My family grew up spending their summers in Saugatuck. My parents, Dan and Virginia, have a cottage on Goshorn Lake just outside of downtown Saugatuck and only 5 minutes away from the beautiful Felt Estate. Saugatuck is a cute little town along the Kalamazoo River which feeds into Lake Michigan. First time traveling to Saugatuck? Click here for everything you need to know!

When Nathan and I visit Saugatuck in the summer we like to start our mornings by heading into town for a coffee. Our go to coffee shop is Uncommon Coffee Roasters or Woosah | Outdoor Coffee. The rest of our morning consists of stopping in the shops in downtown Saugatuck. Some of our favorites include Gliks, Landshark, and the Pink Patio. Stop in for brunch at Pumpernickels!

Thirsty? Nathan recommends visiting the Saugatuck Brewing Company or checking out the view of the Kalamazoo River at The Red Dock Cafe or The BARge. When you're ready for dinner, we recommend checking out the food and views at The Butler . Or head to The Southerner. Make sure you save some room for dessert! Everyone’s go to for ice cream in Saugatuck is Dairy Dayz.

Want to soak up some sun at Lake Michigan? Click here for a list of public beaches in Saugatuck/Douglas. The partnered hotels are ~20 minutes away and the wedding venue is 10 minutes away from Saugatuck/Douglas. Our favorite beach is Oval Beach.

If you are feeling adventurous, you can climb Mount Baldhead for a spectacular birds eye view of the town and the river. To get there, you can ride across the Kalamazoo River on a hand-pulled chain ferry from the town of Saugatuck, climbing 302 steps to Mount Baldhead, and descending onto the grassy coastal sands which leads you into Oval Beach!

You can also visit Saugatuck Dunes State Park. Saugatuck Dunes State Park is home to 2.5 miles of sandy Lake Michigan shoreline, coastal dunes, forested areas, 13 miles of trails and the 300-acre Patty Birkholz Natural Area.

Want to explore a different town outside of Saugatuck? Nathan and I recommend visiting Holland. Click here to find out more about things to do in the Holland area! Fun fact: our engagement photos were taken in Downtown Holland! The partnered hotels are located in Holland and the wedding venue is 20 minutes away from the hotels.

Another awesome town not too far from Saugatuck/Holland is Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids gives you more of the larger “city” feel. Click here to find out more about things to do in the Grand Rapids area! Nathan and I recommend checking out a West Michigan White Caps baseball game or visit the John Ball Zoo or the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. The partnered hotels are ~35 mins from Grand Rapids.

Check out why Grand Rapids was named the 'Beer City' with this Beer City Ale Trail guide!

If you’re looking to extend your stay in Michigan, there’s a lot of beautiful beach towns along the southwest coast of Lake Michigan. Click here for a guide to help plan your trip!

If you like to golf, Nathan recommends extending your stay in Michigan to play a few rounds of golf! There’s two awesome courses right outside of Saugatuck, Ravines Golf Club and Clearbrook Golf Club. Fun fact: Kirk Cousins and his wife purchased Clearbook in 2022! Keep driving north along the coast of Lake Michigan and you’ll find a Jack Nicklaus signature course, American Dunes Golf Club. If you’re really looking to check a golf course off your bucket list then make the trip even further north to Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club. It’s expensive but from what Nathan has been told, it’s well worth it.