Robin Satterthwaite Jewelry

The artist Robin Satterthwaite loves dancing and tries to convey the movement and grace of dance in the jewelry that she hand makes. She lives in Douglas where she creates her bijoux, but you will find her whimsical pieces all over the United States. Her company, Robin Goodfellow Designs, which she owns with business partner Julie Lefler, is located in Saugatuck. Good Goods in Saugatuck features Robin's beautiful designs. They would like us all to "wear the dance of the jewelry"!

Red Dock in Douglas

No trip to Saugatuck/Douglas is complete without a stop at Red Dock. With the atmosphere akin to Key West and hanging right over the water, it is a memorable bar with loud music and some very very good drinks.  Their bloody marys and rum punches were absolutely delicious. It's a seasonal place, open from Memorial Weekend to Labor Day right next to the cruise ship SS Kewatin. With the unseasonably strange warm weather we've been having, perhaps they will move up their official start of summer!

Peterson Mill in Saugatuck

That's the end of our mild December temperatures! If you long for summertime and the cold has got you down, try an Internet jigidi jigsaw puzzle of the Peterson Mill in Saugatuck, one of the most photographed spots in that Lake Michigan town. Just use your cursor to move them around and when the piece fits, they lock together like a magnet. Pretty ingenious.

Elbo Room in Saugatuck

There are many great restaurants in Saugatuck to choose from. We were very happy with the unassuming little Elbo Room on the Kalamazoo River which is open for breakfast and lunch only. With lots of unique choices for breakfast, we opted for the outstanding eggs benedict with crab, fresh steamed asparagus and a divine hollandaise sauce. If crab is not your thing, there are four other eggs benedict to choose from. You can't beat the scenery with tables adjacent to the river. The Elbo Room is open all year long.

Saugatuck Duck

We rode the amphibious Harbor Duck in Saugatuck this summer.  It was a hoot.  You start out on land and take a tour of the area then dive into the water and check out the sights by boat.  Pretty awesome adventure on a 30 foot World War II vessel. This time of year, it only runs on the weekends.

Wick Park Restrooms in Saugatuck

Somebody in Saugatuck is very creative.  We loved the impressionistic pointillism mural on the public restrooms in Wick Park adjacent to the chain ferry. It was inspired by George Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte which is in the Art Institute of Chicago.

Janice Miles Art Gallery in Saugatuck

You are immediately drawn to Janice Miles' watercolors in her Saugatuck Gallery. Hailing from Britain, she frequently paints English cottages and garden scenes. We loved the one of Holland's Big Red.  Janice is passionate about her work and her eyes shine with excitement when she talks about it. Her wonderful husband helps her run the busy shop on Water Street.  We couldn't believe that Janice also knitted the pillows!

Oval Beach in Saugatuck

The word that came to mind yesterday upon seeing the waves rolling in on Oval Beach was resplendent, even majestic. The breathtaking views make you realize why this is one of the top sandy shores in our state. Some publications have even rated it as one of the most beautiful in the world. Sandwiched three ways between the towering sand dunes, the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan, it is very private and serene.

Climbing Mt Baldhead in Saugatuck

The stairway to Heaven? You'll huff and you'll puff all those 282 steps to the top of the Mt Baldhead, but the view over Saugatuck and its sister city Douglas is so worth it. The climb is entirely shaded and there are several strategically placed benches if breaks are needed. We witnessed one man with a weighted vest who was ascending and descending continually. What a great workout! Once at the top, you have the thrill of a race down the sand to the beaches of Lake Michigan --supreme fun.

Saugatuck Chain Ferry

The hand-cranked Saugatuck ferry is the last one of its kind in the US having begun its journeys in 1838. Boat traffic to stop for its crossing or risk getting snagged by the chain that connects the boat to both shores. The boat operator actually pulls the boat using a system of chains and pulleys--across the river. Open every day in the summertime, it takes you from town across the Kalamazoo River to the massive dunes where you can climb the 300+ steps up to the top of Mt Baldhead. The population of Saugatuck is 925 in the winter.  Summertime, it swells to 3,000. Budget Travel Magazine calls it the 4th coolest town in America!

Good Goods in Saugatuck

Saugatuck has been a great destination for many vacationers for eons. There are tons of vacation rentals which is a huge indicator of how popular this place is right on Lake Michigan. It is definitely an artist's community and with the proximity of Oval Beach--one of the top rated sand spots of the world--and many fine eateries and shops to poke in and out of, well, it's just another bright spot in our state. Spring has sprung! These are shots from Good Goods on the corner of Maple and Water Street.  Open since 1989, owner Sandra Randolph sells the works of over 200 American artists. Rich Kolb's yardbirds are artfully displayed inside and out. Everyone adores Sarah Grant's Sticks Furniture and art objects.