A Michigan Mother’s Day Escape: Pampering Your Mom in Saugatuck

With days spent exploring nearby trails, shopping in charming boutiques, eating excellent meals, checking out local art, getting facials at day spas, doing yoga together, and wine tasting in the scenic countryside, Saugatuck is a daydream come true for Moms. Surprise your Mom with a Michigan getaway to our Saugatuck bed and breakfast, where your Mother’s Day weekend will be one to remember.

Brunch on the Water, Getting Out in Nature, and Shopping Downtown

In Saugatuck, water defines the landscape, with Lake Michigan just a stroll away and views of the flowing Kalamazoo River visible right outside your Hotel Saugatuck room. Start your Mother’s Day weekend with brunch on the river at the Southerner, where owner and chef Matt Millar merges his Tennessee roots and passed-down family recipes with local ingredients to make delicious and creative takes on comfort food. Share blue crab cakes topped with creole remoulade and then bite into a low-country Caesar salad with shaved parmesan and hush puppy croutons providing a Southern twist. The tomato, egg, and cheese biscuit is toothsome, with braised greens on the side, and get a pleasant buzz going with a Bloody Mary or refreshing grapefruit mimosa.

After your meal, head just across the Kalamazoo River to the Crow’s Nest hiking area, where your Mom will get a taste for the outdoorsy beauty of Saugatuck on the 2-mile trail loop that extends through the dense and gorgeous trees nestled between water on both sides (the pristine Oxbow lagoon anchors the western edge). The trail winds through the Tallmadge Woods – a nature preserve protected by the Michigan Land Conservancy and an old-growth forest equally beautiful during every season, whether blazing autumn foliage or bright springtime blooms. Continue up to the Crow’s Nest viewpoint, where you’ll have stunning Kalamazoo River vistas on one side and Lake Michigan's breathtaking dunes and waters on the other.

Spend the late afternoon browsing Saugatuck boutiques along Butler St, the walkable central avenue of Saugatuck. Whether it’s the casual but classy clothing, jewelry, and home decor at Brass Anchor, bohemian and vintage outfits at Urban Found, aisles of books at the locally owned Book Nook, or antique wonders at the Country Store (in business for over seven decades), your Mom will love leisurely hopping from store to store, all just blocks away and each with its unique appeal.

Yoga and Spa Day Bliss, Delicious Eats in Douglas, and Exploring the Art Scene

After a quiet and relaxing morning, start the next day with a gentle flow or hatha vinyasa class at Satya Yoga. Their instructors welcome all levels, so you and Mom will feel at home in their warm, mindful space. Feeling invigorated after your yoga session, flow right into a facial at Redefine Med Spa across Kalamazoo Lake in Douglas, where owner Lisa Bowdish and her team offer a range of specialized facial treatments. The 50-minute signature facial will be a treat for your Mom, including hot steam, dermal rolling, exfoliation, and rehydration. Their spa mission is to “redefine you” – your Mom will leave feeling de-stressed, rejuvenated, and a renewed version of herself.

Continue the afternoon along quaint Center St in downtown Douglas, where you can get a honey lavender latte or chai latte at Outdoor Coffee while enjoying the outdoor seating and spring sunshine. Plan for an early dinner at Borrowed Time, one of the restaurants garnering the most buzz in the area – their seasonal menu embodies the farm-to-table ethos that inspires many Saugatuck eateries. Olives in feta and orange zest marinade are a tasty first plate, followed by a honeydew salad with local chevre cheese and ahi tuna topped with house-pickled ginger. Order one of their 15 house cocktails, clink your glasses, and drink to your Mom and your memorable Michigan getaway.

After dinner, stroll to the opening reception and art show at the Ox-Bow House. A dual exhibit on Saturday, May 11th, 2024, showcases the drawings, collages, and sculptures of Sarah and Joseph Belknap, who have both won fellowships and shown their art at galleries nationwide. They also studied at the Art Institute of Chicago – from which the Ox-Bow School of Art branched off and took root in Saugatuck over a century ago, creating the artistic bedrock of the renowned and flourishing Art Coast of Michigan.

Wining and Dining With Mom in the Countryside and a Sunset on Lake Michigan

On Mother’s Day, take your Mom on a day trip to the scenic farmland just outside Saugatuck for an afternoon of wine tasting. Fenn Valley Vineyards – just a 15-minute drive from our location, where they grow various grapes and produce dozens of award-winning varietals – is a lovely place to spend a spring day sipping and touring their impressive 240-acre farm. Reserve a spot for you and Mom for their “flighted” tasting, when you’ll get a private indoor or outdoor table and guidance from a wine expert as you sample seven different wine pours. Whether it’s a bold red like their Capriccio, a dry and vanilla-hinted Chardonnay, or a sparkling Riesling, the tasting will reveal the style that suits your Mom’s palate just right – buy her a bottle of it to go, the perfect gift.

Keep the celebration going by heading just five minutes down the road in Fennville to Salt of the Earth for a rustic and delectable dinner together. Split a pecan pesto burrata, followed by entrees like pan-seared chicken or wood-fired salmon with roasted beets and dill cream sauce. Order one of their desserts, like the Tahitian vanilla gelato or creme brulee, to celebrate the special occasion.

Wrap up the weekend with a visit to Douglas Beach Park, one of the best spots to catch the sunset along the Lake Michigan shoreline and more secluded than Oval Beach. You’ll likely have the stretch of sand to yourselves, a Mother’s Day moment to cherish.

Stay with us this May and plan your magical Mother’s Day Michigan getaway!