Whether you tour gorgeous gardens or take in a ball game, hike new trails or hunt for antiques, discover the best of all that spring brings when you Go Great Lakes Bay in Michigan!
There are plenty of relaxing things to do in Michigan this spring when you Go Great Lakes Bay, including: discovering Dow Gardens in full bloom and exploring the United States' longest canopy walk in Midland; experiencing a world-class spring walleye fishery on a Saginaw Bay walleye fishing charter; boating through the "Everglades of Michigan" on an ecotour with Johnny Panther Quests Adventure Trips; or celebrating at spring festivals from the Midland Antique Festival to the World Expo of Beer in Frankenmuth.
Find yourself amidst 22,000 flowering bulbs at Dow Gardens — and discover a canopy walk that stretches four stories high in the trees!
Venture out to Chippewa Nature Center for 19 miles of scenic trails and join a guided Spring Wildflower Walk.
Challenge yourself on an aerial obstacle course of ziplines & rope bridges at Frankenmuth Aerial Park.
Relax along the shoreline at Bay City State Park and explore Tobico Marsh, a coastal wetland with observation towers.
Get fresh air along the Great Lakes Bay Regional Trail, and look to Ray’s Bike Shop or Nor’East Outdoors to rent your rides.
Bring your binoculars to the Saginaw Bay Birding Trail, a natural habitat for over 200 species of birds.
Golf two of Michigan’s must-play public courses, Apple Mountain and The Fortress, or your choice from over a dozen others.
Get in on the spring walleye action on Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay when you set out solo or charter a guided excursion.
Launch into a scenic spring paddling trip with Nor’East Outdoors or Frankenmuth Kayak Adventures.
Find floral beauty this spring on our self-guided Gardens Tour, from a 110-acre botanical oasis to serene Japanese gardens.
Take in Frankenmuth’s spring florals on a horse-drawn carriage ride with Fantasy Carriage Company or H&H Acres and Carriage Service.
Hop aboard the Golden Ticket Trolley to immerse yourself in Frankenmuth on a narrated ride led by a local guide.
Book the PedAle Trolley to ride a 16-person bike through Frankenmuth, or purchase single seats on a pub crawl!
Bring beverages & coast into great times when you reserve the Sunrise Pedal Trolley to bike through Bay City.
Tour the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio, an oasis of mid-century modern architecture.
Cruise along a self-guided tour of more than 400 stunning structures with the Mid-Century Modern Midland mobile app.
Join Flavors of Frankenmuth Food Tours and be guided by seasoned experts to iconic eateries & hidden gems.
Stroll past historic buildings & homes along the Center Avenue Historic District Walking Tour of Bay City.
Reserve a boating ecotour through the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge with Johnny Panther Quests Adventure Trips.
Board the Bavarian Belle Riverboat or Frankenmuth FunShips (beginning in May) to soak up the spring scenery in Little Bavaria.
Tap into one of Michigan’s biggest beer sampling events, the World Expo of Beer, take in whimsical hot air balloon flights at Balloons Over Bavarian Inn, and refresh at some of our favorite spring festivals.
Find clothing boutiques to fudge shops, partake in wine tastings to spa treatments, and enjoy the spring florals at Frankenmuth River Place Shops.
Score huge finds (and save big) on a trip to Birch Run Premium Outlets, with 100 designer & name-brand stores.
Celebrate spring through six sprawling shops, each housed in a historic farm building, at Pride and Country Village.
Stroll along winding cobblestone through a fairytale castle to seven unique shops inside the Bavarian Inn Castle Shops.
Experience the magic of the world’s largest Christmas store, Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, 361 days a year!
Enjoy the European-style SVRC Marketplace, and sample from unique eateries as you browse yarn & beads to sweet treats.
Find handcrafted, artisan goods at Serendipity Road, Creative Lane, or Amazin’ Mitten.
Browse clothing to gifts, home décor to house plants at My Secret Garden and Botanica Modern Market.
Shop décor, garden, and gifts inside Violets Blue, Little House, G.T. Homestead, Lumberman’s Mercantile, and Warmbier Farms.
