I’m writing this in the spring of 2020, in the midst of shelter in place to combat the spread COVID-19. It’s my hope that all of the businesses I recommend for your visit will survive the economic impact in its wake but sadly some will not. Regardless, I love my home and thought you would all appreciate a few tips from a local on how to make the most of your visit, including squeezing in the super fun touristy stuff and lots of time at the beach. This is long so let’s get right to it...
Here is a suggested itinerary for a three day stay in Saugatuck/ Douglas/ Fennville. If you vacation as voraciously as Amy and me, you will try to pack as much into each day as possible. If you prefer a slower pace, take a couple extra days, or cherry pick your favorites and disregard the rest. Also, you may notice a lot of walking and hiking. While shopping, gallery strolls, and chilling at the beach are great for sure, the area has tremendous hikes and the towns are very walkable and the best way to see everything.
This presupposes your visit is in summer and you stay in Saugatuck proper or very nearby.
DAY ONE
Spend the morning and early afternoon exploring downtown Saugatuck and Douglas. Start by stopping by Uncommon Grounds for a light, walking breakfast and excellent coffee. It’s the longtime local’s favorite. Wander the streets and check out the shops and art galleries, stop in to see the exhibits at the SCA, and check out what theater and film events they might have scheduled during your stay. Be sure to stop at Wine Sellers to stock up on libations for your home bar and excursions.
Then ride the Duck. If he’s running. The duck is an amphibious vehicle that tours Saugatuck and Douglas by both land and water. The owner, Brent, gives a great tour that will help you get your bearings a little and give you some history peppered heavily with his goofy sense of humor. It will also get you out on the water right away, which should be a priority. Sadly, there was an accident involving a duck tour on the west coast a few years back so getting insurance has been prohibitively expensive for Brent. Last year he was not able to open. Hopefully that will change this year. His tour is super fun and the views of the town from the water are beautiful.
Next is lunch at the Red Dock. Tony and Dona, the owners, are long time locals who spend their summers here and their winters somewhere they can ski. The red dock is a little yellow shack at the end of a long, yes, red, dock jutting out into Kalamazoo Lake with a fun hippie/reggae vibe. Enjoy some terrific sandwiches or a solid Chicago dog and a cold beer while sitting on the water and admiring the once again spectacular views. It’s a ten minute walk or so across the bridge toward Douglas from where you get off the duck. If you look closely on your right while crossing the bridge, you’ll see a boardwalk where the locals fish from on the south bank of the river. Just head down to it at the end of the bridge on Swingbridge Lane. This lovely stroll through the reeds will take you where you need to be. The Red Dock also hosts a pretty stellar line up of regional musicians on Sunday nights if that’s your thing. Cash only, so plan accordingly. After lunch, you'll only be a few blocks from the shops and galleries of downtown Douglas, so this would be a good time to explore Saugatuck's sister city a bit.
Next, wander back into Saugatuck and catch the chain ferry at Wick’s Park, the only hand cranked ferry left in the US, to the other side of the river. Start walking north along the river and you’ll pass the historic museum, which is worth a detour. Keep walking north and you’ll reach the stairs at Mount Baldhead, the tallest dune in the area, capped by the white weather tower you probably noticed during your lunch at Red Dock. There are a lot of stairs here. Like 300 something. But if you venture to the top, you’ll have great views of Saugatuck, Kalamazoo Lake, and Wade’s Bayou to the east, and Lake Michigan to the west. Once you’ve gotten to the top, there are trails everywhere, some of them a little challenging. Lots of ups and downs in the dunes. If you’re feeling invincible, you can hike to Oval Beach from here, but it’s a schlepp. Keep in mind, early afternoon, when the sun is at its highest, is when the sand is at its hottest, so shoes are advised and protect your kids and pets. Serious burns can and do happen in the sand.
