Ever since we first met in 2006, Daniel and I have been searching for the perfect driving-distance summer vacation getaway. Our quest has taken us to the East Coast, New England, and Canada. Each location has its advantages and drawbacks. Maine and Vermont are lovely in the summer and fall, but an eleven-hour drive makes getting there a chore. Provincetown is even farther at thirteen hours, but in recent years has become crowded and crassly commercial, and as we age the summer party scene has become less appealing. The East Coast in general is expensive and the further south we go, the longer our drive and the higher the summer heat. Canada is closer but the smell of Cannabis can become overwhelming in touristy destinations like Niagara Falls, Toronto, or Montreal. I could have scarcely imagined that an ideal place was not only under six hours away by car but was somewhere I’d been before.
Some of my
earliest memories are climbing the sand dunes of Saugatuck with my family when
I was little. During those years, we
used to regularly travel to Grand Rapids to visit family on both my mother’s
and father’s side and Saugatuck was just a short drive from GR. My Michigan memories are fond ones and
fortunately I am free of the prejudice against Michigan, driven by hysteria for
American football (a sport I don’t care for), that many Ohioans suffer
from. This is partly because my father
grew up in Constantine and that my maternal grandmother spent many of her
formative years in Grand Rapids. Even
more enticing was learning only recently that the Saugatuck-Douglas area has
become an increasingly popular summer destination for LGBTQ+ travelers. Based on that and a desire to keep our trips
a bit closer to home, Daniel and I decided to pay the area a visit. Our stay was short as we were only giving the
area a “look-see”, but we liked what we saw.
The
charming downtowns of Saugatuck and Douglas are on the west coast of Michigan and within
walking distance of each other on opposite sides of the Kalamazoo river. Daniel and I
arrived around 5:00 pm Thursday and checked in to The
Dunes Resort. The Dunes consists of several free-standing
buildings including the King and Standard Buildings, one- and two-bedroom
cottages, and an additional house a short walk from the main property. It also has an on-site shop, bar, outside
swimming pool and friendly, helpful staff – Taylor and Drew were standouts. We found our recently renovated King room to
have a casual, mid-century modern vibe and a very spacious bathroom. High season runs from roughly from Memorial
Day to Labor Day, so rooms during this time should be booked well in
advance. Based on the parking lot there
were relatively few guests when we were there – we may have been the only
couple in the King building Thursday night.
After
checking in we decided to grab dinner at Guardian
Brewing Company. Each table features a battery driven light
which changes colors when touched. When
the light is green, it means you’re all set.
You can change it to red to call the wait staff. The food menu is eclectic and their own
selection of beers, ales, and ciders means there’s something for everyone who
cares to partake. I had a Red Dragon
Cider made from Michigan apples and Danny had the Clurichaun, a dry stout with
notes of coffee and dark chocolate. As
I’d had a rather heavy lunch, I ordered a Caesar salad. (Not to worry, I sabotaged myself later by
getting ice cream. In fact, we stopped off for sweets several times during our
journey, the highlight of which was Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream at
the Blue Star Café which put Ben & Jerry’s to shame. They also serve a very fine breakfast, and the
interior has an appealing 1950s diner vibe.)
After dinner we had our first walk through the Saugatuck downtown district, finding most of the shops had already closed – and many others hadn’t yet opened for the season. Still, we were able to get a good feel for the area and when we returned the next day, we found a surprising array of goods for sale at competitive prices, from the usual touristy stuff to a very fine selection of Michigan Wines at the Fenn Valley tasting room. They offer a competitive wine flight – five samples for five dollars, and we bought four reasonably priced bottles. California, drink your heart out. We also visited Uncommon Coffee Roasters in the morning, and had dinner at Pumpernickels – we highly recommend both.
In between
meals and shopping we enjoyed nature. Saturday
morning was spent climbing Mount Baldhead, a challenge for two middle aged guys who’ve struggled
with their weight – but we made it to the top.
Then we spent an hour exploring Oval Beach
and enjoyed the quiet of the off season.
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