A Memorable Sister Getaway in Saugatuck

When I'm new to an area, I begin by solidly researching options of where to stay and then dive into the details of dining options as well as area attractions. I visited Saugatuck nine years prior with my husband, but we stayed in Grand Rapids and toured Saugatuck for just one day while also checking out other beach town areas: Grand Haven and South Haven along Eastern Michigan's coastline.

My sister previously stayed in a carriage house at Serendipity, a centrally located bed and breakfast three years prior for an Independence Day holiday and wanted to try something different. Something different is what was delivered.

With the help of online photos, we fell in love with and booked The Lakeshore Suite at The Hotel Saugatuck, a bed and breakfast on Lake Street just after you cross the bridge bordering Douglas and Kalamazoo Lake. The building, listed on the Michigan Register of historic places, dates to 1865 and is the only original structure still standing from the local lumbering era. It underwent multiple changes and functions until the beginning of the 1900's when it became a boarding house. In 1922, a Chicago vaudeville banjo musician opened it as the Twin Gables Inn and Restaurant and invited his musician friends to play at the hotel where guests dined and danced. The Twin Gables Inn also was known to be frequented by members of Al Capone's gang during Prohibition in the 1920's. There's even a rumored bullet hole in a wall as a result of some sort of altercation over a "sweetheart" who worked at the establishment. In 1936 the Blue Star Highway was constructed and the State of Michigan relocated the building to its present spot. Lake Street was extended to connect with the Blue Star Highway and the hotel was simply in the way.

In 2016, the hotel was fully renovated into luxurious suites and The Lakeshore Suite features two electric fireplaces, a jetted bathtub in the primary living space, private enclosed porch, mini fridge and freezer, microwave, King-sized bed and amazing desserts delivered to our door at dusk and a gourmet breakfast each morning. Our suite's wooden floors, which are found throughout the hotel's original main floor, are stained a gorgeous dark brown and they squeak and creak when you walk on them.

The hotel is for adults only as a luxurious boutique destination for couples or travelers seeking respite. No pets are permitted and I must say it's really not suitable for pets and kids. There's a time and a place for family vacations, but it won't be at The Hotel Saugatuck.

Small cabins line the South side of the property and there's a tranquil 'secret' garden on the opposite side below the Blue Star Highway. Guests can borrow the hotel's bikes for a ride downtown or over the bridge to Douglas.

The Lakeshore Suite's porch is exactly front and center of the ground floor of the hotel. Prior to our arrival I envisioned walking out from the porch to sit next to the lake and read a book, as I do when staying at Oakwood Inn on Lake Wawasee. However, that didn't

happen. First, there's no exterior porch door, which is not a big deal. The larger issue is there's no public benches on this section of the lake, which means the hotel's "secret garden" is the best outdoor spot for reading, but we filled our time with other activities.

On the way to the hotel, we stopped at Modales Winery and Vineyard in the Fennville area for a wine flight and locally produced creamy cheese and hearty summer sausage with crackers. Fennville, Michigan is known for it's vineyards and there are many options to choose from. My sister trusted me to plan our itinerary and I selected Modales because I wanted us to visit a working winery, not just a tasting room.

Ambiance was also important and Modales has a beautiful warm wood-centric interior space and tasting room as well as porch and patio options. The view from the patio and covered porch is of pastoral rolling hills featuring not only grape vines, but beyond are the peach and cherry tree orchards.

Modales also has a rich history. The 26 acre working vineyard was planted over the past 100 years by a family considered a pioneer of the area. The land is ideal for producing grapes due to it's glacial sandy soil, climate and passage of time. The original family's 100+ year old home remains at the front of the property. The friendly service, ambiance, quality wine / hard ciders, history and view are why I highly recommend Modales winery. Next door the Virtue Cider apple orchard welcomes visitors for tours, tastings and events.

After our wine tour, it was a short 11 mile drive through the hilly countryside to The Hotel Saugatuck. After unpacking, my twin and I walked half a mile through a lovely waterfront residential area. We encountered massive tall trees, displays of pumpkins, lovely sunflowers, black squirrels, a small street-side patch of baby pumpkins plus a very dramatic steep hill with many steps leading to a hilltop home overlooking Kalamazoo Lake. Saugatuck is often described as "quaint," which by definition means, "attractively unusual or old-fashioned." I couldn't agree more.