If you continue up the road to the north instead of (or in addition to) hiking the stairs, the road will narrow and head uphill a bit on the way to Oxbow art school (definitely check to see if they have events during your visit). At the top of the hill, the road will turn left toward the school. At the elbow, you will see a trailhead which leads to the Crow’s Nest. This short, 1.5 mile moderate loop peaks at what is for me the best view of the lake in the area. To the east, the trail follows the river and loops back into the woods a bit to the west. At the top, the view is spectacular. It overlooks the old river oxbow which is now a small wetland, lined by large birch trees with Lake Michigan and the dunes and the channel in the distance. Very much worth it. You won’t find a lot of tourists here. Favorite hike for locals and a nice break from the hustle of the shopping district without having to venture out of town by car.
Next, walk back into town and if time allows swing by Charlie's 'Round The Corner ice cream parlor for a cone. You've earned it. Then head over to Retro Boats. You will need to reserve in advance during the high season. They rent groovy, small, mid century boats retrofitted with sleepy electric motors to tool around Kalamazoo Lake and River. They have a liquor license so you can grab a bottle of wine or a few beers for your low speed adventure checking out the town from the water. You can’t take them out to the big lake, but you can drop anchor at the small cove at the mouth of the channel, which you may have seen from the Crow’s Nest, and do a little swimming off the boat before heading back.
Next, walk to The Southerner for dinner. The wait will be long, but it is everywhere. Come a little later to hit the last seating and sit outside if you can, admiring the view of the marina, river, and dune. Take your time ordering, eating, and drinking, and let the sun set before you, and as the place empties out, move to the bar for a bourbon nightcap from one of the best collections in the state. My guess is you’re ready for bed now. Walk or cab home.
DAY TWO
Back to The Southerner for breakfast. Sorry. Not sorry. Shameless plug. But this post is about what I would do if I were vacationing here and I would most definitely hit The Southerner for both dinner and breakfast. Get there early and get in line. We open at nine. Line starts forming by eight or eight thirty. Try to get there for the first seating. This is the big beach day (you should carve out a little time for the beach everyday). You have shit to do, so get the day started early.
After breakfast, hit the dune rides. Reservations will be necessary. The dune rides are super fun and yes, give a little history and environmental info about our dunes, alongside with some cheesy humor and cheap thrills. Don’t skip it. The rides are less than an hour and appropriate for all ages. And again, the setting and the views are breathtaking. There are only a handful of these rides left in the country and one closed just last year, so take advantage of a dying breed of tourism. I believe after the recent closure, there are only 5 left operating in the U.S. and this one is surely one of the best.
Next, take a backpack cooler to Farmhouse Deli and get grub for the afternoon. You’re going to the beach and you’re not leaving. They have a terrific spread. Healthy options, salads, etc abound, and their sandwiches are super delicious. They have charcuterie and cheeses, soups, great beverages, and some grab and go foods, often pulled off their smoker, that are all made really well by the friendliest staff in the two towns (they are at least in a horse race with The Southerner). Grab what you need for the afternoon and head to Saugatuck Dunes State Park.
Oval Beach is of course the main beach that most people go to in the area. It is easily accessible and is a huge expanse of sandy beach with a great walk to the pier, but it is very crowded. If you plan on dragging chairs and umbrellas and all kinds of shit with you or you dig the crowds and like the people watching, this is the beach for you. Me not so much. I will go to the beach that not many outside the locals know about, where there might be ten people on busy day and my dogs can run and play off leash for a minute. If you find this beach, please tell me which local clued you in so they can be punished accordingly. But barring that, the state park is the beach for me.
The park is pretty heavily trafficked, but it’s large and some of the access trails are quite long, which means fewer people and more space to carve out a little private piece of your own. Again, it’s a half mile moderate hike at minimum to get to the lake over dunes so if you’re dragging screaming kids and a bunch of gear with you, try Douglas Beach or Oval instead. If you can cram a towel and some wine and snacks into a backpack and like some hiking through pristine wooded dunes, then go to the state park for sure. Spend the whole day. Hike the south loop, which is about five miles round trip, a solid 3 to get to the beach, but the woods are absolutely beautiful, and it drops you off at the south side of the beach where you're likely to have few neighbors. If you follow the loop out, it will be shorter, but you’ll have to climb several monster dunes. But again...great views at the top.
