Downtown Bay City
Day One:
Head Downtown

Spend your first day in Downtown Bay City — where historic charm, waterfront views, and endless opportunities abound all within a few walkable city blocks!

Populace Coffee | @mekilouise

Breakfast: Start your day at Populace Coffee with a scratch-made bagel (some vegan), baked-in-house goods (some gluten-free), and drip coffee or a seasonal latte. Or, try Harless + Hugh Coffee for artisan toast, house waffles, and specialty sips like the Cardamom Latte or kombucha on tap.

Walk This Way: No matter which of the two shops above you take off from, anything & everything Downtown is just blocks away. Looking for timeless one-of-a-kinds? Experience Michigan’s largest antique center — Bay City Antiques Center/Bay Antique Center — and a handful of other antique & vintage shops dotting the nearby streets, from Americana Company Antiques to Retro Attics Studio.

Harless + Hugh | @harlessandhughcoffee

Stroll & Shop: Saunter into Half Mile Handmade and Violets Blue to peruse artisan products and one-of-a-kind gifts. Sample charcuterie and the olive oil & balsamic vinegar tasting bar inside Artigiano Artisan Cheese Shoppe. Get to My Secret Garden, Ferne Boutique, or Panache Boutique and have fun finding what you’ll wear out later this evening!

Lunch: With delicious options peppered throughout Downtown, consider Fusion 1 Café for an unforgettable sushi bar, or BarqueBC for specialty smoked meat tacos. Or, if you didn't start your day at Harless + Hugh Coffee, head here. Brunch is served until 2 p.m. and mimosas made with fresh-pressed juices are always flowing!

Get Creative: Experience the area's largest paint-your-own pottery studio, Painterly Pottery, or complete a project from the Craft Bar menu inside Studio 23/The Arts Center, where instructions and supplies are provided!

Pedals & Pints: Bringing a big group? Sunrise Pedal Trolley is an eight- to 15-person trolley bike that allows pints while pedaling (cheers!) and offers a unique way to travel through town.

Ride past Wenonah Park for picturesque views of the Saginaw River, stop off at St. Laurent Brothers or Sarah's Sweet Escapes for a midday treat, and keep your eyes peeled for places like G.T. Homestead and Little House that you might like to visit later!

Dinner & Dessert: Dine by candlelight at Old City Hall and enjoy their extensive wine list, or experience MI Table to taste Pure Michigan on the plate (alongside a wine, beer, or cider flight, if you like). Or, grab a picnic table down by the water at H2O's Waterside Grill and try a tropical fishbowl drink with your Hawaiian Coconut Cod or one of O's Famous Burgers!

Into the Night: Sample from 54 beers on tap at Tavern 101 and swing by the seasonal, outdoor Drydock Beer Garden in nearby Unity Park. Sip specialty cocktails and share buckets of cold beer at Drift Shoreside Beer Garden, right on the water — with an on-site food truck park for late-night bites! Or, saunter into Beaver's Pub, an inviting whiskey bourbon bar serving delicious sandwiches and burgers, along with handcrafted, seasonal smoked cocktails.

Third Street Star Bridge

Cap off your evening beneath the brilliant lights of the Third Street Star Bridge — a luminescent display and the perfect backdrop for a keepsake photo of your trip to Bay City!

Uptown Bay City | @jeffcaverlyphotography
Day Two:
Meet Uptown

Meet Uptown Bay City today and dip your toes into what’s available, because Bay City is a waterfront destination full of options worth exploring!

OMONI Boutique | @omoniboutique

Breakfast: For elevated classics, enjoy Uptown Grill (and choose between Banana Bread French Toast or the Lobster & Brie Omelet). Or, grab a yogurt parfait or delicious quiche at Live Oak Coffeehouse in Uptown, and sip on locally roasted specialty coffee.

Shop in Style: Stroll around Uptown and browse the latest fashions from Omoni Boutique and SoCal Threads — and add a memorable new piece or two to your wardrobe!

Lunch: Stop into Sushi Remix for a light lunch of refreshing Poke (pronounced “poh-kay”, bowls filled with deconstructed sushi) and tasty Bubble Tea.

