Michigan is the ideal destination for a romantic weekend because it has beaches, national parks, vineyards, and more. There is an experience for everyone, whether they enjoy early-morning beach walks, cruising down cross-country ski routes, or late-night cocktails and tasting-menu dinners. The Mitten State is full of charming downtowns (including small towns that were influenced by European locations) and artistic architecture found in museums, sculpture parks, and high-design hotels, making it a great place for a family outing.
Detroit
When you stay at The Siren Hotel, located inside a 1926 Art Deco landmark, you can avoid the commotion of sports arenas and gambling hotels for a closer look at Michigan’s largest city. With a piano bar, coffee shop, and Albena’s wine-paired tasting menu, you won’t need to leave the hotel. The wonderfully restored 1928 Fox Theatre, where you may see a live performance of a musical or concert, is just a short stroll away.
Ann Arbor
Even if you aren’t a University of Michigan alum, the city’s buzzing college vibe offers cool pubs, restaurants, and museums like the tapas-focused Aventura. The University of Michigan Museum of Art is one of the largest university art museums in the nation, and the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History recently moved into a new location. Ditch the car and stay in the historic Bell Tower Hotel in downtown, which is 75 years old. Cookies at check-in and a continental breakfast are included in the rates.
Birmingham
The Daxton Hotel, which debuted in 2021 and is situated in the heart of this Detroit suburb, offers lots of luxury accommodations as well as a chic all-day eating area and design-forward guest suites. A short stroll away are Tallulah Wine Bar & Bistro for date night and Toast for a sumptuous breakfast. The antique scene in Birmingham is diverse. Visit The Golden Fig Gallery to get new home furnishings.
Mackinac Island
On this car-free island, go for a trek in the 70-acre Mackinac Island State Park or ride a horse-drawn carriage through the snow. The most opulent establishment is Grand Hotel, which has been welcoming visitors to the island since 1887 and is open seasonally. In addition to the spa, outdoor pool, lawn games, and afternoon tea, there are 14 pubs and restaurants. A more intimate lodging option is the downtown Bicycle Street Inn & Suites, which is open all year. Some of the guest rooms there have balconies with views of the water.
Frankenmuth
Don’t let the Bavarian atmosphere turn you off. The “little Bavaria” of Michigan is anything but tacky. German immigrants founded this village of 5,000 inhabitants in 1845, and the Bavarian architecture will make you feel as though you’ve left the Mitten State behind. Choose between a wine tasting at St. Julian Winery & Distillery Tasting Room or a traditional beer garden (followed by chicken dinner) at Bavarian Inn Restaurant & Lodge before checking into Marv Herzog Hotel and heading out for a drink.
Traverse City
Wake up on the vineyard at the eight-room Inn at Chateau Grand Traverse, where you may canoodle among the grapes in Michigan’s unofficial winery capital. Travel 40 miles west to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and take a break from wine sampling by climbing the 450-foot-tall dunes together. The glass-walled Aerie Restaurant & Lounge on the 16th level is the perfect place to conclude the day after a day of pampering and relaxation at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.
Saugatuck
For many Chicagoans, this well-liked resort town serves as a home away from home because they enjoy the laid-back atmosphere, gorgeous beaches, and food options. Browse the 24,000 square foot Saugatuck Antique Pavilion’s collection of antiques or the stores and art galleries in the city center. Date night ideas include scheduling a table for farm-to-table fare at Salt of the Earth in neighboring Fennville or surf-and-turf at Bowdie’s Chophouse, or watching the sunset from a picnic blanket on the beach along Lake Michigan’s eastern shore. The Belvedere Inn goes above and beyond with packages that include chocolate-dipped strawberries, wine, a floral arrangement, and in-room massages.
Grand Rapids
The several breweries in Grand Rapids, the state’s craft beer epicenter, provide restaurants, tasting rooms, and events that can easily occupy a weekend. Start the evening with dinner at the LEED-certified Brewery Vivant, which serves French-inspired cuisine in a former funeral home. The Grand Rapids Art Museum’s impressive collection includes works by Picasso and Richard Diebenkorn, and Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a romantic place to wander with your special someone. The four-room Parsonage Inn is a stunning example of Queen Anne architecture and is tucked away on Grand Rapids’ Heritage Hill across from the Meyer May House, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Holland
This Michigan resort is awash in windmills and tulips, just like the Dutch countryside (in spring, check out the 36-acre Windmill Island Gardens). There is also a Dutch bakery, deBoer Bakkerij & Dutch Brothers Restaurant, which has two sites and is currently in its fourth generation, as well as Nelis’ Dutch Village, an amusement park with a Dutch motif. The Courtyard by Marriott Holland Downtown and Centennial Inn place you close to the action so that you may browse independent shops or linger at cafes and restaurants downtown.
Marquette
Given the abundance of neighboring trails for biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing, especially those along the Noquemanon Trail Network, this Upper Peninsula village is perfect for nature enthusiasts any time of year. Six miles away, Sugarloaf Mountain offers lookout locations that frame views of Lake Superior. Once you’re back in town, eat dinner at The Delf Bistro, which was constructed inside of a former vintage cinema theater that regularly shows movies. The best historic hotel in Marquette is Landmark Inn, which features some rooms with four-poster beds and soaking tubs.
Petoskey
Vineyards, parks, beaches, art galleries, and antique stores are just a few of the charming attractions in this 6,000-person Lake Michigan town. The 304 acres of Petoskey State Park feature a beach on Little Traverse Bay and a half-mile trek to the top of a dune. In Petoskey’s Gaslight District, which is home to superb eating and stores dating back a century, sits the Stafford’s Perry Hotel. Overlooking Little Traverse Bay, Palette Bistro offers Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, including weekend brunch.
Marshall
Located approximately an hour’s drive west of Ann Arbor, this town of 7,000 people is well-known for its antique shops and buildings from the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. A charming bed and breakfast established in 1835, National House Inn has been run by the same innkeepers since 1976. Visit the tasting room and flower store Maria’s Uncorked after a day of touring and antiquing, then head to the five-year-old Kitchen Proper in neighboring Battle Creek for a wine-paired supper.
