Mike and I just did a day trip to Saugatuck, MI and it was a blast. Since we usually plan long weekends last minute, a day trip to Saugatuck was the only option, since Airbnbs and hotels book up fast on the west side of the state (sometimes a year in advance!). Mike doesn’t mind driving, so a day trip did not seem daunting, but more of a fun adventure.
10am – I came across The Southerner on Google Places and it had great reviews for breakfast and was on the water…sold! When we arrived there was no wait, but just after we left there were people waiting for a table. We got a table in their screened in porch which overlooked a marina with beautiful yachts. It was an amazing view to kick off our beach day. We ate at a picnic style type table which the boys found very fun. They had games you could bring to your table to help keep busy. I tried to teach Max Uno but he wasn’t that into it.
11am – We decided to venture to Oval Beach, which was around 10 minutes from our restaurant. It was $10 to enter the park and you could you come and go all day. Since we were there early, we had no problem parking and finding a great spot on the beach. Once we unloaded our wagon and beach toys, the boys got sunscreen on and were ready to play. The water was freezing, so I think they only got about waist deep before running out of the water happily squealing. Mike and Max walked the dunes and down to the pier, which was a much longer walk than they anticipated, but they had blast spotting fish and turtles in the water.
1:45 – 3pm – We passed a restaurant downtown, called Grow, when we were driving through town in the morning. People were waiting outside for breakfast so we assumed it must be a good spot. It had great reviews on Google Places so we decided to give it a try for lunch. The menu was very simple for breakfast/brunch/lunch. Mostly a few unique salads and sandwiches. We got a shaded table outside and ordered quickly (close to nap time!) and the food came out ridiculously fast. The avocado toast, Cuban-ish sandwich, The Club sandwich and kids cheeseburger were phenomenal. The boys inhaled their burgers!
Have you been to West Michigan yet? If so, what’s your favorite beach/lake town?
I love Saugatuck. Excellent choice with The Southerner, it's one of my favorites in all of Michigan.
I was just in Saugatuck for a long weekend. Such a great town for all sorts of activities. We thought about eating at Grow – maybe next time.
I like the Southerner and Oval Beach. What a fun day for the boys
Absolutely LOVE Oval Beach! That area of the state is gorgeous and I love the amount of foodie spots. The Southerner is definitely on my list for next time we visit. What a fun day trip! If you go again, my friend has a really fun family friendly B&B called Hop & Vine Inn we love 🙂
We just became a beach loving family. Lol I need to look at this for next year. Michigan has so many hidden treasures.
I would love to visit Saugatuck one day and Michigan in general. Until I get tha chance I really enjoy the beauty through your eyes.