Cozy Getaways: Saugatuck Romantic Getaway in Winter

Love birds have escaped to Saugatuck and the idyllic shores of Lake Michigan for generations, attracted by the stunning natural scenery, charming small-town ambiance, fantastic restaurants, award-winning wineries, and cultural events during every season. When you stay at our Saugatuck bed and breakfast, you’ll have all of this just a short stroll, bike ride, or drive away, so make your daydream a reality and ease into a wintertime Saugatuck romantic getaway with your special someone.

Coffee Downtown, Hiking the Dunes, and a Sunset Over Lake Michigan

Start your morning with a stroll along the banks of the Kalamazoo River, which flows right through the center of town and just outside your Michigan bed and breakfast or cottage, adding to our downtown’s quaint scenery. Stop in at Uncommon Roasters, a fave local hangout spot where their team has been roasting boutique beans and serving quality brew for over two decades. Share a French press or get one of their signature lattes, like the Cafe Miel (made with honey and cinnamon) or the Fireside Latte (a unique mix of brown sugar and allspice), both of which will warm you up on a chilly winter morning. Fill up on food like pesto egg sandwiches or ham and gouda croissants, and pick up one of their freshly roasted bags of beans to bring home, a tasty souvenir from your Saugatuck romantic getaway.

After getting caffeinated, head to the other side of the Kalamazoo River to the Mt. Baldhead Park Trail, where a stairway climbs 200 feet to one of the best panoramic views in the area. It’s a somewhat challenging climb, but the ascent has landings every ten steps, so take breaks while enjoying the natural landscapes on both sides. After reaching the top, snap a couple of cute selfies before descending the dunes down to the shoreline of Oval Beach, where the summer crowds are long gone, replaced by the serenity of winter. Enjoy the seabirds, dune grasses waving in the brisk breeze, and spectacular views across the 22,000 square miles of Lake Michigan as the sun sets, a magical and breathtaking scene.

A Day of Indulgence – Breakfast in Bed, Couples Massage, and Dinner With a View

It’s your intimate time away together, so sleep in and treat yourselves to a lazy morning with a breakfast in bed brought to you between 8 and 10 am. Whether your appetite is savory or sweet, we’ll shape your meal however you desire, whether it be breakfast quiche and frittatas or cinnamon brioche french toast, all served with freshly brewed coffee and tea. Enjoy the views of Lake Kalamazoo, visible from most of our rooms, and share delicious bites and conversation in your breakfast nook or on your private porch in rooms like Sandpiper and Lakeshore.

Hop on two complimentary Hotel Saugatuck bikes and pedal ½ mile to Butler St, the main street through downtown Saugatuck, where you’ll find a welcoming oasis at Bella Vita Day Spa. Pamper yourselves with their couples massage, available in any style, from light and soft to more intense deep tissue. Massage sessions run for 50 or 75 minutes and are made even more luxurious with extras like a full body wrap, with exfoliation, a seaweed masque, and lavender and sage aromatics.

After regrouping in your room, head back downtown for some afternoon art browsing at any of several galleries within a few blocks of each other. Known as the Art Coast of Michigan and celebrated for our artistic heritage dating back over a century, you’ll find everything from vibrant artisan-made baskets and sculptures at Amazwi Contemporary Art to iconic Lake Michigan landscapes and paintings of dunes at James Brandess Gallery. Pick up a piece to add to your walls at home, an artistic way to remember and celebrate your time together in Saugatuck.

Sit down for dinner at the Butler, where the historic ambiance runs deep – the building dates back over 100 years, with some of the best views of the Kalamazoo you’ll find anywhere in town. Enjoy delectable dishes like lemon garlic veal piccata, wild mushroom ravioli served with walnut and sage brown butter, or wasabi-seared ahi tuna. Or try their signature Great Lake Walleye with lemon dijon cream for a real taste of local cuisine, freshly caught from Lake Michigan and prepared to perfection. Share a chocolate torte or blackberry ginger cheesecake alongside a bottle of Michigan-grown Chateau Grand Traverse Riesling wine as you gaze out the bay windows overlooking the calm and enchanting river.

A Saugatuck Romantic Getaway: Wine-tasting, Date Night Eats, and Live Music

The rolling and rural countryside just a few miles outside Saugatuck is legendary as a grape-growing region, producing some of the best wines in the country. Head out for a 15-minute scenic drive to Fennville, where rows of grapes cover the landscape, and saddle up to the classy wine bar at Fenn Valley Vineyards for a tasting flight. Their expert staff will guide you through seven wines, with varietals including fifteen whites, multiple complex reds, and specialty styles like mulled wine and dessert port. If you prefer hard ciders, which are also renowned and part of our burgeoning local cider scene, you’ll find a lot to love with their dry cider and cherry apple cider. If you visit during Valentine’s Day, plan to attend their “Vino-tine’s” event on February 18th, 2024, when they will serve a 6-wine flight with cheeses and chocolates.

Head a few miles over to charming downtown Fennville for dinner at Salt of the Earth, where the rustic ambiance is casual but elegant, with a seasonal menu focusing on locally sourced ingredients. Small plates include baked brie, crispy pork belly, and entrees like wood-fired salmon, grilled ribeye, and signature wood-fired pizzas – all delicious and made with a farm-to-table ethos.

Plan your dinner at Salt of the Earth to coincide with one of their live music nights in early 2024, which include a variety of local and national touring acts on the stage in their cozy bar space. A Tom Petty cover band, the Insiders plays on Jan 21st, local singer-songwriters perform on the weekend after Valentine’s Day (Feb 18th), and Irish music features on March 24th. For a more classical music experience, catch one of the shows at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, just a 10-minute walk from our location. Mark Valenti will perform on Jan 21st, and Johan Botes will play on Feb 4th, both bringing piano programs spanning many styles and periods of classical music. After dinner and music, enjoy a soothing soak in your private bath while savoring a complimentary in-room dessert, a luxurious way to wind down your Saugatuck romantic getaway.

Stay with us at our Michigan bed and breakfast and surprise your love with a relaxing, intimate, and memorable wintertime escape to Saugatuck!