Spend some time on the beach, swim, and head back into the park for some hiking, then back to the beach. There are many unmarked trails in the park, again, mostly used by locals. Don’t be afraid to explore. The park is pretty well contained and it’s pretty hard to get too terribly lost. Some of the unmarked trails walk the spines of the tops of the tallest dunes in the park with more spectacular views. Short version, if you come to Saugatuk but don’t explore the state park, you missed the best of what we have to offer. For me, this park is a close second to Sleeping Bear in natural beach beauty.
When you're sunburned, sweaty, rubbery legged and could not possibly swim & hike for another moment of the day, head back to town. Shower and head to Pennyroyal for an early dinner. Missy Corey, my pal and the co-owner and chef, cooks simple food in ways you would never expect to be so captivating. Do not miss it. Sit down breakfast/brunch/lunch is also very worthy. But don't miss it regardless. Great food, great space, great people.
After dinner, get over to the Star Of Saugatuck (reservations are required again) for the sunset cruise. This old school paddle boat will take you out to the big lake, giving some local lore and history along the way (including the story of Singapore, the city swallowed by the dunes), and rest for a few moments while the sun sets and you crane your head between the beautiful sunset and the magnificent shoreline bathed in the last of the days rays as they compete for your attention. Also...booze. They serve booze.
After the cruise, head to one of the local bars for a nightcap or two. The late night scene is pretty vigorous in summer downtown and lasts til two for sure. I like Wally’s for the great outdoor space and good collection of MI brews. Wally’s is also a solid choice for fried perch and bar food if you’re in the mood to keep it more casual for dinner.
The Sandbar is downtown Saugatuck’s dive bar and a good example of the genre. Pool tables, jukebox, drunken locals, shitty bathrooms, another good option for a decent Chicago dog. I love it.
You could also cab-it out to The Dunes for some dancing if you like. It’s a resort which caters to the gay community but all are welcome.
DAY THREE
My neck of the woods. Don’t skip it.
Fennville and its nearby communities offer a welcome respite from the throngs of tourists as well as some of the best drinking in the region. Fenn Valley Vineyards, Crane Orchards, Virtue Cider, Modales Winery, Wyncroft Wine, and Waypost Brewing all call the farmlands around Fennville home. Lots of tasting to be done.
Begin your day at Root in downtown Fennville. Delicious and healthy breakfast options are plentiful and much of the products that grace their kitchen are grown at the owner’s own farm, Fernwood. Dawn, the aforementioned owner, is also a renowned potter, and the space beside the cafe is loaded with work from local painters, sculptors, potters, etc… This is a great place to learn about the artists on the Blue Coast Art Trail, another worthwhile diversion should the mood strike you. The food is delicious, hand made, well sourced, and good for to go if you want to get your day rolling. The Blue Goose just up the street, is a spot on classic American diner. Friendly service, cheap, delicious food. If you’re in the pancake and hash brown state of mind, head here.
If you’re not in the mood to go out for dinner and want to cook back at your lodging, or want to take some delicious food home with you, stop into Las Brazas tortillaria for delicious flour tortillas, chips, and tostadas. Sometimes they have tamales in the fridge made by a local. Then head up the street to La Poblonita, a supermercado in the large, brick building that used to house our beloved Su Casa. They have marinated al pastor, carnitas, carne asada, in their butcher case ready to cook, and a well stocked pantry and vegetable cooler. Fennville is surrounded by orchards and has a large hispanic population as many migrant workers settled here over the years, so expect the real deal.
Then head out to the Allegan State Game Area. This is one of the area’s most under appreciated resources as far as tourism goes. The game area is, as the name implies, a large wooded area of several thousand acres set aside in public trust. It’s public hunting ground, but also has multiple boat launches, fishing berths, and miles and miles of trails. I am an avid hiker and a big fan of spending lots of time in the game area with my dogs, but I doubt I will ever finish exploring the myriad of hiking trails here, some established and maintained by the MDNR, some simply trampled by local humans and deer.
