Midwest Living magazine ranked Saugatuck/Douglas #5 on its list of top vacation destinations in the U.S. The National Trust for Historic Preservation selected it as one of America’s "Dozen Distinctive Destinations.” Orbitz ranked it among the 10 Hottest Gay Destinations in the world.

Together, these twin communities 40 minutes southwest of downtown Grand Rapids form "The Art Coast of West Michigan" – reflecting an artistic heritage that spans more than 100 years and is still going strong today.

Separated by the Blue Star Highway, each community offers a small and very walkable downtown, scenic waterways, excellent food & shopping, and a relaxing resort-like vibe. As with many resort towns, some businesses are closed or reduce their operating hours during the off-season (roughly November-April) – check ahead if you’re visiting then.

Art & Culture

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Saugatuck Center for the Arts

Explore art exhibits, live theater, and more at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, located in a former pie factory.

Photo by Courtesy of Saugatuck Center for the Arts

Known as the “Art Coast of Michigan,” Saugatuck/Douglas has a long history of embracing creative people and ideas. The Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency was founded on the shores of the Kalamazoo River in 1910 and it continues to serve as an energizing natural environment for professional artists and degree-seeking students (through its affiliation with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago). Ox-Bow invites tourists and residents to get an insider’s glimpse of its 115-acre campus on select summer Fridays and it also hosts a number of special events throughout the year.

Saugatuck/Douglas is home to numerous art galleries, studios and installations. Favorites include:

Public art in Saugatuck includes the vibrant red Cynthia McKean piece Family of Man IV in Coghlin Park (60 Griffith St); Smile! You’re in Saugatuck, a perfect-for-selfies mural on the Dockside Marketplace building (340 Water St); and a recreation of George Seurat’s Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte adorning the walls of a public restroom in Wicks Park (502 Water St). Village Park (428 Butler St) is home to both Girl with the Puppet, a statue honoring the late Burr Tillstrom, the famous puppeteer and Saugatuck summer resident who created early TV’s Kukla, Fran and Ollie, and Big Temptation, a cartoon-like, colorfully patterned snake sculpture by Miami-based Brazilian pop artist Romero Britto.

Saugatuck Center for the Arts is a community hub hosting theatrical productions, art exhibits, art classes, films, and more in a former pie factory. 400 Culver St.

The area’s creative spirit is an inclusive one and the LGBTQ+ community is an integral part of the local culture. Long celebrated as a gay-friendly destination, Saugatuck/Douglas is home to The Dunes Resort (333 Blue Star Hwy), which opened in 1981 and is one of the largest LGBTQ+ resorts in America, as well as 20+ LGBTQ-owned shops, galleries, restaurants and lodging options. Look for Pride flags displayed at numerous local businesses and well as rainbow-painted crosswalks and benches. Visit the beautiful Pride Celebration Garden (147 W Center St) in Douglas to reflect on the deep roots of the area’s LGBTQ+ community.

The Pump House History Museum (735 Park St), Saugatuck Douglas History Center (130 W Center St) and Demerest Fishing Shanty (730 Water St) are great places to explore the area’s past.

Family Fun

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Lake Michigan is the center of family fun in Saugatuck and you can experience it at Oval Beach (690 Perryman St), named one of the world’s top 25 beaches by Condé Nast Traveler, and Douglas Beach (3309 Lakeshore Dr), a cozy neighborhood park with a quiet tree-lined beach. Parking is free (but limited) at Douglas Beach and costs $10 a day at Oval Beach, or you can ride the Interurban bus for $1. You can also climb the 302 steps to Mount Baldhead (769 Park St), accessible by car or the Saugatuck Chain Ferry, and descend through the grassy coastal sands to Oval Beach.

Saugatuck Dune Rides (6495 Blue Star Hwy) are a great way to explore the wonder and majesty of Lake Michigan sand dunes. Buggy drivers will point out points of interest as they shepherd you on a thrilling off-road adventure. You can explore the dunes at your own pace in Saugatuck Dunes State Park (6575 138th Ave), which is home to 13 miles of trails, 2.5 miles of sandy Lake Michigan shoreline, coastal dunes, forested areas and the 300-acre Patty Birkholz Natural Area. Parking at the state park requires an Annual Recreation Pass for Michigan residents and an $11 daily fee for non-residents.

Douglas parks include Beery Field (8 Center St), offering a playground, ballfields, picnic tables and public restrooms; and Wade’s Bayou Memorial Park (52 Bayou St), an ideal spot for fishing, kayaking and wildlife viewing.

Saugatuck parks include Coghlin Park (60 Griffith St), featuring a large picnic shelter and a grassy area overlooking the Kalamazoo River; Cook Park (40 Water St), with picnic tables and a view of a marina on the river; River Bluff Park (6504 Old Allegan Rd), a 27-acre wooded tract with a boat landing, picnic area, children’s swings and natural surface trail to a river overlook; Schultz Park (301 Riverview Dr), a 20-acre nature preserve with ballfields, pickleball courts, a playground and dog park; and Village Square Park (428 Butler St), recently upgraded with new playground equipment.

Clearbrook Golf Club (6494 Clearbrook Dr), awarded four stars by Golf Advisor, and Ravines Golf Club (3520 Palmer Dr), designed by golf legend Arnold Palmer, each offer exceptional playing conditions five minutes or so from downtown Saugatuck. Saugatuck Mini Golf (3460 Blue Star Hwy) is an 18-hole natural landscape-style miniature golf course.