Browse the curated racks at Ferne Boutique, Omoni Boutique, and Fran & Dot Boutique to freshen up your spring wardrobe.
Try on the latest fashions & accessories at Abby’s of Frankenmuth, Adorn Boutique, White House Boutique, Rapunzel’s Boutique, Ellie & Isabelle, Sassy & Chic Boutique, or Margos & Co.
Discover 270 different specialty cheeses inside Frankenmuth Cheese Haus or small-batch cheeses from around the globe at Artigiano Artisan Cheese Shoppe.
Take home the perfect souvenir from Frank’s Muth or The Michigan Shoppe.
Find all-things-kitchen & cooking at Peel ‘n Pare Gifts for the Kitchen.
Follow your nose through Coyer Candle Co. to discover delicious scents of hand-poured soy wax candles.
Gear up for outdoor spring adventures at Little Forks Outfitters, Frank’s Great Outdoors, Northwoods Wholesale Outlet, or Saginaw Bay Trading Company.
Discover Michigan’s largest antique mall, Bay City Antiques Center / Bay Antique Center, with over 400 booths housed in a historic building.
Grab a bite to eat at the cafe inside the Antique Warehouse before perusing 70 antique vendors & six specialty shops.
Stroll down memory lane at Freeland Antique Mall, through 90 booths stocked with antiques & vintage goods.
Travel through Americana Company Antiques to find a mix of local memorabilia & unique antiquities.
Browse thoughtfully restored pieces of mid-century modern furniture at Retro Attics Studio, open Saturdays only.
Have fun exploring Court Street Antiques, a vintage, antique, and upcycle shop where nothing is newer than 1970!
See why The Little House Antiques has been delighting shoppers for over 40 years, with vintage kitchenware to collectibles.
Go on a thrilling hunt through Thrifty Treasures Antiques & More as you shop jewelry to glassware & primitives.
Peruse vintage galore from 60 vendors at Around the Farm Antiques and shop interesting garden decor.
Find a piece of the past at Michiganders Antiques and Collectibles, from furniture to memorabilia.
Wander through The Vintage Greenhouse to find antiques, vintage furniture, and local art oddities.
Get lost in yesteryear inside The Antique Center, where memorabilia, collectibles, and antiques await.
Cozy up with tap wines & regional charcuterie by Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie’s outdoor fire bar, enjoy elevated tavern fare & classic cocktails in a stunning courtyard at ONe eighteen, or linger over farm-to-table dishes & wood-fired brews in a countryside setting at The Maple Grille Restaurant & Microbrewery.
Savor fresh catch on the decks of Real Seafood Company on the Saginaw River, dine at a picnic table down by the water at H2O’s Waterside Grill, or enjoy your brews & comfort food with river views at Frankenmuth Brewery.
From Makin’ Bacon Truck’s bacon mac ‘n’ cheese to Bavarian Inn Cluck Truck’s Frankenmuth chicken and 5-2-oh’s Korean-inspired street tacos, taste what food trucks are popping up with this spring!
Discover a distillery, brewery, and winery in one at Three Bridges Distillery & Taproom, and cozy into the rustic charm with your Smoked Rye Whiskey Old Fashioned or Hazy IPA.
Gather at Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie to sample six tap wines or select from house specialty cocktails.
Enjoy outdoor seating & scenic river views at Frankenmuth Brewery, Michigan’s oldest microbrewery.
Toast to springtime at Midland Brewing Company with pints of Three Mile Marker Hefeweizen — at a picnic table, or by the fire pit!
Sip handcrafted cocktails at Old Town Distillery by Wonder to sample vodka, rum, whiskey, or even Moonshine.
Order the rotating IPA at Oracle Brewing Company, a laid-back space with inventive brews.
Linger over artisan cocktails & light bites in the warm ambiance of The Public House.
Slip inside the coziest space for natural wine pours & wine-forward cocktails at Neighbors Natural Wine & Bottle Shop.
