- 10 Best Michigan Girls Weekend Getaways
- Island Getaway: Explore Mackinac
- Do a Traverse City Brew Tour
- Outdoorsy Getaway in a National Park in the Upper Peninsula
- Head to Caseville’s Cheeseburger Festival
- Go Antiquing in the Great Lakes Bay Area
- Walk Along the Tree Tops at Boyne
- Lounge on the Leelanau Peninsula
- Gamble the Night Away in New Buffalo
- Find Your Artistic Side on Michigan’s Art Coast in Saugatuck
- Detroit Weekend Getaway: Architecture, Belle Isle, Riverfront
- More Great Places to Travel in Michigan
10 Best Michigan Girls Weekend Getaways
Planning your Michigan girls weekend getaway?
You’re in for a treat. There is no better place to unwind and celebrate friendship than with a pure Michigan girls’ trip!
Whether it’s southwest Michigan’s art coast, exploring the northern Michigan wineries or hiking through the trails Sleeping Bear Dunes, there is no shortage of fun getaway ideas for a much-needed girls’ weekend.
We’ve prepared a travel guide with tons of travel tips for an unforgettable Michigan girls weekend getaway, so read on and start planning your girlfriend’s getaway now!
Looking for more ideas for a Kid-Free Perfect Girlfriends Getaway in Michigan? Check out our Guide to Eight Top Spots for a Weekend Getaway in Michigan!
Island Getaway: Explore Mackinac
Mackinac Island is a magical place, especially in the summer and fall. That’s when the northern Michigan warms up in the daytime and the evening brings warm breezes off Lake Huron…a perfect spot for relaxing with a glass of delicious Michigan wine with your besties.
There are a lot of things to do on Mackinac Island, from exploring the downtown shops (don’t miss Little Luxuries of Mackinac or Doud’s Market for gourmet snacks) to hiking the trails though the island.
What my friends and I like to do best, though, is rent a bike (bike rental stands are next to the ferry docks) and enjoy a leisurely stroll around the island.
You can make the entire 8.5-mile trek around the island, where you’ll pass the iconic Arch Rock and Skull Cave; or simply choose to use your bikes as transportation, since there are no cars allowed on the island.
Catch a ferry from St. Ignace or Mackinaw City and enjoy the 15-minute scenic ride across the straits of Mackinac. You’ll know you’re getting close when you see the porch of the Grand Hotel come into view!
Do a Traverse City Brew Tour
Traverse City’s wineries are renowned, and with good reason. With top wineries like Chateau Chantal, Verterra, Mari Vineyards and more, there’s no end of solid choices for a wine tasting in the Traverse City area.
If you’re looking for something a little more unique, though, consider a brew tour, where you can taste some of Michigan’s top craft beers and ciders right in the spot they originated. This fast-growing northern Michigan city is home to some of the top breweries in the state, many offering amazing food and charcuterie, too.
You might consider starting at Short’s Brewing in nearby Bellaire, MI (close to Torch Lake), where a hardware store was transformed into one of Michigan’s most popular beer gardens. Try their new releases with fun sounding names like “Strawberry Short’s Cake” and “Psychedelic Cat’s Grass.”
Then head back to Traverse City and check out Rare Bird, Silver Spruce Brewing Company, the Jolly Pumpkin and many others.
Be sure to spend time together, taking in the scenery. My favorite time to visit is the autumn, when the fall colors dot the shores of Traverse Bay. No matter the season, this is one of the top road trips for a girls getaway in Michigan.
Outdoorsy Getaway in a National Park in the Upper Peninsula
Here’s an idea for an unforgettable trip: kayak the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and stay in a yurt in Uncle Ducky’s!
A perfect part of a Girlfriends Getaway is spending the weekend outdoors, and Uncle Ducky’s Paddling Michigan tours put you face-to-face with Michigan’s best nature scenes, including small waterfalls, caves, and the famed Pictured Rocks.