There are so many worthwhile afternoon/day hikes here. The Todd Farm, the DNR’s oak savannah project, but if I only had a day I would hike at Swan Creek Pond. Swan Creek boasts a beautiful flood water reservoir behind a small dam at 118th Avenue. It’s home to many waterfowl you will most certainly encounter. Teals, mallards, Canada geese, and yes, the namesake swans (the swans are jerks) populate this swollen creek bed and this hike follows the water closely as it shrinks back to the small, ravine trapped and sandy bottomed creek toward the end of the hike. This moderate, short hike, stays close to the water and the great views of the pond and creek, and wanders through stands of cypress and pine, oak and maple, in a geography that feels ever changing in its 1.5 miles. You may even catch a glimpse of a giant grey rat snake, the largest (but harmless) snake in Michigan. I’ve only been lucky enough to see him once. Keep your eyes peeled as you round the eastern side of the pond toward the beginning of the hike, where the landscape to your left gets marshy. He’ll be hiding in there.
To get there, head south out of Fennville to 118th Avenue and head east for about 8 miles. There is a parking area on your right just before you reach the dam. Park, and look for the trailhead marked by a blue dot painted on the trees. Follow it down the hill and take the trail to the right (left will dead end at the dam). The trail will meander up and down the ravine side, following closely along Swan Creek Pond for most of the hike. This section of the trail (a fraction of it) will dead end in about 1.5 miles, where a pretty obvious egress up to the top of the ravine will present itself (it will appear that the trail continues on below but it ends maybe 200 yards up in muck). From here, you can either choose to go back and have a nice three mile hike, or go up to the top where the trail system continues both north and south. Up top, the hiking is easy. It’s flat, the trails are wide and well groomed for horses, cross country skiers, etc, and the wooded landscape is lovely. In your wanderings, you may see yellow dots appear on the trees, indicating the Waukazoo loop, a popular equestrian trail that leads to Eli Lake. Between the two trail systems, you could hike for miles. For today, stick to the blue dots, and keep your bearings about you. You can get a map at the DNR station on 118th Ave to help guide you.
It bears mentioning that Swan Creek is on public land, so you can bring your dogs and let them run off leash legally, but it is one of the more popular spots in the game area, so some caution is advised in this regard. It’s possible you won’t see another soul on your hike here, but please be mindful and considerate.
Also, the game area is notorious for ticks and mosquitos, weather depending. It would be wise to avoid this hike in the aftermath of heavy rains and high humidity, and to protect yourself with the strongest repellents available regardless. DEET up, as we say.
After you get off the trail, head out to Waypost and grab the best craft beer in the area. Cool space, both indoors and out, cool music on the turntable, and friendly, knowledgeable staff.
Head back towards Fennville in the early afternoon. Do some wine tasting at Fenn Valley and Modales, and cider at Crane’s and Virtue as you please. Honestly, Fennville and its surrounding area should be a two day minimum adventure on its own. Add a trip by pontoon, kayak or canoe down the Kalamazoo river from New Richmond to moor at the Red dock or The Southerner and save the wine, beer and cider for a day of its own. If not...
Fenn Valley has a tractor guided vineyard tour that's worth taking for sure and they welcome visitors to explore the vineyards on foot, which are breathtaking. Be sure to check in with the tasting room staff for some advice on where to hike if you’re interested. They do allow a local gun club to hunt in the off season to protect their crops, but in summer this shouldn’t be an issue. Virtue has very nice trails cut through high grass meadow, greenhouses, hammocks, gardens, animal habitats, and tons of outdoor respite as well. Modales is our newest neighbor. Their winery is beautiful as well and the wines are excellent. Crane’s Apple Orchard will likely be crowded, but worth a stop for the sweet tooth in you. Crazy good cider donuts, fritters, fruit pies, and a sweet, crowd pleaser hard cider.
