Outdoor Beer Gardens in Bay City
Bay City

Enjoy a casual atmosphere and picturesque views of the Saginaw River at Drift Shoreside Beer Garden — order right from your boat or dine dockside on a multi-tiered deck! Sip custom-made Drift brand brews & handcrafted Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, and enjoy unique street fare from a fleet of on-site food trucks. Look to Acosta’s Havana Bites for authentic Cuban cuisine (and unforgettable Brisket Nachos)!

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Bay City

Support local charities while sipping away and groovin’ to music under the string lights at Drydock Beer Garden. A seasonal, outdoor beer garden in cozy Unity Park, grab a brew or glass of wine with friends — you’re welcomed to bring in eats from nearby restaurants & food trucks — and enjoy outdoor relaxation in the heart of Downtown Bay City’s dining district.

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Outdoor Beer Gardens in Midland
Midland

Experience what repurposing makes possible at Larkin Beer Garden, a former shipping container turned seasonal outdoor beer garden! Parked just outside Midland's Dow Diamond on Thursday and Friday nights, walk up to great brews, live music, and life-sized board games! With local food trucks like Proper Taco and Electric Taco frequenting often, there’s something for everyone here (even dogs are welcome). Gather with friends and refresh with your favorite craft brew, lager, or wine under the stars!

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Midland

Enjoy live entertainment and summer evenings around the firepit at Midland Brewing Company's Red Keg Beer Garden — and savor inventive, locally produced craft beers you won’t find anywhere else. Honoring regional and Michigan history, try Lumberjack Brawl or Jenny Series selections with your pub-style food, and pick up a bean bag for a cornhole toss while you’re here! This beautiful backyard beer garden cozies up to the 30-mile Pere Marquette Rail Trail — pedal over for a frosty pint of Isle Royale Cream Ale!

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Outdoor Beer Gardens in Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth

Raise your glass to summer at Schnitzelbank Biergarten, a seasonal gathering space located in front of Frankenmuth’s riverfront Bavarian Inn Lodge. Join nightly sing-alongs and enjoy drinks, dinner, and entertainment in the lively Bavarian atmosphere. Downtown Frankenmuth is buzzing with busyness, but you’ll find casual relaxation and open-air fun at the Biergarten!

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Frankenmuth

Discover a music cafe reminiscent of the outdoor beer gardens of Germany — Fischer Platz outside the Bavarian Inn Restaurant! Open daily during summer months since 1973, hear Linda Lee fill the air with delightful accordion music while sipping a cold brew or a glass of wine in the Frankenmuth sunshine. Look for themed events, such as amateur Jam Night featuring local musicians, a regular schedule of talented accordionists, and a never-ending supply of Bavarian-style fun!

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Discover
Outdoor Social Districts

Venture out to Midland and Bay City where select streets are closed during summer months, and city spaces become intimate, exciting, inviting social zones — you don’t have to look for outdoor beer gardens, they’re everywhere!

Bay City
Feet on the Street

Discover these magical outdoor spaces, open only to foot traffic, and enjoy open-air dining, drinks, and even dancing to live music and street performances!

MI Table | @michewsbrews

Try These Feet on the Street Hotspots:

Head to beer-forward Tavern 101 to order from 54 flowing taps of craft beers and a menu designed to complement beer (that even includes beer in a number of recipes)! Flights are half-priced on Tuesdays — but waterside viewing and a laid-back atmosphere are always available.

Linger outside MI Table to dine farm-to-table on Michigan-sourced menu items, and pair your locally inspired meal with a flight of Michigan craft brews! Or, discover a bit of local history and lore while enjoying your favorite beverage outside Old City Hall. Savor casual upscale dining under the stars (or big, red sun umbrellas), and relish an unforgettable wine list.

Bask in fresh air and sunshine at Beaver’s Pub, a Downtown bourbon bar that specializes in handcrafted cocktails. With a full menu and an easygoing environment, enjoy your time on this welcoming patio — and The Ruby Sour made with Knob Creek Rye!

Stop in for a drink and a game of pool at neighborhood favorite, Jake’s Corner Lounge. Located underneath the Third Street Star Bridge, a luminescent display of overhead market lights, enjoy the scenery in and all around Jake’s. Or, make Mulligan’s Pub your Downtown stop to find a tin-ceiling, nostalgic sports bar with burgers, sandwiches, and an ambiance of downhome comfort.

The Commons in Midland | @downtownmidlandmi
Midland
The Commons Pedestrian Plaza + Refreshment Area

Frolic in live turf areas with trees and plants at The Commons Pedestrian Plaza in Downtown Midland, and The Commons Refreshment Area. Enjoy adult beverages, outdoor dining experiences, and entertainment throughout!

The Commons in Midland | @oxygenbarmidland

Try These Hotspots at The Commons:

Step into a 1940s industrial atmosphere and observe the distillery process through a viewing wall at Three Bridges Distillery & Taproom. Step right out front to sip your spirits outdoors in the Plaza, and enjoy live music in the streets! Indulge in St. Louis-style BBQ at Molasses Smokehouse + Bar, and fall in love with their house-made mules and the sights and sounds of Downtown Midland as the sun sets over the iconic Tridge.

Sit outside and discuss your brew at Whichcraft Taproom, where the beverages have stories to tell! Select from more than 80 Michigan-made craft beer and cider selections, all produced by passionate artisans. Visit Grape Beginnings Winery for a down-to-earth tasting experience. Enjoy fresh air with your glass of something seasonal like Summer Sweetness, a strawberry white Merlot, alongside tasty small plates like Gorgonzola Honey Bruschetta.

Linger a little longer in the upscale ambiance of The H Hotel, a dining destination with stunning outdoor patio settings. Enjoy gorgeous cityscape views and select cuisine and cocktails from on-site ONe Eighteen, Cafe Zinc, and Oxygen Lounge. Experience an inviting Mezzanine balcony with string lights overhead, and feel like family at Gratzi. Enjoy a perfectly paired vintage with your multi-course, chef-driven Italian meal, and savor simple elegance.

Sunrise Pedal Trolley
Pedal Trolleys

More like mobile beer gardens, these 16-person bikes are bars on wheels — made for pedaling your way from pub to pub!

Bay City

Hop aboard a mobile party and catch a colorful ride on the 16-person Sunrise Pedal Trolley! Whether you’re pedaling with a bachelor or bachelorette party, or you’re just gathering a group together for fun, bring what you’d like to drink and power your way through waterfront Bay City’s shopping districts, historic neighborhoods, and area bars (if preferred)!

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Frankenmuth

With cold brews in-hand, or another favorite beverage, pedal through streets of Little Bavaria lined with the blooms of summer! Ride the 16-person PedAle Trolley in Frankenmuth — book the whole trolley for your group or pick up single tickets for a Thursday- or Saturday-night pub-crawl — and check out their four- to six-person Circle Cruiser for smaller gatherings. Either way, “Sit. Smile. PedAle for Awhile.”

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Author
Jen W. O'Deay

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

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