BaySail Appledore Tall Ships

If adventuring on Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay aboard the majestic Appledore Tall Ships sounds magnificent (it is), book your freshwater sailing excursion with BaySail! Choose between Great Lakes 101 daytime trips and evening Sunset Sails for gorgeous scenery and nature sightings.

Read More +
Bay City Boat Lines

Hop aboard for a relaxing ride with Bay City Boat Lines. Enjoy a Saginaw River Guided Tour for unforgettable scenery — and look to Rock the Boat or Carefree Cruisin' evening trips, with dinner, live music, and dancing on deck!

Read More +
Real Seafood Company | @themonalisa

World-Class Catch: Rather drop a line and bring world-class walleye home as souvenirs? Book an outing with a local Saginaw Bay fishing charter! They'll lead you (with expert know-how) through what's hands-down one of the best walleye fisheries in Michigan.

Fresh-Catch Flavors: Dine at casual-upscale Real Seafood Company, and enjoy unbeatable waterfront views along with premium selections. Enjoy scallops seared in balsamic brown butter, fresh catch in your choice of seven preparations, or an order of King Crab Legs. Try their Sunrise on the Saginaw specialty drink with Finlandia citrus vodka during or after dinner!

Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie | @prostwinebar

Wine & Dine: Experience "a gathering place built on the love of wine" at Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie. With build-your-own charcuterie boards and heartier plates from Filet Mignon to Porchetta, sip global wines — including six perfect-temperature pours served on tap.

Dinner & Drinks: Prepare all of your senses for the churrascaria experience of Costela Brazilian Steak House. Sample from top-tier meat selections, cooked over mesquite-wood-fired grills, then carved table-side. Order a traditional Caipirinha — a Brazilian specialty drink with fresh fruits.

Into the Night: Head to Tri-City Brewing Company to try the Hell's Half Mile Lager (fingers crossed for on-site food trucks) or build your own charcuterie board to pair with one of The Public House's thoughtfully crafted artisan cocktails as a nightcap.

The Public House | @cortneymarieeveritt
Day Three:
Brunch, Then Beach

Spend the rest of your final day in Bay City soaking up any last goodness you didn’t get to quite yet!

Bay City State Park | @baycitymilove

Brunch: Before you leave, settle in at The Public House for a leisurely Sunday brunch. Enjoy a menu of shareables served family-style — from hash waffles to breakfast burritos — and savor every drop of your mimosa made with fresh-squeezed orange juice!

Beach: Linger over a long brunch, then head to Bay City State Park on your way out of town. Spend the day enjoying more than 1,000 feet of beach along the Lake Huron coast and explore the scenic lagoon trails of Tobico Marsh before closing the book on your memorable trip to Bay City!

Like This? You Might Also Like:
Things To Do

For Downtown, Uptown, and all-around experiences — shows to catch, boats to board, antiques to find, and flavors to never forget — read on to discover our top things to do in Bay City, Michigan, an eclectic and historic waterfront town!

Read More +
See How to Spend a Weekend in Our Other Cities:
Things To Do

Find yourself immersed in German heritage, dine on world-famous flavors, experience Michigan's oldest microbrewery, indulge in fantasy carriage rides, and remember what it feels like to unwind. You’re in Frankenmuth for the weekend with nothing but time, and good times are definitely ahead!

Read More +
Things To Do

Explore the country’s longest canopy walk and 110 acres of botanical gardens, bike a 30-mile stretch of scenic rail trail, or sip under the stars at an open-air beer garden — and enjoy every moment of your vacation in Midland, Michigan!

Read More +
Things To Do

When it’s time to really get away, get to a city that’s got some soul. Get to Saginaw, Michigan!

Read More +
Author
Jen W. O'Deay + Go Great Lakes Bay

By: Jen W. O'Deay | Updates: Go Great Lakes Bay | Jen is a Saginaw native and owner of Feel These Words, an independent copywriting studio & home to the free "5 Day Website MiniBoost". Jen specializes in writing that connects, delivered through website copy, branded content articles, and WingWoman writing services. You'll find Jen camping with her family, laughing, and at feelthesewords.com