Over a year ago, I stumbled upon the Instagram page for a floating house in Saugatuck, MI that was available to rent on Airbnb. Living in Chicago, that’s only about a 3ish hour drive away, but the tiny house is extremely popular, so I had to book this weekend trip nearly a year in advance. I like to plan most of my trips as far in advance as possible, but this probably set a personal record. This past weekend the trip finally happened and we had an amazing time exploring the area. We also lucked out with incredible weather in between 2 heat waves!

Airbnb

Given that the Airbnb was what the entire trip was built around, I figure I need to dedicate some space to a review. It’s been so long that I can no longer remember how I stumbled upon this place but it was a very fun adventure outside our typical types of vacations and hotels.

The official name of the Airbnb is Floathaus of Saugatuck. It’s technically located in Douglas, MI which is the neighboring town to Saugatuck, MI, but Saugatuck is larger and more well known. As far as lodging options, it wasn’t cheap, but part of what you’re paying for is the novelty and experience on being on the water.

We got to the house around 10PM on Friday night and stayed until check out on Sunday morning at 11AM.

Floathaus of Saugatuck as seen from a kayak on the water

Inside view of the kitchen of Floathaus of Saugatuck

Pros

Aesthetically incredible – this place is the stuff of social media content dreams. There were 2 other floating houses at the docks but this was by far the prettiest. It looks like something from an HGTV episode with its nautical shiplap vibes.
While it was small, they had all the essentials in the kitchen + made efficient use of space throughout the home. For example, there was a table to eat at that flipped up out of the wall but stored away if you needed more space.
There were 2 single-person kayaks for use included. Thomas and I took full advantage and kayaked around Lake Kalamazoo and through downtown Saugatuck for about an hour each morning.
Some may consider this a con but there is no wifi in the house (which I knew ahead of time), but it allowed Thomas and I to spend very intentional time together instead of just watching TV like we do every night at home. It really helped make this a little weekend escape from reality.
The hosts were very communicative and clear with their instructions.
Parking was included and very nearby to the house on the marina. There was also access to the pool and fire pit at the marina but we did not take advantage of those.

Cons

Even using the toilet additive that we were instructed to flush down every morning, by the last morning the house didn’t smell great. However, we had been keeping the windows closed and once we opened them the smell was much better.
Being right on the water, there were plenty of bugs. Luckily most of them stayed outside but there were lots of spiderwebs on the decks and outdoor furniture, so I largely stayed away from those. There were also a couple of spiders in the upper corners of the lofted area inside the house. I made sure to wear bug spray whenever I went outside and avoided getting any bites.
The house has 2 queen beds + a sofa bed, but would be a tight squeeze with any more than about 3 people (especially given there’s just one small bathroom).
Because the bed floats on the water, it often makes noise as the house hits the fenders. This made it hard for me to fall asleep the first night, but there was a noise machine in the bedroom that helped a lot! Also if you get sea sick really easily, this stay could be rough for you. The house doesn’t move a lot, but enough that it’s noticeable.

Day 1

On Saturday morning, we woke up, ate breakfast, and then took the kayaks out for about an hour on the lake. When we got back, we took the car into downtown Saugatuck. We quickly noticed quite a few groups there celebrating birthdays, bachelorette trips, etc. so this would definitely be a great place for a somewhat low-key weekend getaway with friends.

Downtown Saugatuck

The downtown area was very cute and larger than I’d expected (still very small relatively). There was paid parking at the Arts Center that was periodically filled throughout the day, but we got there around 10AM and were able to find free street parking.

Saugatuck Chain Ferry

The Saugatuck Chain Ferry is the last remaining hand cranked chain ferry in the United States. The chain is 400 feet long and crosses the Kalamzoo River. Taking a ride on the ferry costs $2/person one way and is like stepping through time. The ferry is the best way to get from Downtown Saugatuck to the other side of the river where Mount Baldhead and Oval Beach are, along with a place to rent kayaks, pontoon boats, SUPs, and more. The ferry ride only lasts a couple minutes and we did a quick round trip just for the novelty of it.

Note: the ferry only accepts cash, so make sure to bring some small bills along (though they can make change for you).

The Mermaid

We had not made plans for lunch in advance and ended up walking past The Mermaid and decided to eat there. This was our favorite meal of the trip and the #1 place I’d recommend to eat at in Saugatuck.

What we ordered:

Crispy Brussel Leaves – 10/10 we devoured these. If you like Brussel sprouts, these were done just right.
Mermaid Roll with Parmesan Truffle Fries – 7/10 this was my entrée at lunch and the roll was delicious but much smaller than expected, especially for being over $30. The fries were good but not fantastic (and an extra $5 over having normal fries as an included side).
Jambalaya – 8/10 this was Thomas’s entrée and he thought it was really good. It wasn’t spicy (which was a plus for me because I don’t like spicy food) but did have a lot of good flavors.
Montauk Mule – 7/10 Thomas said this was a solid mule – nothing more nothing less. If you like hibiscus margaritas + Moscow Mules then you’ll really enjoy this drink.

