Where to Eat
Bowdie's Chophouse is one of our absolute favorite spots in Saugatuck! We stopped by during our last trip and made it a priority for this trip because we loved it so much! Not only do they have some of the best steak we've ever had, but they also have amazing service and homemade quality ingredients. We absolutely loved everything -and mushrooms as a side are a MUST!
Another delicious spot we tried is The Mermaid which is right on the water. This was the perfect spot for some amazing seafood and amazing views of the lake. It's a perfect spot to watch the sunset or to even come for a yummy cocktail for Happy Hour! I got the salmon and Kris got the pecan crusted walleye and both were absolutely phenomenal.
For brunch we stopped by Grow Cafe & Bistro and really enjoyed it! They have great mimosa specials and even a mimosa flight which looked amazing. I got the carrot cake pancakes which were so yummy and perfect for fall. Kris got the Carnitas skillet which he really loved as well. Make sure to put your name in early though because it was about 30-40 minutes before we were sat. We just used that time to walk around and explore the shops.
On Sunday, we wanted to grab a quick lunch to take to the beach, so we stopped by Tree of Life Juice. They have a great variety of cold pressed juices, smoothies, coffee avocado toast, and acai bowls. We both got coffee and acai bowls which were super fresh and perfect for the beach! This is a great spot for a quick grab and go juice or smoothie as a mid-day pick me up as well.
Wineries
One of our favorite new wineries was Michigan Wine Co. The space is stunning and they even allow you to explore/walk around through the vines. We hung out and even played some cornhole while we sampled 4 of their wines. We really loved the chill vibes and friendly staff here and would definitely come back!
Gravity winery is one of our favorite wineries and a must-visit for all of our Michigan winery trips. Gravity is located a bit farther south than Saugatuck (about a 45 minute drive), but it is definitely worth the drive and is located near several other wineries as well. It's a great spot to drive down to and make a day of it. Gravity had a live band and even a food truck which made it a great spot to relax and spend the afternoon. The property is absolutely gorgeous as well with a view of the vineyards and pond.
Modales winery is another super cute spot near Saugatuck. They have a large property with indoor and outdoor seating. However, I highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time if you want to be able to sit inside. They also require advanced reservations for wine tastings so make sure to look into this if you're looking to do a tasting.
Dablon Vineyards was our favorite winery from the last time we made a trip to Michigan. We both like drier wines and Dablon has a lot of dry wines to choose from. The Cabernet Franc is one of our favorites. The inside is absolutely gorgeous and the outside area is amazing as well. They even had a live band over the weekend as well!
We tried to visit Virtue Cider for the 2nd time on this trip and unfortunately left disappointed again. It was a rainy day, but they have absolutely no indoor seating. All of the covered seating (with umbrellas) was only for people who had made reservations in advance - even though there were SEVERAL tables completely open. So on top of not having a covered seating area, you also couldn't order any food at all if you hadn't made a reservation. By the time we had gotten there we were hungry and hoping to have a cheese board or some sort of snack but were unable to order since we hadn't made a reservation. Even though this is one of the more well known cider companies in the country, on top of not having indoor seating, they also only had port-o-potties for guests to use. I definitely don't recommend checking it out unless you either make a reservation or go during a day the weather is perfect and you don't plan on eating. The Saugatuck area has so many amazing wineries/breweries that have indoor areas, nicer staff, restrooms, and allow everyone to order food so I think it's worth skipping over this stop.
Things to Do
Explore the shops
Saugatuck is also known for the cute little shops and stores throughout the town. From wine shops to clothing stores to coffee shops to souvenir shops - there is something for everyone. We bought art, clothing and some souvenirs for family on our trip. We even stopped by Uncommon Coffee Roasters for an afternoon pick-me-up. It's definitely a great rainy day activity or a fun activity while you wait for your table at one of the restaurants.
The Root Beer Barrel is another famous Saugatuck spot that is a must-visit! Not only is it just neat because it is a giant root beer barrel, but they also have yummy lunch options and of course delicious root beer. It's a huge lunch time spot, so make sure you get there early before the line gets super long!
Dessert Spots
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