The daily kayak tours last from two to eight hours, where you and your girls can discover the beauty of Bridalveil Falls, Kissing Rock, Lovers Leap Arch and more. Stay close to the nature during your Michigan Girls Trip by renting a yurt, tipi, safari tent or sleeping cabin and enjoying foods and drinks (yes, alcohol) at Duck Pond Eatery & Beer Garden.
Not feeling the water? Your Michigan Girls Trip can stay ashore with resort campgrounds that allow you to explore Hiawatha National Forest, Picture Rocks National Lakeshore, waterfalls and the beautiful city
of Munising. A perfect Michigan Girls Trip getaway.
Head to Caseville’s Cheeseburger Festival
Who doesn’t love cheeseburgers? Caseville is hosting its 25th annual Cheeseburger festival from August 11-20, a ten-day event with burger stands literally on every corner, live tropical music, vendors and retailers and a parade of fools. A noteworthy location for a Michigan Girls Trip!
Some activities on the weeklong docket? Visit the Cheeseburger Museum, Buy-a-Duck-Race-a-Duck contest (yes, seriously), stand up paddle board and kayaking session and even a historical tour of Caseville!
If you are more into the music than the burgers themselves, this Michigan Girls Trip location offers music venues are also scattered throughout the festival outside Beachy’s and inside, Dufty’s Blue Water Inn, Thumb Brewery and Wooded Island Sports Grill.
PRO-TIP: Caseville is home to some of the BEST Michigan beaches in the state, located along M-25 between Caseville and Port Austin. Don’t miss these gorgeous beaches!
Go Antiquing in the Great Lakes Bay Area
Get a fun taste of history during your Michigan Girls Trip in the Great Lakes Bay Area.
This area is home to Michigan’s largest antique center in an historic downtown building. One-of-a-kind antique shops decorate Bay City, Saginaw, Midland and Birch Run, giving your girls trip a rich piece of history.
Some of the antique shops in question?
Americana Company Antique Mall in Bay City offers a warm ambiance and an eclectic mix on antiquities like vinyl and furniture. Adomaitis Antiques in Old Town Saginaw has the best deals on a specialized selection of around 10,000 quality adult costumes and vintage clothing pieces. Last but not least, the Antique Center in Midland houses storied treasures of clothing, jewelry and collectibles.
These are just a few of the possibilities for your Michigan Girls Trip.
Walk Along the Tree Tops at Boyne
We’ve planned the water getaways, but SkyBridge Michigan in Boyne is the perfect above-the-trees getaway for your Michigan Girls Trip. Trail the largest timber-towered suspension bridge to roam between the peaks of McLouth to Disciples Ridge on this 1,200-foot long and 118-foot-high pedestrian bridge.
Tickets allow for three hours of unsupervised exploration for only $25, making this a life-changing experience at an amazing deal.
Outside of the main attraction, Boyne Mountain also has physical activities such as an indoor water park, golf, sports fields and fly fishing. You can also head over to Deer Lake and relax on the small beach. If you’re looking to relax after hiking the SkyBridge, The Spa at Boyne Mountain offers a space where the girls can lounge in robes by the fire and rejuvenate from nature’s wonders.
Lounge on the Leelanau Peninsula
Keeping with the outdoor theme, the next spot for your Michigan Girls Trip is Leelanau Peninsula, home
to five-to-seven miles of land that feels more like an island surrounded by water.
The most popular attraction for your Michigan Girls Trip are the sand dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, where you and your girls can climb the dunes or just marvel at their size from afar. At the peak of the dune is a beautiful view of Glen Lake and all the bragging rights to your friends back home.
Leelanau Peninsula is home to other excursions such as kayaking down The Crystal River in Glen Arbor, MI, visiting the Grand Traverse Lighthouse in Leelanau State Park on the edge of Lake Michigan, and fishing in the historical Fishtown in Leland, MI, where you and your girls can visit a collection of old fishing shanties.
Looking to indulge in food while on the peninsula? Leelanau Peninsula is home to Blu, a fine dining restaurant known for its thoughtfully executed cuisine, local ingredients and award-winning wine
program—which is definitely a Michigan Girls Trip win.
