Weekend Getaway: Unwinding in Saugatuck, Michigan
Welcome to American Weekender! The best way to get to know a place is through its food. Join us as we explore America's small towns, friendly cities, and favorite dining destinations.
Welcome to American Weekender! We’re so glad you’re here.
American Weekender is edited by Amy Cavanaugh and Kenney Marlatt, two longtime journalists with a passion for good food and drink. We will take you coast-to-coast in search of the best restaurants and bars, focusing on places that don’t always get the love they deserve. American Weekender came out of our own desire to see more coverage of smaller towns and cities. In our travels, we’re as likely to visit places like Des Moines, Iowa; Oxford, Mississippi; or Bloomington, Indiana as we are New York or Los Angeles (and maybe even moreso!). That’s because there is great food and drink everywhere in this country - sometimes you just need to know where to look.
We’ll point you to the places you need to add to your travel eating list, whether you’re staying for a long weekend or just passing through. We’ll talk with the chefs, bartenders, winemakers, brewers, and other folks shaping our country’s dining scene and we’ll take you along for all of it.
While the newsletter will publish a different story each Friday, American Weekender has more to offer. Each month, we’ll make one of our travel guide PDFs available for free - it will feature our vetted, curated picks for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks so you can have a delicious weekend.
Our first stop is Saugatuck, Michigan, a lakeside idyll that’s not just a great place to hike, swim, and hit the beach — it’s a fabulous place to eat. Each year, we book a weekend (or two) at Lake Shore Resort, a third-generation motel located right on Lake Michigan. Owner Andrew Milauckas has given the property a design-focused refresh, complete with local, bespoke furniture; a lobby where you can enjoy complimentary breakfast, order a latte, or grab a book to read by the pool; complimentary yoga classes overlooking the lake; and fire pits (grab a pint of local gelato to eat while watching the sunset). Needless to say, it’s a terrific spot to relax. While staying there, we’ve discovered many great places to eat and drink. Here are a few of our favorite spots in Saugatuck.