4 Ways to Explore Saugatuck, Michigan, This Fall

As the leaves begin to turn gold, crimson and orange beside the sparkling blue waters of Lake Michigan, it’s a great time to visit the charming town of Saugatuck (and nearby Douglas). This spot along Michigan’s western shoreline is known for its art, great beaches, peaceful hikes, delicious bites. From the natural beauty of the shoreline to the agricultural heritage that can be explored at local wineries and farms to the town’s vibrant arts scene, autumn getaways here promise much to discover. 

Room at Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, Michigan (photo by John Stoffer)

Book a Unique Stay 

Whether you’re looking for accommodations along the waters of Lake Michigan or to experience a historic, curated inn close to the heart of Saugatuck, the area has a range of lodging. Nestled on a bluff above the lake, every room at the Lake Shore Resort has a view of the water.

“You’re able to start your day with enjoying the lake and not having to leave the property you’re staying at for an experience,” says Andrew Milauckas, resort owner and manager.

Guests can use the resort’s kayaks and paddleboards or borrow one of its bikes and take a ride along the shoreline. There’s also the chance to relax and destress with morning yoga classes, which is included with the room fee. In the fall, fire pits along the shoreline allow guests to cuddle up with a blanket.  

“Sunsets are kind of a big deal, especially in the fall,” Milauckas says. “The air is crisp, clear and the [autumn] usually brings more elaborate cloud formations. Fall sunsets can be spectacular. Guests will plan their dinner around that.”

Built in 1937 and purchased and renovated by renowned Chicago interior designers Shea Soucie and Martin Horner, downtown Saugatuck’s historic Wickwood Inn exudes peace and luxury. The pair have curated and themed each room with antiques and calming colors, while the terrace and gardens are exquisitely landscaped. General manager and executive chef Rose Duong, a Chicago chef who catered the green room for “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” leads the dining operations. She and the inn’s other chefs curate daily, plated, farm-to-table breakfasts as well as afternoon social hours and snacks. 

“There is something so calming and tranquil about the Wickwood,” Duong says. “… You never feel crowded here. There is that relaxation. There is that privacy.”

Desks and craft supplies at Ox-Bow School of Art in Saugatuck, Michigan (photo by Nolan Zunk)

Experience the Art Coast 

Saugatuck and Douglas, which are about a mile apart, are renowned destinations for art ranging from painting to glass to pottery and beyond. There are about 40 galleries in the area,  and visitors love to walk through the towns and see the creations, says Ashley Siebelink, executive director of the Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

“We have every medium of art here at every price point,” she says. “We have very approachable art.”

Painter James Brandess features landscapes of the Lake Michigan shoreline, including Saugatuck’s famous sand dunes, and has a popular gallery in town. Also in Saugatuck, Jeff Blandford uses natural materials, glass and clay to create a variety of art, including the vases and paperweights featured at his Jeff Blandford Gallery. The J. Petter Galleries in Douglas features a variety of artists and media and includes a wine bar. 

Saugatuck and Douglas owe their outstanding art reputation and Art Coast moniker in large part to the distinguished Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency, which is the oldest continuously operating summer arts school in the United States. Located in Saugatuck, the school has been fostering artists through classes, fellowships and residencies since 1910. Brandess, for example, has connections to the Ox-Bow School of Art. 

Students here can receive college credit, but the public can also come and learn ceramics, painting, printmaking and more, says Shannon Stratton, executive director of the Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency. The studio sometimes takes things outside onto the school’s scenic grounds, which includes Tallmadge Woods. 

“We have this very intentional intergenerational mix that’s happening here all the time,” Stratton says. “The fall color out here is stunning.”

Beach at Saugatuck Dunes State Park (photo by Julien Capmeil)

Take in the Lake Michigan View 

Stroll one of the country’s most acclaimed beaches during a quiet time of year. Lonely Planet named Oval Beach one of the 22 best beaches in the United States in summer 2026. For those interested in nature and dune hikes, there is no shortage of areas for beauty and serene escapes. 

Hikers can take 303 stairs to the top of Mount Baldhead, the largest sand dune in the area, for a view overlooking the town and the Kalamazoo River. There are even hiking trails at the top of the dune. 

A short drive away, Saugatuck Dunes State Park has 13 miles of trails and a natural area with a coastal dune system and endangered plant species.  

A favorite trail among Saugatuck locals is the Crow’s Nest, a 45-minute loop just south of the Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency parking lot within Tallmadge Woods. 

“It’s essentially a vantage point where you look over a lagoon and can see Lake Michigan,” Stratton says. “It’s a pretty incredible view.” 

