Inn at a Glance: Beechwood Manor Inn & Cottage

Beechwood’s website describes it as “Saugatuck’s most scrumptious stay,” thanks to its included gourmet breakfast. Each morning, inn owner and chef Scott Garfinkel prepares three dishes using seasonal ingredients. The menu changes, but past options have included eggs benedict and french toast topped with fresh fruit.

• Romance package: This deal includes truffles and local wine, as well as a $50 dinner credit valid at nearby Everyday People Cafe.
• Peaceful retreat: The inn’s three rooms have their own fireplaces and private baths.
• A piece of history: Built in the 1870s, the home is on the National Register of Historic Places.
• What’s nearby: Downtown Saugatuck is three blocks away, and Lake Michigan is about a 10-minute drive away.

Saugatuck, Michigan: Scenic Lakeside Town Voted “Best Summer Weekend Escape”

There are many charming beach towns along the east coast of Lake Michigan, but Saugatuck is considered one of the best. USA Today readers chose Saugatuck as the “Best Summer Weekend Escape” in 2014, thanks in part to its old-fashioned feel and scenic Lake Michigan coastline.

Coastal dunes tower more than 200 feet in the air at Saugatuck Dunes State Park; from the top, you can get beautiful views of the water. One of the most popular pastimes in the area is riding dune buggies—all-terrain vehicles with massive tires that whip up and down the dunes. Numerous outfits in town offer buggy tours. You can reach Oval Beach, Saugatuck’s most popular stretch of sand, by crossing the Kalamazoo River on a circa-1838 hand-crank ferry. At Oval Beach, families picnic on the sandy shores and splash in Lake Michigan, then kick back on a bench to catch the colorful sunset over the lake.