Michigan Road Rally 2023

For our 7th annual Road Rally, we traced Michigan’s Sunset Coast, getting our feet wet and discovering the towns along the way. 

Road Rally Day 1
Road Rally Day 1. Starboard & Port

DAY ONE: Saugatuck & Fennville

Our trip began in Saugatuck, where we cruised down the river in Pepto-pink retro boats, grabbed brunch at Pennyroyal Provisions and spent the afternoon sipping our way through Fennville's wineries and cideries. (A team favorite: the Pear cider from Virtue Cider.) We shared a meal in the garden patio of Coast 236, where we were guided through a six-course tasting menu that took us from land to sea. After dinner, we caught a sunset from the bluffs above Lake Michigan at Lake Shore Resort before resting our heads at Wickwood Inn.


Michigan Road Rally Day 2

DAY TWO: Holland & Grand Haven

After touring the country's oldest authentic working windmill in Holland (and dancing to tunes from the Dutch street organ), we met with artisans at Holland Bowl Mill to learn their craft. They demonstrated how they make nested wooden bowls by cutting them in descending size from the same log. It was a process we could have watched all day. We then headed to Grand Haven, where we ended the evening with dinner on the beach (overlooking another epic sunset) and a dramatic show from the famed musical fountain.


Road Rally Fun Facts
Road Rally Day 3
Road Rally Day 3. Starboard & Port, Courtesy of North Channel Brewing

DAY THREE: Muskegon, Mears & Manistee

Zip, zoom, zig. Our hearts were pumping on day three, where we flew down Muskegon Luge Adventure Park's zipline and rented dune buggies in Mears. We'll never forget the feeling of our buggies roaring up, down and around towering sand dunes—nor will we forget the views from the top. In Manistee, we took a deep sea—err, lake—fishing trip, where we sought out salmon in Lake Michigan and trolled for trout in Manistee Lake.


Road Rally Day 4
Road Rally Day 4. Starboard & Port

DAY FOUR: Traverse City

Our trip ended in Traverse City, where we satisfied a sweet tooth with Moomers' Cherries Moobilee ice cream. We took a detour to Glen Arbor to kayak the blue-green waters of Crystal River—where we also got to "shoot the tube", a culvert that runs under a roadway. We washed down pizza and tacos with local beers and craft cocktails at The Little Fleet before boarding our catamaran cruise to watch the sun slip away on Grand Traverse Bay.


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