Sunday, August 19, 2007
By Myron Kukla
The Grand Rapids Press

SAUGATUCK -- Walking the beach, kayaking and browsing shops and galleries helped make for a great three-day reunion for old friends Judy Brockman and Kate O'Shea.

"We love the water and the outdoors and this place has everything we like to do. Saugatuck has been fantastic and we'd come back here again in a minute," said Brockman, 65, of their "girls" weekend.

Former co-workers at Indiana University, Brockman, of Noblesville, Ind. and O'Shea, of Bloomington, Ind., chose Saugatuck for a getaway because of the beauty of the area and things to do in and around the Lake Michigan resort towns.

"Yesterday, we went kayaking on the Kalamazoo River, then we went shopping in Saugatuck and had dinner at a great restaurant and took a walk along the boardwalk," Brockman said Saturday. "Right now, we're sitting around the pool at the Lake Shore Resort looking out on Lake Michigan and it looks like a picture."

Such experiences and options are why Saugatuck and neighboring Douglas were cited in the new travel book, "101 Best Outdoor towns: Unspoiled Places to Visit, Live & Play," by authors Greg Melville and Sarah Tuff. The 472-page softcover book published by The Countryman Press, of Woodstock, Vt., also lists Cadillac and Petoskey as Michigan towns to visit -- and maybe live.

"We tried to find places that still had history, natural charm and plenty of things to see and do," Melville said.

"Saugatuck was one of my favorite Midwest spots with its location on Lake Michigan and its beautiful beaches and great scenery. There was also a lot of things for people to do from fishing and boating to biking and hiking."

Michael Philippe benefits from the locale, operating Running River Inc. kayak rentals on the river in Douglas.

"This area is mainly known as an artist community and people don't usually think of us for great outdoor activities, which we have here in abundance," he said.

"One of the greatest experiences you can have is kayaking the Kalamazoo River in the fall, when all the leaves are changing color. It's so quiet and peaceful and there's just all kind of wildlife to see from bald eagles to deer, fox and coyote."

Among other outdoor options the book points to are the 282-step trek to get atop Mount Baldhead and its view, Allegan State Game Area, Saugatuck Dunes State Park and Saugatuck Dune Rides. Local attractions mentioned are Saugatuck Chain Ferry and Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists' Residency.

"We know we have great views and beaches and, now, more people will discover through the book how wonderful it is in Douglas and Saugatuck," said Pieter Lion, owner of the Rosemont Inn, described as a great "romantic getaway" in the book.

Among other recommended stops were Kalico Kitchen Restaurant in Douglas for its "hearty breakfast" and Saugatuck Drug Store, which "after more than eight decades --- still operates a soda fountain where they serve a mean chocolate malt."

Also cited was local tour biking.

"This is a great area for riding," cycling enthusiast David Page said. "You can go from farmland to forests, ride along rivers and the lake. There's a real nice mix of scenery."

Petoskey got high marks for its quaint downtown and views of the sun setting on Little Traverse Bay, with Petoskey and Cadillac both cited for their abundance of year-round outdoor recreational activities.

Neither of the three state locales made the book's top 10 list, which had Lake Placid, N.Y., atop it.