Rent a bike from Blue Star Barns Coffee & Bikes (3843 Blue Star Hwy) to ride around Saugatuck/Douglas with ease. Enjoy coffee and baked goods in the barn before or after your adventure.

Lakeview Lanes (22 Center St) in Douglas has eight bowling lanes in a club-style atmosphere with a full bar and great food.

Tails ‘n Trails Dog Park (6539 134th Ave) offers six acres of safe, off-leash play for pets and their owners.

Food & Drink

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The Southerner

From fried chicken to classic biscuits, The Southerner in Saugatuck brings the flavors of the South to Michigan.

Photo by Courtesy of The Southerner

Saugatuck/Douglas offers a wide array of dining and drinking destinations, many of which offer outdoor seating and awesome views.

American Fare

Bar & Grill

Burgers, Hot Dogs & Sandwiches

Coffee & More

Craft Beverages

Fine Dining

Pizza & More

Sweet Treats

World Food

Lodging

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Hotels, Motels & Resorts

Inns and B&Bs

Music & More

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The Annex Coffee Shop & Piano Bar

Enjoy live piano music on weekend evenings at The Annex, a coffee shop inside the landmark Coral Gables resort in Saugatuck. 220 Water St.

The Butler Deck

Historic former inn turned family-run eatery The Butler hosts live music on waterfront deck during the summer season. 40 Butler St.

Coral Gables

Coral Gables is a historic waterfront restaurant and resort featuring DJs and dancing, live piano music, karaoke and stand-up comedy on various nights. There’s live music on the deck during warm-weather months. 220 Water St.

Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck

The Chamber Music Festival is a six-week summer festival showcasing traditional and contemporary chamber music performed live at the Saugatuck Woman’s Club.

The Dunes Resort Entertainment Complex

The Dunes brings the country’s top LGBTQIA+ talent to Douglas so you can dance to the beat of world-renowned DJs and enjoy top-notch performers at the cabaret. 333 Blue Star Hwy.

Pumpernickel’s

Pumpernickel’s restaurant and bar in Saugatuck hosts live music every Friday and Saturday evening. 202 Butler St.

Sand Bar Saloon

Saugatuck’s Sand Bar Saloon is a cash-only bar offers a selection of beer, cocktails and bar food to complement its regular schedule of live music performances. 141 Butler St.

Saugatuck Center for the Arts

Live theater, art exhibitions, films and lectures are among the offerings at Saugatuck Center for the Arts, set in a renovated pie factory. 400 Culver St.

Wally’s Bar & Grill

Wally’s Bar & Grill in Saugatuck hosts live music performances on weekend nights. 128 Hoffman St.

Wicks Park Bar & Grille

Enjoy live music on Fridays and Saturdays, trivia on Thursdays and karaoke on Wednesdays at Wicks Park Bar & Grille in Saugatuck. 449 Water St.

Wicks Park Gazebo Music in the Park

The gazebo in Saugatuck’s waterfront Wicks Park is the setting for free music concerts every Wednesday in summer. 452 Water St.

Outdoor Adventure

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Saugatuck Dunes State Park

Saugatuck Dunes State Park offers miles of trails and pristine nature, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers.

Photo by Sarah Goodwin for Experience GR.

Climb 302 wooden steps to the top of Mount Baldhead for a great view of the Kalamazoo River Saugatuck harbor and Lake Michigan. There’s also a one-mile loop trails for hiking, walking and trail running nearby. 769 Park St.

Explore 13 miles of trails through rolling terrain, forested areas and coastal dunes, 2.5 miles of sandy Lake Michigan shoreline and the 300-acre Patty Birkholz Natural Area at Saugatuck Dunes State Park. Parking requires an Annual Recreation Pass for Michigan residents and an $11 daily fee for non-residents.

Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area is a 173-acre tract of duneland along the Lake Michigan shore north of Oval Beach. Hiking trails loop through the dunes, around wetlands, to the north shore of the Oxbow Lagoon, along the Kalamazoo River channel, and the Lake Michigan shoreline, offering scenic views at every turn. The property is accessible from Oval Beach.

See Saugatuck your way when you rent bicycles, e-bikes, kayaks, paddleboards and/or beach gear from In The Elements Rental & Bike Repair.

Charter a boat for a day of fishing on Lake Michigan:

Charter a boat for a day of sailing on Lake Michigan:

Rent a pontoon, donut boat, duffy boat and more and make your own way on the water:

Shopping

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Antiques

Apparel & Accessories

Health & Beauty

Food & Drink

Gifts & Miscellaneous

Home Décor

Jewelry

Events

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More than 140 Saugatuck/Douglas businesses host a fun and colorful Community Pride Week at the beginning of June. Events include the Douglas Pride Parade, Pride in the Park and the legendary Tea Dance at the Dunes Resort.  

The Saugatuck 4th of July Celebration includes a parade, live music in Cook Park, magic, a petting zoo, food & beverage tent, and fireworks at dusk.

The Saugatuck Venetian Festival is an annual summertime celebration of life on the water, featuring a weekend full of food trucks, a boat parade and fireworks. July.

The Saugatuck/Douglas Fall Gallery Stroll is a two-day art event that invites visitors to wander through dozens of galleries and artists’ studios as they extend their hours and feature special exhibits and activities. October.

Leave the kids with the sitter to attend the Douglas Halloween Parade for Adults, one of the city’s biggest annual events. Parade participants spend all year developing characters and practicing routines to "oooh" and "aaah" crowds after dark. Late October.