Weekend getaway to Michigan

For Andrew’s birthday, we took the hour-and-a half drive from Chicago to the small town of New Buffalo, Michigan. If you’re looking for a quick trip to relieve stress (and get out of the home office) and a destination where you can slow down, check out our itinerary:

Set sail. We chartered a morning sail boat excursion through New Buffalo Sailing Excursions and inhaled the breeze. The captain was friendly and taught Mabel a few sailing terms. BYOB is permitted, so I brought Swig champagne flutes, a bottle of bubbly and cartons of orange juice for our voyage. Lake Michigan can feel like the sea, so don’t forget to bring Dramamine (details omitted).

Carb load. Beer Church Brewing Co. (fittingly named because it is a brewery located in an old church) has excellent Neapolitan-style pizzas and “communion” bread. The entire family felt satiated and happy when we left. Keep in mind that the outdoor patio is reserved for twenty-one and up, so if you’re bringing kiddos be prepared to dine inside.

Swim. There are many condo and house rentals in the area. Many have a cottage design and are chock-full of kitschy beach-themed decorations. I chose a house that had a neighborhood association pool, but given that New Buffalo is right near the beach, a pool is not a “must.” Since we visited after back-to-school time, the pool was completely empty – it was great to not have to worry about social distancing for a change.

The beach is clean and loaded with interesting rocks to collect.

Savor a sweet treat. Oink’s Dutch Treat serves up hand-dipped ice cream in fifty-eight flavors – with no skimping on the chunks, nuts and other delights mixed in. No further explanation needed.

Enjoy the view. Bentwood Tavern offers an interesting menu with a beautiful waterfront view of the marina. While patron numbers continue to be capped, I recommend making reservations in advance – we went on a Sunday evening, and it was full throughout our meal.

Do something touristy. The girls and I ate lunch at The Stray Dog Bar & Grill. You’ll see the billboards on the drive from Chicago and the merch takes a front seat at the restaurant – and at the parking lot merch stand. The decor – crisp white chairs and dark wood beams and tables – outweighed the food. But, the staff were friendly, and the location right near the water is great.

Keep the doctor away. Radke’s Orchards are about a twenty-minute drive from New Buffalo – near Michigan City, Indiana. They have rows and rows of apple trees – at least twenty varieties – available for u-pick. We purchased drawstring bags (less than $1 each) and got some advice about what varieties were in season (print outs are available so don’t worry about taking notes), and then were left to our own devices to choose how many or how few apples to pick. It was as much about having the fruit to go home with as it was a fun, laid-back activity for the girls. The varieties are interspersed, so we leisurely explored the entire orchard looking for the perfect “poison apple” (the girls are big into the Disney Descendants movies right now). We purchased two bags of apples, caramel dip and four drinks for about $20.

Play like a local. New Buffalo Township Memorial Park had plenty of outdoor playground equipment for the girls to burn some energy. It also had a splash pad, which was unfortunately closed in light of COVID. This park is tucked away off of Red Arrow Highway – perhaps accounting for the equipment appearing to be in pristine condition.

Sip a spirit. Journeyman Distillery is in nearby in Three Oaks, Michigan. A large, factory building appeared unexpectedly as we drove through a seemingly small country town. Inside, we found kid-friendly dining with plenty of adult food – and spirit – options. They make artisan spirits sourced with local ingredients – whisky, vodka, gin, rum, brandy and a number of specialty liqueurs – and adorned with eye-catching labels. After your sips, leave room for their skillet cookie – we devoured this at a record pace!

There you go. This was a surprisingly activity-filled, yet casual trip. And, in addition to our family-friendly itinerary, New Buffalo and the surrounding area is popular for the local wineries and breweries so I recommend for friends trips too.