Actress shines spotlight on Saugatuck Dunes State Park

Drew Barrymore lists park as part of “Bucket List.”

Drew Barrymore, actress and talk show host, mentioned Saugatuck Dunes State Park in her “Backyard Bucket List” in Us Weekly on Aug. 23, 2025. This image is from Us Weekly.

Drew Barrymore, actress and talk show host, recently listed Saugatuck Dunes State Park in Laketown Township as a Top 10 “Backyard Bucket List” destination.

The shout-out comes as the park is looking for volunteers to fight invasives and the Felt Estate is holding its first conservation event.

Barrymore’s Bucket List

Barrymore’s list entitled “Drew Barrymore’s Backyard Bucket List: See her top 10 U.S. Destinations Worth the Trip (Exclusive)” appeared in Us Weekly on Aug. 23, 2025.

To read the entire article, click here.

The local park was included in the No. 9 listing. The entry says:

“Up north magic in every direction. Sip cider at Virtue Farm, climb the sandy sweep of dunes at Saugatuck State Park and spot cherry trees along the roadside. Use The Woods as your home base. Bring back a jar of cherry preserves and tuck it away for a winter afternoon when you need a taste of summer.”

The Woods is a luxury camping site in Fennville. Virtue Farm is also in Fennville.

The list includes:

No. 1: Austin, Texas
No. 2: Palm Springs, California
No. 3: Keystone, South Dakota
No. 4: Seattle, Washington
No. 5: Kauai, Hawaii
No. 6: Glenwood Springs, Colorado
No. 7: Santa Fe, New Mexico
No. 8: Nashville, Tennessee
No. 10: The Berkshires, Massachusetts

Saugatuck Dunes State Park, 6575 138th Ave., in Laketown Township, is 1,000 acres with 2.5 miles of frontage on Lake Michigan and includes hiking trails of varying difficulty.

Events at the park

Saugatuck Dunes State Park, 6575 138th Ave., is 1,000 acres with 2.5 miles of frontage on Lake Michigan and includes hiking trails of varying difficulty. The park’s 300-acre Patty Birkholz Natural Area contains a coastal dune system and three endangered plant species.

A stewardship event seeking volunteers to help eradicate invasive species at the park is Saturday, Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The park was once part of the Dorr Felt Estate. The Felt Mansion was completed in 1928.

After Felt’s death, the estate became a seminary for the Augustinian order that was attended by Pope Leo XIV. After the seminary closed, the land became a state prison and Michigan State Police post before the property was purchased by Laketown Township.

The mansion has been restored and is a top historical and educational site as well as a wedding and event destination.

The estate is hosting its first “Conservation in Your Own Backyard” event from 6-9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5.

The free family friendly event on the Felt grounds includes interactive activity stations, information booths and handouts, conservation-themed crafts for children, nature walks and demonstrations. Movies will be shown at dusk.