Outdoor Beer Gardens in Bay City
Bay City

Enjoy a casual, laid-back atmosphere and gorgeous sunset views of the Saginaw River at Drift Shoreside Beer Garden — order right from your boat or dine dockside on a multi-tiered deck! Sip handcrafted cocktails, split buckets of cold brews, and enjoy unique street fare from a fleet of on-site food trucks. Look to Acosta’s Havana Bites for authentic Cuban specialties and Drift BBQ for mouthwatering brisket tacos!

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Bay City

Support local charities while sippin' 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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Tri-City Brewing | @brain.of.j
Bay City
Tri-City Brewing Company Beer Garden

Coming soon this summer (July 2023), experience Bay City's hometown brewery from the cozy comfort of a classic outdoor beer garden. With a year-round pavilion and glass garage doors for a seamless indoor/outdoor space, sip your choice of 35 beers, three wines, root beer, and cider regularly available on tap. Look to the Loons Summer Ale for a smooth, light blonde ale with citrus aroma and a thirst-quenching finish!

Outdoor Beer Gardens in Midland
Midland

Experience what repurposing makes possible at Larkin Beer Garden, a former shipping container turned seasonal outdoor beer garden! Returning to its original location in Downtown Midland for 2023, walk up to great brews, good tunes, and lawn games every Thursday and Friday night! With food trucks frequenting weekly and tap features from local breweries, there’s something for everyone (even dogs are welcome). Gather with friends and refresh with your favorite brew, cider, or seltzer 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 your way to an ice-cold pint of Isle Royale Blonde 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 Bavarian Inn Lodge. All throughout the summer months, weather permitting, 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 including amateur Jam Night with 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

Make your way 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:

Linger outside MI Table to dine on Michigan-sourced menu items — on a gorgeous, intimate patioscape — and pair your locally inspired meal with a flight of Michigan craft brews!

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. Grab a picnic table, toss bags at the cornhole area, or pull up Adirondack chairs around the fire pit!

Unwind with live music on the patio 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. Or, discover a summery twist on the classic margarita, the Mandirita, made with lavender syrup and honey.

Stop in for a drink and a game of pool at a neighborhood favorite, Jake’s Corner Lounge. Located underneath the Third Street Star Bridge, a luminescent display of overhead string lights, enjoy the scenery in and all around Jake’s. Grab a patio beer or two and join in for line dancing in the streets, live music, or even Karaoke Night!

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 distilling process through a viewing wall at Three Bridges Distillery & Taproom. Then, step right out front to sip your spirits outdoors in the Plaza, on a cozy patio with comfortable seating, and enjoy live music in the streets along with your Strawberry Basil Sour or Summer Ale!

Indulge in St. Louis-style BBQ at Molasses Smokehouse & Bar, and fall in love with their signature, 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 (40 available on tap), 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, or sip a Wine Crushy (slushy) in the summer sun!

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.

Sunrise Pedal Trolley
Coast Into
Good Times on
Pedal Trolleys

More like mobile beer gardens, these 16-person trolley 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.

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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. Either way, “Sit. Smile. PedAle for Awhile.”

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Things To Do

No matter the season — or whether you’re craving craft beer, wine, or cocktails — you’ll find plenty of places to savor in Pure Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region. Make your way through this hand-picked guide of artisans & opportunities, and discover for yourself!

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Summer Trip Ideas

It’s summertime in Pure Michigan's Great Lakes Bay Region, and there’s no better way to savor this delicious season than to dine al fresco! Gather up in inviting neighborhoods pleasantly packed with patios — and discover social zones where city streets become one big outdoor dining space!

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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