DINE: AT THIS ROADSIDE ATTRACTION: The Douglas Root Beer Barrel (455 Center St.) 1952. The Douglas Root Beer Barrel (455 W. Center St., Douglas, MI) 1952 was built by Joe Decker and Harold Kelly in Flint, Michigan. They brought it to the Oval Beach near Saugatuck and it was supposedly used for selling hot dogs and root beer. The Barrel has had several owners and today it has reopened selling Wisconsin Sprechers Rootbeer at its roadside location.

STAY: The Lake Shore Resort (2885 Lake Shore Drive) was featured in the 2020 Midwest Living magazine article “ Midwest Lakeshore Resorts That Have Been Totally Transformed.” When Joseph and Anna Milauckas of Chicago built the low-profile motor-inn retreat in 1952 the first motel rooms were chicken coops, according to their grandson Andrew. The couple used billboards on area roads to draw visitors with the saving “Quiet on Lake! Color TV! Heated Pool!” and the rest is history.

The Lake Shore Resort has its own private Lake Michigan Beach and stunning views from the resort’s grounds.

PLAY: At the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (400 Culver) 1950s. The SCA converted the abandoned Lloyd J. Harriss Pie Company factory building into a stunning community-based art center with both indoor and outdoor exhibit and event spaces.

DINE: In downtown Saugatuck at Coral Gables (220 Water Street) on 2.5 blocks of waterfront. Built originally in 1906 by the Leindecker family, Tom Johnson purchased the Old Crow Bar and Hotel Saugatuck from Dale Crow in 1958. He built the MCM addition and renamed the complex Coral Gables, Hotel Saugatuck. They kept the nightclub’s name “Old Crow” and in the 1960s young people jammed into the Old Crow to dance. One of the favorite band’s was “Me and Dem Guys” and their rock and roll hit “Black Cloud Hanging Over My Head” performed by one of southwest Michigan’s most popular bands “Me and Dem Guys” who are now in the Michigan Rock & Rock Hall of Fame. Listen here: Black Cloud Hanging Over My Head. Listen here: Black Cloud.

DINE: In downtown Saugatuck at Coral Gables (220 Water Street) on 2.5 blocks of waterfront. Built originally in 1906 by the Leindecker family, Tom Johnson purchased the Old Crow Bar and Hotel Saugatuck from Dale Crow in 1958. He built this MCM addition and renamed the complex Coral Gables, Hotel Saugatuck.

SHOP: At the Saugatuck Antique Pavilion (2948 Blue Star Highway, Douglas) 1950s in the former 1950s Hanson Manufacturing Company factory. From 1976 to 2013 it was home to Haworth Furniture manufacturing. Take your time looking around, you may find some fun mid-century retro design objects and furniture as well as antiques from other eras.

ENJOY CRAFT BEER: Outdoors or inside at Saugatuck Brewing (2948 Blue Star Highway, Douglas) opened in 2005 on the other side of the converted 1950s Hanson/then Haworth factory complex.

DINE: At the Blue Star Cafe and Ice Cream Shop (141 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck/Douglas) with its distinctive rounded moderne roof, outdoor patio and retro interior.

Another MCM ice cream venue is the Dairy Dayz (6471 Blue Star Highway).

STAY: At the MCM Starlite Motel (3353 Blue Star Highway Saugatuck/Douglas) built in the 1960s/1980 and open May through October.

Eat at the Pennyroyal At Pennyroyal (3319 Blue Star Highway)1960. The restaurant opened in a converted MCM building and is named for the historic mint plant once used by the ancient Greeks and as a staple in the early Native American healing tradition.