It was a lovely evening and just the right amount of Autumn air, yet warm enough to dine outdoors. I had researched restaurants online prior to our getaway and made a great choice with Coast 236.

Coast 236 on Culver Street offers cloth napkins and tables covered in white tablecloths whether you dine in the street, indoors or in the serene patio garden. We had a great view of the indoor dining area from our garden table as well as lush green patio foliage. After an amazing gourmet meal of Jerusalem thistles with aioli sauce; seared diver scallops with citrus gnocchi and fried capers and Prince Edward Island mussels with saffron and chili

sauce, we strolled around downtown and then back to our hotel where a delicious dessert was waiting for us.

Each room at The Hotel Saugatuck has a portable "tv" tray outside the hall door and each evening at dusk the staff brings a different dessert to your tray. The first night we enjoyed fantastic homemade Michigan blueberry pie with a lattice crust. It is obvious the crust is made the proper way with lard and it was memorably delicious. The kind of dessert that you just don't find unless at a bakery or specialty shop. The second night we enjoyed a crumble-style bar stuffed with carrots, a cream filling and topped with a fresh sprig of rosemary. I've never had anything like it, but it was rich and flavorful.

Every evening we completed our breakfast menus and placed them at the front desk. There's three different meal and juice options and we both chose breakfast pizza the first morning. It was flat bread topped with melted cheese, prosciutto ham, arugula, tomatoes, eggs and artfully styled balsamic vinegar.

The second morning I ordered something I've never done before. I chose a Pecan Apple breakfast salad. As they say, "when in Rome." Before my sister travelled home to the Midwest, I had suggested I make my favorite salad for her for breakfast. I asked, "Do you think it's weird to eat a salad for breakfast?" It was the only time I was going to be able to cook for her during our visit and I wanted her to

try my salad, it's that good. Except I did not actually make the salad for my sister. So when the option to have a breakfast salad presented itself at The Hotel Saugatuck, I gave it a try. I felt it was meant to be. Sliced fresh avocado, goat cheese, greens, apples, pecans, homemade strawberry vinaigrette and a scrambled egg. Will I do it again? No, but I am proud of myself for stepping outside the box and taking a chance.

We loved our time in Saugatuck-Douglas, it was a relaxing and much-needed mini vacation within my sister's vacation. We meandered around the town for two days, leisurely taking photos, shopping a little here and there and exploring.

The local drug store has a nice large selection of souveniers. Ironically, if you are there to actually shop for pharmaceutical items, go to the back of the store to find those products. Quaint, yes. Quirky, absolutely.

We ate seafood every day at local favorites such as Mermaid's, Phil's, Everyday People Cafe in Douglas and of course, Coast 236. There are eateries too numerous to list, but definitely something for everyone.

After checking out of our hotel, we drove around Lake Kalamazoo and up the heavily forested two-lane road over the dunes to Mount Baldhead Park, the only way to access Oval Beach by vehicle. The popular beach received it's name due to the original oval-shaped parking lot. We spent time along the water's edge and then climbed back up the dunes to the parking lot. The Oval Beach recreation area has public restrooms, barbecue grills, picnic tables, hiking trails and a ramp-accessible overlook with stunning views of Lake Michigan.

Next we headed back through the woods and over the dunes to the river side of Mount Baldhead Park. To get to this area of the park, it's only accessible via a very narrow dead-end road. There's a retaining wall on one side and a guard rail next to the river on the other. We visited the riverfront and historic pump house overlooking the Kalamazoo River, then my sister ascended the 300+ stairs leading to the top of Mount Baldy. She was rewarded with amazing views of Saugatuck and Lake Michigan.

We returned to Saugatuck for a street-side lunch of seared scallops at Phil's, which is located in an old theater, enjoying one last meal and trek around the charming streets. Even in the Autumn shoulder season, Saugatuck is enticing and enchanting. We look forward to returning again to an unspoiled "pure Michigan" place where time stands still for awhile.