"Hey, kids! Let's all go to the beach and take in the fall colors!" It was an innocent enough proclamation and one you felt pretty good about. You're getting the family out of the house to enjoy a Michigan afternoon, and with luck, the only phone use will be capturing memories and future social media cover photos. Plus, it's a fall day at the lake, so you won't break the bank entertaining everyone—right? Well, if you're looking to save money while enjoying the sand and water, a new study has revealed two Michigan lakeside towns to avoid if you're on a budget.

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The rental experts at Lake.com commissioned the survey, which determined Michigan's most expensive and most affordable lake towns.

Michigan's Most Affordable Lakeside Town

A woman is seen throwing money into the air on a beach in Michigan.
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According to Lake.com's study, the most wallet-friendly beach town in Michigan is the fun-loving town of Ludington. The rental site's data revealed that the average 5-day stay in Ludington was $488.

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Conversely, that same 5-day stay in July would cost roughly the same or slightly less per night, according to what I found on AirBnB. Worth it? If you've been to a Ludington sandbar party, you can decide for yourself.

Michigan's Most Overpriced Lakeside Town

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What makes a lakeside town expensive? It's the age-old financial principle of supply and demand. For some smaller lakeside Michigan towns, the infrastructure is such that there are only a few small retailers who lack the discount buying power of their corporate competitors. Therefore, they pay more to suppliers, and you pay more at the register.

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Of course, some sell touristy items at hyper-inflated prices because they know you want something to remember the day by and to gather dust later on a shelf. So, which two Michigan cities made the list of America's 20 Priciest Fall Destinations? Scroll on for the complete list.

The 20 Most Overpriced Beach Towns in America

Lake.com combed through fall listings at Booking.com to determine which cities in America are the 20 most overpriced lakeside destinations in America. For full methodology, see the #1 entry.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

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