The local tip here is to make arrangements in advance to do a private tasting with Jim Lester and his wife Dawn of Wyncroft and Marland. The estate is stunning, and Jim is very generous with his time and knowledge. He’ll likely walk you through his small vineyard and aging room, taste you directly from aging barrels, talk at length about his wine, Michigan wine, French wine…he’s quite a character and be warned he will talk as long you will listen. Again, this must be arranged in advance. Tastings are free but there is the expectation that you will buy some wine. Jim makes some of my favorite Michigan wines. Go see for yourself.
Before you head to Wyncroft though, pit stop at Evergreen Lane Creamery to grab the region's best cheeses to take along to the tasting. Mattone, Pyramid Point, and April Showers are not to be missed. Their fresh cheve and fromage blanc are the best I’ve ever tasted.
After your tasting with Jim, head back into Fennville for dinner at Salt Of The Earth. They source a lot of their raw materials locally, including some they grow for themselves from a small patch of garden behind the restaurant. They make great wood fired pizzas, their burger is one of the best in the area, their cocktail program is legit, the wine list is packed with well chosen bottles at good price points, and they have a good list of Michigan craft beers on tap. They also offer some more composed, cheffy stuff as well, so there’s lots of ways to go with your dining experience here.
After dinner, head to downtown Douglas and sit outside at Borrowed Time for a chill nightcap or two, or head back into Saugatuck to wander the late night bars if you’re feeling rowdy.
ON THE WAY HOME
On your way out of town in the morning, swing back in to Pennyroyal for some incredible Madcap coffee, and pastries by Brian Kemp, Missy’s partner in the restaurant and their pastry chef. His danish and croissant will perhaps literally knock your socks off, if you’re wearing them. Which you probably shouldn’t be.
If you have the time to get home leisurely and are headed back to Detroit or otherwise east, duck into downtown GR for brunch/lunch at Littlebird, which is run by my friend and one of my favorite chefs in the state, Joel Wabeke. His terrific little spot has the best food in the city and is just across the street from The Grand Rapids Art Museum and a short walk from the UICA, both worthy visits for fans of the arts.
If you’re headed home to Chicago or South Bend, etc….it’s worth it to save some time to stop in Sawyer and Three Oaks. Hop off the freeway about halfway between Saugatuck and Chicago at the Sawyer exit or better yet, skip rushng down the freeway and meander down the Blue Star Highway to the Red Arrow Highway instead. You hug the lake pretty much the whole way and have some great views, and can easily stop for a quick dip at one of the countless beaches you’ll pass along the way.
Sawyer & Three Oaks must have the largest collection of cool food and beverage purveyors per capita than any place else on earth. Sawyer is home to Greenbush Brewing, one the the state’s very best craft breweries; Susan’s, the newest project by my friend and another of my favorite chefs in Michigan, Chad Miller; Molino, a small tortillaria making fresh corn masa and tortillas form heirloom grains, both grown in Mexico, and some they’ve teamed up with Michigan farms to grow.
Hop on Sawyer Road and drive a few miles south into Three Oaks and you’ll find Journeyman Distillery, housed in a rehabbed factory that once made buggy whips, then corset stays after the automobile parked the horses. Beautiful spot and a good place for a mid afternoon cocktail break. Head up the street to Patellie's for a NY style slice (or better, a whole pie) made by the two of the most wonderful people I know, Pat and Ellie Mullins. It is possibly my favorite pizza ever. The crust alone is worth the stop. They also run P. & E.’s Bottle Shop just behind the pizzeria which sells great wine, beer, and spirits.
You’ll want to grab a good beer or two at minimum to take home with you, because next you should wander further down the street to Drier’s, one of the oldest still operating smokehouses in the country. If you suffer under the unfortunate delusion that hot dogs, ring bologna, and liverwurst are not gustatory marvels very worth your appetite’s attention, Drier’s will cure you. Pun intended. Buy more than you think you should. Drier’s hot dogs are so good it’s almost a sin to put them on a bun.
You should probably get home and sleep now.
I hope you enjoyed your stay.