After tasting the finer things in life, you can find the bright green shop in Empire called Grocer’s Daughter and finish the night off with ethically sourced chocolate for dessert!
Gamble the Night Away in New Buffalo
Looking to spend some money during your next Michigan Girls Trip? New Buffalo is home to the famed Four Winds Casino.
With sizzling nightlife and live entertainment, you and the girls can lose yourselves in the luxurious hotel, sensational restaurants and the gorgeous Lake Michigan. The casino is 124,00 square feet of slot machines, table games, and a specially designed high limit slot area for those who are bolder risk-takers.
Outside the thrills of gambling, New Buffalo has an 800-foot public beach, cute shops such as Alapash New Home for art and home décor or Frolic for beach town necessities, scrumptious restaurants such as Bentwood Tavern and Jackie’s Café, and, of course, many opportunities to tour, swim and surf Lake Michigan.
With only 90 minutes separating you from Chicago, New Buffalo is a Michigan Girls Trip must-visit!
Find Your Artistic Side on Michigan’s Art Coast in Saugatuck
Find your muse on Michigan’s Art Coast in Saugatuck-Douglas, nestled along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. The area is home to numerous galleries, studios, exhibition and public art installations for serious and recreational artists alike to gaze and wonder.
Looking for more interactive art fun on your Michigan Girls Trip? Each July, the Saugatuck Douglas Art Club hosts two outdoor fairs: The Waterfront Invitational Fine Art Fair and the Village Square Arts and Craft Fair. Both showcase the finest artist nationwide, with a variety of media including painting, photography, glass, woodworking, ceramics, jewelry, basketry, fibers and sculpture. Who know art had such variety?
If you want to go more behind the scenes, the Peachbelt Studio in Fennville offers studio visits to see original oil painting from Dawn Stafford, while the solar-powered Khnemu Studio features resident artist Dawn Soltysiak, who makes handmade art and functional pottery — and you can maybe see some chickens and ducks roaming around while you’re there!
Detroit Weekend Getaway: Architecture, Belle Isle, Riverfront
Rounding up our list for your next Michigan Girls Trip is none other than Detroit.
Start with an architectural tour of the historic city — we’ve prepared one for you — including One Woodward Avenue and McGregor Memorial Conference Center, designed by famed architect Minoru Yamasaki.
Next, visit the famous Belle Isle Park located in the Detroit River. With many historical landmarks such as Belle Isle Aquarium, Belle Isle Casino and Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, this 982-acre island is a perfect picturesque background during your Michigan Girls Trip. My personal favorite spot is the James Scott Memorial Fountain, which lights up at night!
Continuing along the Detroit River is the Detroit Riverfront. The almost-completed East Riverfront spans from Joe Louis Arena to Gabriel Richard. It features destinations such as the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater, a classic City of Detroit entertainment venue, Milliken State Lighthouse, a scaled down replica of the Tawas Point State Park Lighthouse, and the beautiful Riverwalk Garden Rooms, a quiet place to relax while enjoying urban art.
Words can’t describe the beauty of the Riverfront, so you and your girls must see it for yourselves during your next Michigan Girls Trip.
From water getaways to nature exploration, Michigan is full of destinations for your next Michigan Girls Trip, so you never run out of local attractions and oh-so-worth-it areas of relaxation.
More Ideas for Michigan Girlfriends Road Trips and Getaway Ideas
- Take a weekend trip to pet friendly Grand Rapids
- Explore the downtown shops of Harbor Springs
- Explore Little Traverse Bay from Bay Harbor
More Great Places to Travel in Michigan
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About the Author-
SaMya Overall is a Content Writer at mymichiganbeach.com. She is a fourth-year graduating senior at Michigan State University. She currently works as Editor-in-Chief of The State News, Michigan State’s award-winning student media company. Prior to becoming EIC, she worked as a campus reporter and copy chief at The State News. She’s passionate about Detroit and its surrounding area, and is a low-key collegiate sports lover on her free time.