Labor Day 2019
In late July, Adam and I sat on our front porch discussing plans for Labor Day weekend. Normally I’m not a big fan of road trips over a short weekend, but this year I wanted to find a destination within driving distance, so we could bring Mabel. A few weeks prior, my brother and sister-in-law had unexpectedly lost Mabel’s brother Jerome, aka Biggie. Mabel was technically his big sister and they still played like siblings every time they saw each other. Well at least for a few minutes; after all, they were bulldogs. You could usually find them snoozing by each other and of course begging for the same piece of cheese.
I was upset over the loss over the loss of Biggie, but it reminded me that each day, month, year I get with Mabel is a gift and I want to live them to the fullest. I knew how much she loved the beaches in Charleston and so I tried to think of a different set of beaches we could explore.
Now the middle of Ohio is not exactly known for water access, but I figured the western shore of Michigan would do just the trick. Since we were planning late in the season, it was a bit more of a challenge to find a dog friendly place to rent in Saugatuck (which was my initial choice). Luckily, we found a place to stay in New Buffalo, which is just about an hour south.
As I started to do a bit of research for the trip, I realized how little time I’ve spent in Michigan outside of Detroit. Michigan was literally in my backyard the whole time I was growing up and a quick trip away during my Chicago years, but this was the first time I’d really stopped to consider all it had to offer. I was excited to explore this lakeside gem I’d overlooked for far too long.
Mabel, as always, was a rock star in the car and in her usual fashion slept almost the entire drive. The drive was still easy one, just a bit boring over five hours. I know some people love to drive and see green pastures for miles and miles; I am not part of that demographic. Podcasts and Audiobooks are usually are my lifesavers.
After we’d booked, I realized some of the closest Michigan beaches weren’t dog friendly(oops), so we took a side trip to the Indiana Dunes where Mabel could get in a quick splash before we checked into our rental cottage. Safe to say, she was a fan.
Our little Airbnb was located right in downtown New Buffalo. It was ideal for picking up supplies at the grocery store or grabbing a quick drink at the numerous bars and restaurants in town.
We had a beautiful first night so once we settled in, we grabbed a drink at The Stray Dog where I felt right at home with so many Chicagoans socializing on the rooftop.
A friend suggested Brentwood Tavern and we decided to have dinner there Friday evening. The food was delicious, but I have to say it was honestly the BEST jalapeno margarita I’ve had in my life and with my love of all things spicy, I feel like I have a large sample population to compare! Brentwood is tucked away in the Marina Grand Resort. I loved the aesthetic of the resort; it definitely looked like a place where I would want to come back and stay.
Saturday morning, I took Mabel out for a walk to explore the town and swung over to David’s Delicatessen for coffee and bagels. New Buffalo has its share of highly ranked breakfast establishments, but Adam isn’t much of a breakfast person, so we didn’t check any out on this visit. Luisa’s Café seems to top most list.
This trip wasn’t totally around Mabel; Southwestern Michigan also happens to feature quite a few breweries. We chose a few in close by towns to explore throughout the afternoon. St. Joseph has an adorable downtown where naturally I found a cleverly named pet store, FuzzyButz.
A lively farmer’s market and plenty of activity down by the Lighthouse kept us occupied while we waited for our table at Silver Harbor Brewing Company.
We also visited North Pier Brewing Company and Watermark Brewing Company. Both featured tasty drafts, great patios and were also dog friendly.
After a quick walk to Nancy’s for Ice Cream, because what is a vacation without ice cream?, we grabbed a drink at Beer Church before heading to Dinner at Brewster’s where I created a custom pizza with sourdough crust. I would highly recommend!
The next morning, we made the drive to Saugatuck. A friend suggested the Farmhouse Deli and it was the ideal location to stop with Mabel. It is still on the main road into town so not only are the sandwiches delicious, but we found parking and even scored a little table outside.
For the afternoon, I rented an electric boat from Retro Boat Rentals. I can’t recommend this place enough! They have a few dog friendly rental options, allow you to bring your own snacks and you can purchase beer and wine. We opted for 90 minutes in their Jane boat and it was an ideal amount of time for us. Mabel absolutely loved it. Yes, I made her wear a lifejacket (much to her humiliation around the other dogs, I’m sure). Bulldogs aren’t exactly known for their floating abilities and at one point she did try to do a little hop over the side! She even took a twenty-minute nap which is ultimate sign of contentment for a bulldog.
Saugatuck is just as adorable as advertised. I wish I had more time for shopping down Butler Street but still managed to hop into some little gems like The Brass Anchor. The town was absolutely packed with visitors so do plan on arriving a bit early to locate parking if you have any sort of reservation.
Since we had Mabel with us, we didn’t have an opportunity stay for another meal but I’m looking forward to coming back and trying a few places that were recommended including The Southerner, Pennyroyal, Grow, and Everyday People.
After a visit to Saugatuck Brewing Co., we stopped by Virtue Cider. The grounds were so pretty and it is another dog friendly location! I really enjoyed some of their ciders, so I stocked up for home. Virtue is an ideal stop for couples or a group of friends. It is located in Fennville, another town where we wished we had more time to visit. A trip to Waypost Brewing Co. is already on the list for next time!
I think all three of us would agree we had a very special day and made wonderful memories. I’d like to think we made Biggie proud in the way we honored his memory.
Adam and I both enjoyed exploring each lake town and left wishing we had more time to venture to places we didn’t have a chance to visit like Grand Haven and South Haven. In fact, we liked it so much, we are already planning a trip back next Labor Day! We also want to fit in a trip to Northern Michigan at some point soon, especially when we realized we can fly to Traverse City and not drive. =)
I’ve overlooked all of Michigan’s natural beauty for way too long so please feel free to send me any of your recommendations for our future trips!
Postcards To Mabel 