We woke up feeling not-so-great after overindulging the night before, but we were determined not to change our plans. So we hopped in the car and headed north to Grand Haven (Coast Guard City USA) for lunch. Dave and I were both unimpressed with what we saw, and couldn’t shake the feeling that we must be missing something. I had heard great things about the boardwalk and downtown area, but it wasn’t anything special as far as we could tell.

Boardwalk in Grand Haven

We had a mediocre lunch at a restaurant overlooking the harbor surrounded by tables of parents with screaming children. Not really our scene. Disappointed, but glad we made the trip nonetheless, we headed back to Saugatuck for the rest of the afternoon.

We checked into our hotel for the night, the Bayside Inn, and then decided to rent kayaks for a couple of hours. We walked next door to Big Lake Outfitters and within twenty minutes we were paddling up the Kalamazoo River on our way to the “Michigan Everglades.” Once we were away from the busy harbor, we explored the beautiful wetlands, winding our way through shallow rivers carved into cattail forests. We came upon a family of ducks, who waddled away when they saw us.

Duck butts

And then rounded the corner to find this guy. He groomed himself the whole time we watched. It’s not easy being that good looking.

Swan in the Michigan Everglades

We paddled back to the harbor, but not before taking a detour through the lily pads.

Jess paddling through a lily pad field

A few hours of kayaking is all it took to erase the disappointment of Grand Haven and turn it into one of the best days of the trip. We capped it off by celebrating our first wedding anniversary at an Italian restaurant in Saugatuck called Marro’s. (Be sure to order the garlic rolls.) When we returned to our room, we were touched to find a bottle of champagne chilling with a note from the inn’s proprietor that read:

May all your adventures be happy.

Happy Anniversary!

Your friends at the Bayside Inn

So far, Michigan was treating us well.

Total Driving: 65 miles; 1.5 hours

Lodging:

• Bayside Inn, Saugatuck- Wonderful bed and breakfast with rooms overlooking the harbor in downtown Saugatuck; great breakfast and the nicest, warmest owner you could ask for.

Dining:

• Marro’s – Good, moderately priced Italian food; friendly and attentive staff

Additional Photos
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Jess Kayaking the Kalamazoo

Saugatuck Chain Ferry

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Intro | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10