The Butler Pantry

The Butler Pantry was essentially a local version of Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma selling lots of kitchen gadgets (we randomly ended up buying a garlic press). However, in the back of the store, they sell fresh cookies and also have an entire wine room. We bought 1 peanut butter chocolate cookie (solid 7/10 rating) and a “soon to be famous” Butler Pantry cookie that had chocolate chips, caramel, and pink Himalayan salt on top (10/10 rating it was phenomenal). They also sell their cookies as frozen take-and-bake cookie dough, which was tempting.

Kilwins

There are 2 Kilwins locations in Saugatuck only about 100 feet from one another. One is just an ice cream shop and the other also sells all sorts of chocolates, fudge, caramel apples, etc. We got a ½ slice of the Kilwins Mud Fudge (white chocolate base with chocolate and caramel mixed in) – 7/10 rating. It was really good but I would have wanted more chunks.

The Olive Mill

The Olive Mill shop specializes in flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars. We stopped in here and ended up buying a bottle of rosemary olive oil that I can’t wait to pair with some delicious bread. Their tastings are just a mini cup of olive oil hat you sip on and I had wished they would have given me something to pair it with, as sipping straight olive oil was an odd experience.

Fenn Valley Vineyards Tasting Room

As we were planning to leave downtown Saugatuck we passed by Fenn Valley Vineyards Tasting Room and decided to stop in. For $5/person, we got to sample 5 beverages – Thomas and I both chose to sample all 5 of their hard cider options and we ended up buying a 4 pack of the Session Cider, which is the lower alcohol version of their classic hard apple cider (4.1% ABV compared to 6.2%).

Saugatuck Dune Ride

I had pre-booked seats for the Saugatuck Dune Ride about a week ahead of time (when they release tickets). This turned out to be a bit of a thrill ride as our guide Schaeffer drove very fast through sharp twists and turns (and even scared everyone with a fake snake along the way). It was really interesting to learn more about the history of the area and how mankind’s deforestation of the area led to an entire town of Singapore, MI being buried in sand (the guide referred to it as Michigan’s Pompeii). I would definitely put this at the top of my list of recommendations for what to do if you come to the area.

The Southerner

We ate at The Southerner for dinner after getting a recommendation from a family friend (and it was also at the top of the Airbnb’s suggestions for places to eat). Luckily there was no wait when we arrived around 5:45PM and we were seated on the screened in porch overlooking the water. Unfortunately, the view was the best part of the meal. The food certainly did not live up to the hype, and the heaviness of the Southern cooking left me feeling lethargic and regretting the meal.

What we ordered:

Blue Crab Calas – 7/10 these were one of the best parts of the meal. They had a little bit of a kick to them but not enough to slow us down while eating them.
Nana’s Fried Chicken (traditional) – 6/10 it was solid as far as fried chicken goes but didn’t wow me. I haven’t had fried chicken in years and this kind of just reminded me why that is.
Flaky Biscuits – 7/10 these + the honey butter they are served with was my favorite thing I ate, but there was nothing that set it much further apart than a Pillsbury flakey grand
Mac and Cheese – 5/10 Thomas and I had different feelings about the mac & cheese. The top had a crispy crust + breadcrumbs which were my favorite part of the dish, but that’s precisely what Thomas disliked about it. Overall, the flavor was fine but we low key could have made just as good (or better) at home.
Anson Mills Grits – 2/10 I really like grits as a general rule and these were incredibly disappointing. I took 1 bite and that was plenty.
French Fries – 3/10 Thomas ordered these as his side but barely touched them. He said they were fine but much worse than the ones we’d had at lunch.

Root Beer Barrel

When we drove into town it had been dark but I had noticed a massive barrel spaced structure in the dark and didn’t know what it was. When we drove past it again in the daytime, we learned it was the Root Beer Barrel. Built in 1952, it was a roadside attraction for people on their way to Oval Beach. Now 70 years later it’s been restored and continues to sell root beer, root beer floats, and some food options. Thomas and I split a 12 oz root beer and enjoyed the novelty of the giant barrel.

Note: they only accept cash or checks.

Day 2

Given the 11AM checkout time + the extra work required to check out of an Airbnb as opposed to a hotel room, we didn’t stay super long on day 2. We did wake up, eat breakfast, and go on another kayak trip -this time up though town – before leaving the Floathaus.

Saugatuck Mini Golf

The last thing before we drove home was to play a round of mini golf at Saugatuck Mini Golf. Thomas and I love playing mini golf and often end up stumbling upon a course when we’re on vacation, which was exactly the case this time. On Saturday we’d driven by it on the way to the Dune Ride and came back Sunday for a round. This was honestly one of the nicest mini golf courses I’ve ever played on and was refreshingly free of the gimmicks and bells & whistles of so many putt putt courses.

Top Tips/Other Things to Do:

Even in June, the weather was surprisingly chilly on Saturday and we wished we’d brought jackets with us or worn long sleeves to walk around downtown, so pack/dress appropriately or be prepared to buy a sweatshirt from a souvenir shop like we did.
If you’re up for a hike, you can go over to Mt. Baldhead and take the ~300 steps up to the top. Oval Beach is also nearby.
For more on-the-water options, you can rent retro boats at The Old Boat House or take a ride on the Star of Saugatuck river boat.