"Mid-Week Adventure" Top 5 Page for this destination Saugatuck by deecat

Saugatuck Travel Guide: 31 reviews and 78 photos

Dee at Oval Beach in Saugatuck, Michigan

Avoiding the Weekend "Crunch"

The sister cities of Saugatuck and Douglas are quite unique. The area is known for its wonderful perch fishing, exploration of the vast sand dunes, the famed Oxbow Summer School affiliated with the Art Institute of Chicago, fine restaurants, art galleries and boutiques.

Douglas is one of the oldest villages in the state and is known as "a quaint and picturesque village with 19th century architecture and 21st century merchandise."

Saugatuck is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and the Kalazazoo River and next to the steep dunes and the lush orchards of the countryside.
The SAUGATUCK DUNES STATE PARK & THE ALLEGAN STATE FOREST are nearby. There are Greek Revival, Italianate, Arts and Crafts, and Colonial Revival styles of architecture.

Both Douglas and Saugatuck are known today as resort communities with strong appeal to artists and artisans. They were once into lumbering, shipbuilding, and fruit farming industries. Orchards and vineyards still abound.

So, take your pick...nature, history, art, architecture, fishing, boating...they are all here for the taking OR if you just want to relax and mellow out, that's quite acceptable. Whatever you do, it will seem better in the Saugatuck/Douglas area.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Small-town America, laid back, artistic, Quaint
Cons:Very crowded on weekend and in the summer
In a nutshell:An artistic enclave which also offers multiple Outdoor Activities

Last visit to Saugatuck: Sep 2009
Intro Updated Sep 30, 2009
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (13)

Unique Shops in Douglas, Michigan Off The Beaten Path (2)

One of the shops that Mickey and I enjoyed viewing, mostly because of the lovely garden in front of the store was called... more travel advice

Historic Saugatuck Village Hall Favorites (2)

While walking around Saugatuck, I was attracted to a frame building that displays Colonial Revival influences. I walked... more travel advice

All That's Left of Sinapore, Michigan - Saugatuck

The Mystery of Singapore, Michigan Favorites (2)

One of the strange happenings in this area has to do with a town that disappeared: Singapore, Michigan. The only... more travel advice

The Keewatin Maritime Museum Things to Do (4)

Be sure to see all four photos [two of the ship, one of restaurant, one of lighthouse] For all you history buffs, there... more travel advice

Restaurants (1)
Perfect Location; Excellent Food
Been to Saugatuck?
Share your travels with the world!

Comments (31)

Reply
- Report abuse
balhannah Jun 19, 2012 at 4:10 AM

Lovely page! I think I would enjoy "Parrot in the square" and also would have to ride on the chain ferry. Love your choice of painting too!
Hope you are feeling on the mend now and have better health for the rest of they year.
Reply
- Report abuse
Pawtuxet Sep 17, 2011 at 3:03 PM

Yum. I'm hungry as usual after checking your restaurant experience. Agree with you about the gardens at that clothing shop. I recently discovered a branch of my family went in the Michigan direction. Thanks for introducing me to a section of the states I'm not familiar with. Be well. You look GREAT.
Reply
- Report abuse
hopang Aug 26, 2011 at 7:20 AM

Surprised to see the town Singapore in Michigan. Sadly it has disappeared! Chain ferry ride seems interesting to us. Douglas looks wonderful to visit too. Thanks for sharing those travel tips and photos. ~ho & pang
Reply
- Report abuse
Yaqui Apr 4, 2011 at 1:57 PM

Your sure do look pretty in pink:) Oh I the history behind Singapore, Michigan is fascinating. I wonder if anyone tried digging under that sand to see if they can find anymore of the old town. Excellent page Dee!
Reply
- Report abuse
hunterV Feb 1, 2011 at 9:37 AM

~ Hello, Dee! ><><>< I see you've had a wonderful stay there! Great! Thanks for sharing! ><><><
Reply
- Report abuse
jillzi Dec 16, 2010 at 10:00 AM

You & Mickey travel well together. Wow, this looks really good with the water, shops, museum, architecture, and food, what's not to like. Loved info about the ghost town.
Reply
- Report abuse
BruceDunning Oct 19, 2010 at 11:57 AM

You have found another wonderful place to visit and enjoy the scenery, water a a little wine and shopping. As always, the descriptions and pictures are fantastic.
Reply
- Report abuse
Bwana_Brown Sep 26, 2010 at 11:58 AM

Dee, I can tell from your tips that you really enjoyed this little trip, and so did I! Loved your tips on the chain ferry and the steamer Keewatin. As for Oval beach, it is a totally amazing wonder on this 'inland sea'. That's a great paintings deal too!
Reply
- Report abuse
iandsmith Jul 9, 2010 at 8:16 AM

Freshwater Beach....mmm, something we don't have huge amounts of here. Great pages but we expect as much. CHeers.
Reply
- Report abuse
kyoub May 5, 2010 at 5:04 AM

What a wonderful place to visit. Olive oils, museum, and a beautiful beach. What more could you ask for? Glad you and your friend had a glorious time. I can't improve on this, forgot I had seen this.