Things To Do
Saugatuck
Charming, walkable coastal town with shopping, dining, and coffee! Ideal for a casual stroll + activities reserved in advance. Things we found interesting: - olive oil + wine tastings (Fenn Valley) - Uncommon coffee roasters - Coastal Society craft cocktail bar - Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Saugatuk Dune Rides - Saugatuk Dunes State Park - Lake Michigan boat cruises through: Star of Saugatuk or The Flying Dutchman
"The M-22" scenic road-trip
Spanning from Manistee to Traverse City, there's a reason why people have "M22" on bumper stickers and t-shirts. I (Travis) fell in love with the area when solo road-tripping back from the Upper Peninsula with our pup, Anja girl, a few years back in the dark ages, i.e., pre-Montana. There are numerous "scenic pullovers" to take in views of Lake Michigan, as well as other beautiful spots like Sleeping Bear Dunes national lakeshore. Traverse City is apparently a great city to explore (wineries and breweries galore!) and Mackinaw City / Mackinac Island isn't much further north. Points of Interest: - Inspiration Point (Arcadia, MI) - Empire Bluff trail
Mackinac Island / Mackinaw City
Only accessible by ferry/boat and free of cars, Mackinac Island is a great getaway with plenty of history and charm. Mackinaw City, where I stayed one night for a pit stop, is also worth a quick visit known for it's shopping and fudge! It will be harvest season around our wedding, so expect plenty of fruit stands in the area as well. Also worth a stop: - Headlands Dark Sky Park where you can stargaze over Lake Michigan, free from light pollution. - Tunnel of Trees - 20-mile drive along the M-119 on the way from Traverse City to Mackinaw City - Charlevoix, MI - beautiful town that I mental noted while passing through
Michigan's Upper Peninsula ("The U.P.")
If you're really feeling adventurous after our celebration, drive across the Mackinac bridge which separates the Lower Peninsula from the Upper Peninsula. My diet consisted of freshly-caught smoked fish and farmer's market fruit for a few days. I couldn't believe I was stateside when I caught views of Lake Superior from the limestone bluffs jutting out off of the mainland. Feel free to reach out for more in-depth info, but here are a quick few attractions to Google on your own: - Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (do it by kayak!) - Lake of the Clouds in the Porcupine Mountains (where Anja is pictured amongst the Fall foliage above) - Tahquamenon Falls - Kitch-iti-pipi Lake - Munising, MI - Miner's Castle
Holland
Home base for the wedding with a walkable downtown strip. Points of Interest: - 8th Street - Farmer's Markets on Wed and Sat, 8am-2pm - Windmill Island Gardens - Tunnel Park and beach