Berrien County — Sandy beaches, sunsets, wine trails, farm-fresh cuisine and a chance to be close to nature are all what draw folks from across the Great Lakes to Michigan’s southwest communities.
The new hot phrase for the area is “the Hamptons of the Midwest,” and it’s catching on. Locals say the interest from Chicago and other out-of-state communities has been growing since the COVID pandemic, but there is plenty up the coast of Lake Michigan that has been attracting people for years.
When you visit, you can see the Chicago influence. The sports bars cheer on the Cubs and ice cream stands offer hot dogs not with chili and onions, but bright green relish and sport peppers. In spite of this, Chicago has award-winning cuisine and cocktails, and that high bar seems to be making a good impression.
“We really enjoy the community, the people, the food. It’s really starting to build and scale into this really charming, unique getaway from larger metropolitan areas,” said Justin Cohen, a former Chicago native who now calls the New Buffalo area home.
He and his wife, Jeana Anderson Cohen, are launching Petit Acres there this month. The 4.25-acre retreat has 12 private homes that can be rented out individually or all at once. The grounds are design-forward and aim to foster meaningful gathering and have a focus on “wellness,” which is one of the fastest-growing factions of the travel industry. Conde Nast Traveler reports that the wellness travel market is expected to reach $1.4 trillion by next year.
“At the center of the Petit Acres is all about how people connect, how people are able to reset and experience nature,” said Cohen.
The Cohens said picking the New Buffalo community — the larger area is referred to as Harbor Country — to grow their new venture was easy because of what it has and also what it doesn’t have.
“The wine trail, the microbreweries, the food … everyone we’ve met here is so collaborative and always willing to introduce you to the next person,” said Cohen. “There’s no gatekeeping here. There’s no ego. It’s really been fun to build here.”
Here are more highlights that are drawing visitors and developers to southwestern Michigan.
6 big reasons to visit southwestern Michigan
Beaches
Silver Beach in St. Joseph is a great day out with a pier, sandy beach, playground and a splash pad, and it is walkable to the shops and restaurants in downtown St. Joseph. If a beach with a carousel isn’t enough to make your twee heart flutter with sentimentality, the sunsets here will surely etch memories into your soul.
Further south, New Buffalo has sandy beachfront among its harbors and lakefront parks. You can rent kayaks and paddleboards nearby, or trek up the hill to the shops, bars and restaurants.
If you’re lucky to find parking near Cherry Beach in between these two and have the mobility to traverse the wooden stairs, the quiet, secluded destination is worth it.
Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer also has three miles of shoreline, plus hiking, picnicking and nearby camping.
Chef-driven restaurants
PostBoy, which is a short walk from New Buffalo Beach, is probably the newest chef-driven restaurant. Chef James Galbraith was long-listed for a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes in PostBoy’s first year, a notable feat.
About 20 minutes away, you have Granor Farm in Three Oaks, where culinary director Abra Berens and her team offer cooking classes, workshops and special dinners with guest chefs. It’s as farm-to-table as it gets with the greenhouse dining room just 50 yards from the fields. There are also specific hours you can come and shop the farm store for fresh and certified organic produce, herbs and flowers, and take a self-guided tour to visit the chickens or meet the farmers.
Heading north, the Chef’s House is a popular new spot in St. Joseph’s that just opened inside the Market last year with French and other European-influenced cuisine. The Market itself is a destination. The indoor farmers market and culinary cornucopia is open daily year-round. The chef in the house at Chef’s House is Chicago native Justin Paruszkiewicz, who you may have seen winning an episode of “Guy’s Grocery Games” on the Food Network.
Also in St. Joseph, chef Thrijani Kantareddy’s strip mall restaurant KT’s Rasoi Indian Cuisine is a must-stop to spice up your trip. Lunch is a simple combo plate (vegetarian or protein of the day), but dinnertime has more options, including samosa, dosi, butter chicken, dum biryani and more. She also sells Indian beer and desserts.
Wine
This area is a wine-lover’s paradise. There are so many small tasting rooms to visit, shops to explore and bottles to pop open. Scope them out on your own, or use the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail to help guide you to tasting rooms that offer samples and information. Visit miwinetrail.com.
Darling downtowns
Michigan is rightfully known for its freshwater lakes, but how lucky are we to also have all these cute, quaint downtown pockets? Don’t go to southwestern Michigan without a stroll through Three Oaks. Just five miles from the shore, this village has everything you’d need to entertain you for a day: restaurants, public art, antique shopping and live entertainment. Visit the Acorn Theater for performing arts or the Vickers for movies. Also along the strip of Elm Street is the Journeyman Distillery, which has a tasting room, tours and even lodging.
St. Joseph’s downtown area is several blocks within walking distance of Silver Lake. Restaurants offer American, Chinese, Italian, Mexican and French cuisine, plus there are wine tasting opportunities, breweries, art galleries, a children’s museum and loads of shopping at all price points. Foodies, don’t miss the Olive Cart, a boutique that sells flavored olive oils, aged balsamic vinegars and other items to zhuzh up your cooking or grazing board at home. (And you can sample everything!)
Wellness
Some travel to drink and eat, but lately, many adults are looking for ways to improve their mind and body during a vacation. For you, that may mean a traditional spa experience like the one at the Harbor Grand Hotel in New Buffalo. The phone-free, adults-only oasis has a saltwater pool with a view of the water, a jacuzzi and services like facials, red-light therapy and massages.
The New Buffalo area also has the Dancing Feet Yoga studio, which has sound bath events, pilates and more. At the aforementioned Petit Acres, which is hosting free open house events this weekend, there’s a focus on balancing activity and recovery. Hit the gym, sweat it out in the sauna or take a dip into a cold plunge. The property also has quiet yurts and nature trails.
For something a little different, but within the wellness space, take about a 20 minute drive inland from the Warren Dunes State Park area to Verdant Hollow Farms for a one-hour, slow-paced hike through woods and pastures with a herd of goats. The hikes, $25 per person, run May through October and are suitable for people older than five. Wear good shoes and leave the dogs and strollers at home. There is also lodging here (through Airbnb) and shopping opportunities for goat milk soap, cheese, eggs, chicken and more.
Casinos
The Four Winds casino in New Buffalo is a secluded gaming destination with a hotel, shopping, restaurants (including a buffet) and a concert hall with everything from live jazz to drag queens. The gaming floor has nearly 2,000 slot machines, plus table games, high-limit area and a sportsbook. There are other Four Winds Casino locations in the area in Hartford and Dowagiac, but the New Buffalo resort is the third largest casino in Michigan.
mbaetens@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Community in southwest Michigan is called the Hamptons of the Midwest
Reporting by Melody Baetens, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Melody Baetens, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
