Grand Haven is currently about 10% more full with tourists this year compared to last year, so whether you're staying close by downtown or on Harbor Drive, this Fourth of July holiday will feel a lot more like normal this year.
Two cottage rental companies say they're fully booked this holiday weekend as this Independence Day is the first major holiday where the state is fully reopen.
"There's a buzz in Grand Haven right now," Karyn Johnson with Unsalted Vacations says. "People are happy to be out, vacationing and having more open destinations to come to."
She's the guest services director, and she thinks reservations this year can make up for the revenue lost last year.
"I think we're actually even more farther along than we have been in the past," Johnson says.
The Grand Haven Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau says there's an uptick in occupancy right now at hotels, motels, vacation rentals and bed and breakfasts.
"Our occupancy reports are starting to match pre-COVID," Marketing and Communications Manager Olivia Koster says. "For this week, we're at 77% occupancy and next weekend, we're (at) 97%."
That's compared to 65% average occupancy for the Fourth of July in 2020 and 61 percent for the weekend after that.
"The vibe here is a whole lot different this year," Lake Michigan Cottages Director of Operations Jami Schmidt says. "You can tell people are happier and excited."
She says she's noticing a difference in reservations being made this summer.
"Last year, we were in the midst of COVID and there was a lot of cancellations and re-bookings," Schmidt says. "And this year, I think people are just more comfortable. (They're) more comfortable booking ahead of time."
Both Johnson and Schmidt says they expect this summer season of rentals to stretch out longer than years past.
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