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The Hotel Saugatuck Blog

Savor the Salt of the Earth in Saugatuck, Michigan

Winter in Saugatuck and Douglas can absolutely be the most wonderful time of the year, and it often is. Despite being known for our beautiful, sugar sand beaches and summertime fun, Saugatuck is a great place to be in the winter. Cozy fireside chats, relaxing indoors with a good book, or enjoying a great meal, live music, and dancing at Salt of the Earth all make winter in Saugatuck the best romantic getaway of the year.

Spend Valentine's Day in Saugatuck

Saugatuck may be known as a popular summer destination to travelers around the world, but the quaint, small-town charm of our “seaside” community also makes it one of the most romantic and peaceful locations to spend Valentine’s Day with your special someone. Besides the luxurious amenities and gracious hospitality you will find while staying at The Hotel Saugatuck, (like the private fireplaces and jetted hot tubs) there are several fun things to do around town if you want to take a romantic excursion and see some sights.

Bells Brewery in Kalamazoo

Tour one of Michigan’s oldest original breweries in the nearby city of Kalamazoo. With more than 40 different beers on tap, Bell’s Brewery also offers a full-service restaurant, café, beer garden, and patio. Enjoy a craft brew or delectable dish in the café, take a tour of the facilities, or get some holiday shopping done in the general store. With its Two-Hearted blend ranked as the #1 Beer in America, Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo is worth the trip.

Frederk Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, MI

Visit one of the country’s most significant botanical locations in Grand Rapids, a forty-minute drive from Saugatuck that is well beyond worth the drive. Besides its outdoor four-season plantings, the campus includes five indoor theme gardens, nature trails, sculpture galleries and collections, a café, a gift shop, and the state’s largest tropical conservatory.

Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer, and Food Festival

Whether you’re seeking to learn more, or just taste a delicious glass of wine (or two) this fall, Grand Rapids is likely the place you want to be. Luckily, while you’re staying at The Hotel Saugatuck, you’re just over a half-hour away from the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer, and Food Festival held November 16th to 18th. Sample over 1200 wines from all around the world in the Vineyard, discover craft brews at Beer City Station, savor a delicious dessert at the RendezBREW Café, or turn fermented apples into cider on Cider Row.

Michigan's Arts and Eats Fall Tour

Traveling through Michigan’s southwest corner has never been more creative—or as tasty! Once a year, Michigan’s Arts and Eats annual fall event brings together the art, food, and farms of the region. From Saugatuck to South Haven, this backroads tour will bring you face-to-face with some of the area’s most talented local artists and hardest-working farmers. Explore Saugatuck’s own Center for the Arts, shop for local ingredients on the farm to take back home, or walk the rows of nearby apple orchards.

Harvest Time in Holland, Michigan

Visit Saugatuck’s neighbor this October for Downtown Holland’s Fall Fest. Celebrate your favorite things about the fall like pumpkins and jack-o-lantern carvings as well as some of the best food of the year. Visit the Farmers Market or stroll through the beautiful downtown; harvest time in Holland doesn’t get any better than this!

Experience Autumn at Fenn Valley Vineyards

Fenn Valley is less than fifteen minutes away from the Hotel Saugatuck. That’s a short drive for such a great tasting room that has plenty of activities, attractions, and events. Visit the tasting room and bar and learn about the passion for wine and grape-growing behind Fenn Valley’s Welsch family. Last year, the popular winery received over thirty medals, eleven of which were Gold, and a Best in Class award from the Michigan Wine Competition for its Traminette 2015. It’s no wonder visitors to Saugatuck and Douglas flock to Fenn Valley for a wine-tasting escape.

Take a Tour of the Felt Mansion

Near the gigantic sand dunes north of Saugatuck sits a historic mansion built by Dorr E. Felt, the inventor of the first office processing machine able to quickly perform four math functions. It may sound questionable to us today, a far-off invention that is no longer relevant, but in 1886, the Comptometer dramatically increased bookkeeping skills which meant office and industry production soared. One of the very first comptometers is on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Explore the Saugatuck Sand Dunes

Start exploring one of Saugatuck’s most interesting attractions, the Saugatuck Dunes State Park. The day-use public park features fourteen miles of hiking trails through the scenic hills of Saugatuck’s wooded sand dunes that are over 200 feet tall. With two miles of Lake Michigan beachfront with a quiet and serene atmosphere, the Saugatuck Dunes State Park makes a perfect location for a relaxing beach stroll to catch that stunning Saugatuck sunset or a mid-day lunch picnic.

The Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck

Ranked one of the top five film festivals in the world by the Screen Actors Guild, the care-free beach vibes of the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan has been bringing indie films to the Midwest, and thousands of moviegoers, since 1999. In the past, Waterfront has been the location of hit premiers like the Academy-award winning documentaries March of the Penguins and Born into Brothels as well as comedy hits like Napoleon Dynamite.

Take a Tour of Holland, Michigan

It’s not Europe, and you won’t be sipping coffee along the sparkling canals of Amsterdam. But it is pretty close; you don’t need a passport and you’ll still find yourself charmed by the waterfront cafés and breathtaking beauty of Lake Macatawa and the mighty Lake Michigan. With a history rooted in its founding by Dutch settlers in the early 1900s, Holland has embraced its heritage. You’ll find everything from real Dutch cocoa to wooden shoes, windmills, and tulips.

Antiques in Allegan County, Michigan

Hunting season just started for Michigan’s antique aficionados and the state famous for its summers has just thrown open its doors for springtime. Michigan’s largest antique show, Allegan Antiques, hosts more than 400 exhibitors at the Allegan County Fairgrounds on the last Sunday of the month, from April through September. It’s only a thirty minute drive from our bed and breakfast, and it’s worth the trip!