Summer vacation is finally here! It's time to wind down from the stress of the spring semester and enjoy yourself! Though this may be a no-brainer, many college students can't find the time to take a trip for more than 3 or 4 days because of summer classes and work schedules, so what is the busy college student to do?

Save your money, your gas, and your time by embarking on a day trip to some of the best local locations that West Michigan has to offer!

1. Grand Haven:

You could never go wrong with a trip to Grand Haven! This lakeshore town will satisfy all the summer needs of the shopaholic, the nature lover, the culinary enthusiast, and the beach bum. Some of the top Grand Haven sights include Pronto Pups, Big Red, the Musical Fountain, and the beautiful dunes of the Rosy Mound natural area .

2. Standale:

Looking to save money? Stick around in Standale! Though this may seem like nothing more than a college town, Standale has so much to offer. Why not visit the Walker Fitness Center and pump those irons? If you're feeling your inner tree-hugger calling out to you, visit the Blandford Nature Center and take a nature walk. If you're looking for a new restaurant to try, stop in to the new Stan Diego , DeHops , or Westside Social .

3. Downtown Grand Rapids:

If you can't find something to do here, YOU'RE NOT LOOKING HARD ENOUGH. With a plethora of museums , restaurants , and music venues, Grand Rapids offers an incredible amount of activities for people of all ages .

4. Saugatuck:

If you're feeling the itch to leave the metro Grand Rapids area, take a trip down to Saugatuck! This town located in Allegan county offers cool experiences like dune rides and numerous beautiful hiking trails.

5. Gun Lake:

Have I not convinced you with any of the other options? Gun Lake is our last stop! Visit Gun Lake to try your hand at the roulette table, video poker, or one of the thousands of slot machines on the floor of Gun Lake Casino! If you're lucky, you could win enough to cover all those books that you need to buy for the fall semester!