon crew made the inflating of the balloon a group activity. After it was set up and tested, they gave rides to people in the parking lot. Everyone looked to be having a great time. I look forward to next years event.

This is one of the places I want to bring my niece and nephew on their next visit. The
Sarett Nature Center is a 1,000 acre area in Benton Harbor. They have eight miles of upper and lower trails that include wooden boardwalks and observation platforms that run along the Paw Paw River. The Michigan Audubon Society runs the nature center, exhibits and a gift/book shop.

Bird watching is big in this area. They have around 300 different types of birds in the area. The center works with both the local schools and home-schooled students to teach environmental education. Sarett Nature Center has hands on activities for children and a butterfly house. During the winter there is cross country skiing and snow shoeing. The Jordan Tatter Great Room is a large function room at the center that can be rented for weddings and meetings. The gift shop is in the same building with lots of neat books and gifts.

Rocky Gap County Park and Beach is located in Benton Harbor. This park is about to get a major face lift with a lot of added amenities. The beach here has about 1,000 feet of lake frontage. There is swimming here but no lifeguard, but that doesn't seem to matter to the locals. There is an emergency kiosk with a "push for help" button. This beach is quiet even in the summer months. There are stairs to the beach and an overlook that has fantastic views of Lake Michigan. This park does not have restrooms. They are included in the plans for the renovations. The parking lot is a good size one. This is an area for kids to play and for picnicking. There is a small launch for both boats and kayaks.

Jean Klock Park is a 76 acre park located on Lake Michigan in Benton Harbor. It has a long sandy beach that is great for swimming. Several large parking areas are very convenient during the summer crowds. The parking lots have unique sculptures in them. There is a observation tower in the dunes with fantastic views of Lake Michigan. Jean Klock also has great views of the lighthouses on St. Joseph's north pier.

There is a large pavilion at the center of the park, a playground and restrooms. The park has several benches throughout to sit and enjoy the view. A lot of locals come here in the evening to watch the sun set. If you walk into the park there is no charge. They charge by the car if you park in the parking lots. Jean Klock Park backs up to The Golf Club at Harbor Shores an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. The Senior PGA Championship has been held here several times bringing a lot local revenue.

When it comes to golf, look no further than Benton Harbor, Michigan. Did you know that Benton Harbor has two world class golf courses?

Harbor Shore's golf club which is a Jack Nicklaus golf club is home to the Senior PGA Championship sponsored by Kitchen Aid. A fantastic event that does not lack sophistication or family fun. Stop through Benton Harbor/Saint Joseph Memorial Day weekend to catch this phenomenal production; then stay the rest of the week to relax on the beach and play the course yourself.

Point 'O Woods Country Club: former home of the Western Am is also in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The western am discovered professional golfers Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Point 'O Woods has been ranked one of the top 100 golf courses since its inception, and certainly lives up to that ranking.