Birch Run or Great Lakes Crossings Outlet Mall???
 

Thinking of taking advantage of our strong Canadian dollar and spending a weekend shopping in Michigan. Which of these malls would be best and any recommendations on a B&B nearby or a good deal on a hotel? Any hotels offering at par? Thanks.

Well, it depends on what you are looking for. Great Lakes Crossing is an indoor mall. There are many of the typical outlet stores plus movie theaters and restaurants, including a Rainforest Cafe. Unfortunately, I find I walk around Great Lakes Crossing and very rarely buy anything.

Birch Run is outdoors. You can't really walk the whole thing. You would have to move your car from section to section (or take a trolley, I believe). Great Lakes Crossing and Birch Run do have some of the same stores. There are quite a few hotels/motels in the Birch Run area -- Country Inn and Suites, Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn (I think). I prefer Birch Run because we like going to Frankenmuth too, which is about 20 minutes from Birch Run. Also Bronners' Christmas Store is in Frankenmuth and that can be fun at this time of year.

I don't know about hotels offering par for Canadian funds. I also am not familiar with hotels near Great Lakes Crossing.

I'm sure others will help you out.

I would say Great Lakes Crossing just because I think that the area around it is a little better. Of course, I was raised there so I might be biased ;-). There are hotels in nearby Auburn Hills.

Plus, up the road is Canterbury Village, which is a cute outdoor mall with a really nice Christmas store. Let me know if you have any more questions & I will be more than happy to help!

I live 8 minutes from Great Lakes Crossings. You will find much, much more at Birch Run. There are tons more outlet stores there.

That said, Great Lakes is only 45 minutes from Birch Run. You could easily do both in a weekend. There is a Costco right across I75 from Great Lakes Crossings.

On the other hand, Somerset Collection (mall) is right off of I75 at Big Beaver(exit west and drive about 4 or 5 blocks), on the way from Canada to Great Lakes Crossings and Birch Run. Somerset is about 20 minutes before you get to Great Lakes Crossings. If you get a chance, stop there. This is a fabulous, beautiful mall, with Saks, Nordstom, Coach, William Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, Tiffany, Neiman Marcus, Marshall Field, Benneton, Pottery Barn and many more very nice stores. Also, P.F. Chang's is right in Somerset, as is Capital Grille, California Pizza Kitchen and J. Alexander's. I think you would really enjoy a day spent here. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse is only three blocks away (just west of the expressway one block). McCormick and Schmick's is right behind South Somerset (the mall is on both sides of the street, north and south.) Champps restaurant and bar is just east of I75 on Big Beaver. And across from Champps is a hotel, a Hilton, I believe. There are oher hotels on Big Beaver. I am sure you could find a room easily.

I am from CA but travel to Michigan frequently and I have shopped at all three malls mentioned and LOVE the Somerset Mall but if you are truly looking for an outlet mall you should go to Birch Run. It has tons of stores and it is also so much fun to visit Frankenmuth and Bronner's Christmas Store when in that Area. Birch Run will be busy on a weekend tho. Great Lakes is fine and does have some decent stores but no comparison to the other two in my opinion.

I too would choose Birch Run over Great Lakes Crossing. I don't seem to buy much at Great Lakes Crossing but I always have good luck at Birch Run. Chicken dinner in Frankenmuth is always great and there are several hotels there as well, including one that has several indoor pools for relaxing after a day of shopping.

I agree with the others about Somerset Collection in Troy. Somerset is a beautiful mall with Neimans, Saks, Nordstrom, Marshall Fields and everything in between. If you are looking for "real" shopping versus "outlet" shopping, Somerset would be the #1 choice.

Gosh, I guess I better get back to Birch Run.....never was really impressed with it or the area. Frankenmuth was never really a draw for me either. Lots to be said for giving things a second chance though. We are going up to Frankenmuth this Sunday for a chicken dinner with my g'parents-in-law. They send out b-day coupons for dinners that we're going to use. Maybe we'll poke around the town some & I'll change my mind on the place. I will say; however, that I will NEVER go to Bronner's again! Talk about over-commercialization of Christmas! Geez louise!

I definately second the Somerset Collection rec. Nice "window-shopping" mall, that's for sure!

I'd visit Somerset for a day and then spend the rest of my time in Birch Run/Frankenmuth. The Great Lakes Crossing Mall was highly publicized as some fabulous shopping mecca when they were building it a few years ago, but other than having a large number of low and middle budget stores, in my opinion I find the place to be wholly unimpressive.

If you're looking for outlet shopping, Birch Run Prime Outlets has far more stores than Great Lakes Crossing. Some of the stores at GLC aren't even outlet stores. And someone else mentioned that Frankenmuth is also very close to Birch Run. You coud easily spend the weekend in the area.

And the Somerset Collection may be quite lovely, but cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered an outlet mall. Unless you have loads of money, it's a browsing mall. I work right down the street and we don't even go there for lunch (unless the boss is paying.) :)

Thanks for all who introduced me to Somerset Collection! I live in NW Ohio, have been to both Birch Run and Great Lakes Crossing, but really didn't care for either. Like shopping at Easton in Columbus and Somerset sounds even better. We plan on going soon. Thanks again!

I just want to be clear about Somerset Collection. It is not an outlet mall. It is upscale -- NOT outlet shopping. Great Lakes Crossing and Birch Run are outlets. (I totally agree with the poster who said Great Lakes Crossing is a disappointment. It was hyped so much when it opened. You couldn't buy a parking place LOL. I NEVER find anything at Great Lakes Crossing and have stopped going.)

cassidy2002, how was Frankenmuth last weekend? I would have guessed that a Sunday this time of year would be extremely crowded.

Keith

Keith,
It was extremely crowded. We only went for dinner at Zehnder's (got there at about 4:30 ish) and we had to wait in line to sit. Not worth the wait quality-wise, but they do throw the food at you! Would like to get up there a day and check out the shops. Looks like there's a lot of new shops from the last time I was there.