Gather at Nord Social, a Scandinavian-inspired hangout, to taste specialty cocktails infused with house-made syrups.
Grab brews, wines, and hard seltzers at Loggers Brewing Company while grazing on street eats from visiting food trucks.
Taste wood-fired craft brews at The Maple Grille Restaurant & Microbrewery — and farm-to-table fare, scratch-cooked over fire.
Sip on suds that pay local tribute at Tri-City Brewing Company and be ready for rotating food trucks!
Wander into Whichcraft Taproom to choose from 80 craft brews, ciders, and meads — all made in Michigan — with 40 available on tap.
Soak up the spring scenery in Frankenmuth from The Rooftop @ The Station 100, while sipping artfully crafted cocktails & fine wines.
Experience a guided, six-pour wine tasting at award-winning St. Julian Winery.
Unwind in the warm, low-key atmosphere of Gordie’s Bar with a seasonal, handcrafted cocktail.
Mix it up at Modern Craft Winery — mixing wines together, with lemonade, or even cream soda!
Grab a wood-fired pie & a pint — from Blood Orange Wheat to Lumberjack Brown — at W.H. Ales Brewpub.
Cozy in at Crazy Vines Winery to enjoy wines, ciders, and charcuterie in a comforting, rustic space.
Taste signature cocktails, smoked table-side, at Beaver’s Pub, a whiskey bourbon bar.
Enjoy your brew — craft beer or coffee — with baked goods & live music at MI Element Grains & Grounds.
Visit EverNorth Spirits Co. to taste true, community-driven whiskeys, brought to you by the Bourbon Junkies.
Indulge inside Frankenmuth FunShips, where you’ll sample wines paired with handmade chocolates.
Grab burgers or BBQ (and a draft craft brew) and take in a Great Lakes Loons Minor League Baseball game.
Don’t miss a minute of the action on the turf at a Michigan Arsenal Arena Football One game.
Catch a concert or comedy show at Midland Center for the Arts, The Temple Theatre, The Dow Event Center, or State Theatre of Bay City.
Bowl for strikes at Stardust before enjoying axe-throwing, four escape rooms, and The Taproom with 41 craft beer handles.
Step back in time at Crazy Quarters Arcade into Pac-Man, Galaga, and more — and test your skills on dozens of pinball machines.
Stretch your fun late-night at Brinstar! Play pinball & video arcade games while sampling from 12 brews on tap.
Enjoy an evening at 906 Lapeer, with escape rooms, axe-throwing, indoor GellyBall, and a professional haunted house.
Work together at Great Lakes Escape Game or Code Breakers Escape & Puzzle Rooms to see if you can solve cryptic clues & get out!
Tour the traditional tea house at the Japanese Cultural Center, Tea House and Gardens of Saginaw, and stroll through serene Japanese gardens.
Visit the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, then step outside for beautiful bronze sculptures, botanical beds, and fountains.
Explore gorgeous, Italianate gardens after touring permanent & traveling exhibitions at the Saginaw Art Museum & Gardens.
Turn raw wood into a work of art at Board & Brush Creative Studio or choose your DIY project inside AR Workshop Midland.
Find handcrafted pottery ready for painting at Painterly Pottery or Space Studios.
Spend some time strolling through the gallery at Studio 23/The Arts Center.
Discover the Great Lakes Bay Region Public Art Passport and map your route to see public art!
Explore the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum aboard a National Historic Landmark, the U.S.S. Edson!
Venture through the Michigan Heroes Museum, the only of its kind in the country, featuring displays of Michigan veterans.
Experience the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History, a three-story gem tucked inside a castle.
Reserve your personal tour of the Autism History Museum to honor neurodiversity as you learn about the history of autism.
With sunshine & fresh air beckoning, let this list of favorite outdoor attractions inspire your adventures when you Go Great Lakes Bay in Michigan this spring!
Read More +Whether antique & artisan markets are calling your name or beer tasting & food trucks are luring you to go — fresh spring festivals & can’t-miss events are right around the corner when you Go Great Lakes Bay in Michigan!
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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
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