6 Best Sights in Saugatuck, Michigan

Just outside of Saugatuck in Fennville, this is one of Michigan's best wineries. Tastings are free, as are the vineyard views. Educational wine-tasting tours last just under two hours. In winter and spring the tours include time in the wine cellar, while autumn means a trip to the vineyard. Check the winery's website when planning your visit—you may be able to take in one of the events hosted here. These range from a casual chili cook-off to winemaker's dinners, and cooking classes are also occasionally offered.

On Saugatuck's most scenic beach, the park, which has 100 acres of protected sand dunes, attracts close to 200,000 visitors each year for its walking trails and the mile-long shoreline. Comfortable shoes are a must as the dunes can be challenging to climb. Barbecue grills and picnic-table sets are available and there is a seasonal concession stand. Viewing nightly sunsets over the beach is a favorite activity for locals.

A goal to provide high-quality, year-round arts programming to people of all ages and backgrounds in the Saugatuck area led to the establishment in 2003 of this nonprofit organization. Housed in a former pie factory (the 420-seat theater used to be the freezer), it fits right into the artsy Saugatuck feel and achieves its mission with gallery exhibits, arts classes for adults and children, live musical performances, two film festivals—one for children—and professional Broadway-caliber shows like "Avenue Q" and "Cabaret" in the Mason Street Warehouse Theatre.

Originally used to transport horses across the Kalamazoo River, this fringy little ferry is now a top tourist attraction. Built in 1857, it's the only hand-cranked chain ferry left in the country. It takes about 200 cranks and about five minutes for the U.S. Coast Guard-inspected vessel to float the 100 yards across the river.

Designed for thrill seekers and nature buffs alike, the dune rides are a popular activity and many claim your visit is not complete until you have viewed the region from a towering sand dune. Included in a 40-minute ride along rolling dunes on Lake Michigan, seated in a 20-passenger customized schooner, are historical facts about the region. To protect yourself from flying sand, be sure to wear closed-toe shoes and sunglasses. Plenty of stops along the way provide photo opportunities.

Located 10 miles north of Sautatuck, the Felt Mansion is a peek into how the wealthy lived along the Midwest's Riviera in the 1920s and '30s. The 12,000-square-foot home was built between 1925 and 1928 on Shore Acres Farm as the Felt family's summer home. It remained in the family until 1949. After that, the home became a seminary for young men and was later used by the State of Michigan for office space. Massive restoration efforts have returned the Georgian mansion and elaborate gardens to their full glory, as they were during the late 1920s. In addition to self-guided tours, guided tours are available upon request.