Saugatuck is a vibrant and artsy community located off the coast of Lake Michigan. It's about 2 hours from Chicago, 2 hours from metro Detroit, and 30 minutes from Grand Rapids. Saugatuck has received top honors in USA Today’s “Best Coastal Small Towns in America” and was at the top of the list in USA Today’s “Best Summer Weekend Escapes”. 

The sister cities of Saugatuck and Douglas are separated by the Kalamazoo River, which feeds into Lake Michigan, and are united by their proximity and shared popularity. They both have charming downtowns filled with a cool array of restaurants, boutique shops, cafes, wine tasting rooms, and art galleries. Wander the vibrant streets and enjoy browsing the wide selection of places to explore. 

In addition to downtown Saugatuck and Douglas, there are many other nearby attractions in the local West Michigan area.  Lots to explore and do!

Saugatuck Travel Guides and Maps can be found here.

Sand Dunes

Here in Michigan, we’re lucky to have access to all sorts of beautiful dune land. Towering mountains of soft sand seem to appear out of nowhere, giving way to gorgeous views of the waterfront.  The historic town of Singapore was once a bustling lumber town located just north of Saugatuck on the banks of Lake Michigan. The bustling waterfront city existed for almost half a century as a busy port and shipbuilding town that supplied lumber to the Great Lakes region. Unfortunately, there were two fires in 1871, the great fire of Chicago and a second similarly devastating fire in Holland, Michigan. Singapore supplied the lumber for the rebuild of both cities at a fast pace, which caused the forests to become completely decimated. The residents of Singapore relocated elsewhere, including nearby Saugatuck and Douglas. With no trees to stop the erosion, the sands dunes began their march inland, covering what once was Singapore.  You can learn more about the lost town of Singapore and explore the sand dunes with Saugatuck Dune Rides.

There are many nearby beaches on the Lake Michigan shore, including Oval Beach, which is rated one of the top 25 beaches in the World by Conde Nast and one of the top two in the USA by National Geographic Traveler. 

Breweries, Wineries, and Restaurants

The local area is home to many craft breweries and wineries.  The local wineries produce award-winning wines from locally harvested grapes that flourish in the Southwest Michigan climate. There are also many great restaurants in the local area.  

Bicycle Friendly

Saugatuck and Douglas are both extremely bike-friendly, welcoming bicycles throughout their downtowns. The Blue Star Trail is connected to Blue Star Highway, which is right around the corner from the lodge and makes it convenient to ride your bike 2 miles to downtown Saugatuck. If you’re up for a longer ride, you can continue down Blue Star Trail all the way to South Haven, Michigan. For more information on Blue Star Trail, checkout Friends of the Blue Star Trail.