Experience the fall colors with a ride on the Star of Saugatuck II, a sternwheel paddleboat. The boat travels up the Kalamazoo River onto Lake Kalamazoo and onward to Lake Michigan (weather permitting). The ship also has  themed cruises, including Halloween trips. 

Adventurous travelers can also experience the sand dunes in a different way with a Saugatuck Dune Rides trip to the spot where the lost town of Singapore is buried under the sand. 

Those who want to feel the thrill of reeling in a keeper can try charter fishing on Lake Michigan for prized salmon and trout with one of the local charter captains. 

Women at Modales Wines in Fennville, Michigan (photo by Alec Arumbula)

Explore Wineries and Farms 

Thanks to its proximity to Lake Michigan, the Saugatuck region is a prime climate for growing grape varieties that make riesling, chardonnay and pinot blanc. 

The area’s strong riesling grapes, which can only grow in certain regions, drew Andrew Backlin, head winemaker at Modales Wines in Fenville (and co-proprietor with Brian Lesperance), to Michigan from Napa Valley, California. 

The soil and the protective effect the lake provides allows for a variety of grapes and versatility in what types of wines they can make. In addition to the German white wines, they can craft reds, like cabernet sauvignon, and various blends.

“There’s so many things you can experiment with here, just stylistically and culturally,” Backlin says. “It’s really fun for customers. … It’s a pretty great way to explore your palate.”

Modales Wines, one of the only certified organic winemakers in Michigan, is one of several wineries in the region. Backlin and Lesperance also recommend their neighboring winery, Wyncroft. 

“You can take a glass of pinot noir and walk in the pinot noir [vines],” Backlin says. “You can touch and feel what you’re tasting.”

In addition to the region’s wineries, area farms offer fresh fall produce. Crane Orchards in Fenville has u-pick apples and pumpkins in an experience co-owner Rob Crane created when he laid out the U-Pick area more than 20 years ago. The stand is in the middle of the farm, so visitors experience being on the farm instead of just by the side of the road. 

“As soon as they get up the driveway, they become part of the farm before they get out of the car,” says Crane, the third generation of his family on the farm and who co-owns it with his wife and twin sons. “You go to the grocery store because you have to. People come here because they want to."

When You Go

For more information about destinations in Saugatuck, Michigan, visit saugatuck.com.

Stays 

Lake Shore Resort
lakeshoreresortsaugatuck.com

Wickwood Inn
wickwoodinn.com

Art

James Brandis Studio & Galleries
jamesbrandess.com

Jeff Blandford Gallery
jeffblandford.com

The J. Petter Galleries
jpettergalleries.com

Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency
ox-bow.org

Shore

Oval Beach 
saugatuckcity.com

Saugatuck Dunes State Park 
michigan.gov

Saugatuck Dune Rides
saugatuckduneride.com

Star of Saugatuck II
saugatuckboatcruises.com

Flavors

Crane Orchards
craneorchards.com

Modales Wines
modaleswines.com

Wyncroft
wyncroftwine.com

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Fall Arts & Culture Finds in Eastern Michigan
These destinations in Ann Arbor,  Adrian Chelsea and Dearborn are all within a little more than an hour’s drive from Toledo.

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum: Delight the kids with this museum where they can immerse themselves in a giant bubble, learn how a 17th-century clock runs and visit a 1930s general store. On the last weekend of the month, Critters Up Close brings out turtles, rabbits and more. 220 E. Ann St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104, 734/995-5439, discoverscienceandnature.org

The Croswell: See a Broadway production in Michigan’s oldest theater, the same building where abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass and suffragist Susan B. Anthony delivered historic addresses. The Croswell opera house has been lovingly restored. Enjoy cocktails, mocktails and snacks at in-house bar, Farver’s, before the show.
129 E. Maumee St., Adrian, Michigan 49221, 517/264-7469, croswell.org

Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation: Immerse yourself in American industry, innovation and history at this massive museum that covers everything from advancements in train, car and air travel to American history. Vehicles here include the immaculately restored and now preserved bus where civil rights icon Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, Michigan 48124, 313/982-6001, thehenryford.org

Purple Rose Theatre: Every seat in this theater is fewer than 20 feet from the stage, giving patrons an up-close experience with each live performance. Founded in 1991 by acclaimed actor and Chelsea native Jeff Daniels, the Purple Rose has 168 seats and features original plays by regional artists, sometimes even directed by Daniels himself. 137 Park St., Chelsea, Michigan 48118, 734/433-7673, purplerosetheatre.org