12 Romantic Getaways in Michigan You'll Love
Whether your special celebration revolves around Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or simply a long weekend away without the kids, there are plenty of romantic getaways in Michigan that you'll love.
1. Experience the Grand Hotel – Mackinac Island
Michigan’s favorite historic hotel, and one of its most elegant, the Grand Hotel treats guests like royalty. Enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride on an island where automobiles are strictly prohibited. Dig into a plate of locally-caught whitefish in the hotel’s Main Dining Room, where picture windows overlook the Straits of Mackinac and nearby Mackinaw City. And sip an after-dinner cocktail from a rocking chair on the Grand Hotel’s porch, the longest in the world. Afterward, you can snuggle under the covers in one-of-a-kind guestrooms brilliantly designed by Dorothy Draper.
2. Relax at the Victorian Inn on Ferry Street – Detroit
Once a collection of four elegant, upper middle-class houses, the Inn on Ferry Street was restored to its original grandeur in the 1990s, with beautifully-polished hardwood banisters, period furniture and artwork. Enjoy a gourmet breakfast at the inn before exploring the Cultural Center, home to such Detroit landmarks as the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroit Historical Museum. Nearby Midtown offers opportunities to shop at Shinola and Jack White’s Third Man Records, and dine at La Feria for Spanish Tapas or Selden Standard for locally-sourced dinners.
3. Ski and Hike the Dunes – Ludington
Ludington’s rolling dunes make for romantic beach walks no matter the season. Stay for a weekend in this Lake Michigan town, getting cozy at a bed and breakfast like the Inn at Ludington or the historic Lamplighter Bed and Breakfast. Ludington State Park offers year-round hiking and groomed cross-country ski trails, while PM Steamers promises great food, classic cocktails and sunset views that are out of this world.
4. Relive your Student Years at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor’s quaint downtown, boutique shopping and creative restaurants make this busy university town feel romantic. Catch a game at the Big House or an independent film at the historic Michigan Theater before heading to the centrally-located VinBar, which serves up wines from northern Michigan wineries like Black Star Farms, Mawby and Good Harbor Vineyards. If you prefer beer, try the Wolverine State Brewing Company Tap Room. Stroll Ann Arbor’s pedestrian-friendly streets before digging into dinner at Pacific Rim, Knight’s Steakhouse or Zingerman’s Roadhouse. When it’s time to call it a day, the Graduate Ann Arbor hotel celebrates the Wolverines with a University of Michigan-themed decor.
5. Shoot Selfies at a Lighthouse – Northport
There’s nothing like an elegant lighthouse to add romance to your getaway. The Grand Traverse Lighthouse, located in the Leelanau State Park, sits at the tip of Northport surrounded by hiking trails and the vast beauty of Lake Michigan. Its mirrored surface reflects the light of a million stars after dark. The village of Northport is cozy and quaint. Take a romantic stroll to the marina before drinks at the Mitten Brewing Company. Be sure to have breakfast at the Tribune before leaving, with daily specials made from locally-grown produce.
6. See the U.P.’s Autumn Color Explosion – Copper Harbor
Set at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Copper Harbor promises a road trip that you won’t soon forget. A drive along the peninsula’s Lake Superior shoreline offers views of crashing surf, elegant lighthouses and moored fishing boats. And Brockway Mountain Drive delivers stunning views of the landscape, images that peak in autumn, when hardwood trees burst into brilliant orange and yellow. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge makes a good overnight stop, its central dining lodge, cozy wooded cabins and 9-hole golf course dating from the WPA era in 1934.
7. Experience German Hospitality – Frankenmuth
Old World gemütlichkeit abounds in Frankenmuth, with Bavarian-influenced dining, one-of-a-kind shops and Michigan’s oldest brewery. Overnight at Zehnder’s Spalsh Village Hotel & Waterpark or the Bavarian Inn Lodge, the latter with a 35-bell glockenspiel, for cozy lodging reminiscent of German hotels. A romantic covered bridge, Michigan’s largest, crosses the Cass River with lovely water views. And you can cheer your significant other at Frankenmuth Brewery Inc.
8. Get Away from It All – Ishpeming
Everything is more romantic in the Upper Peninsula, where civilization seems far away, the beauty of nature surrounds you and the nighttime sky feels impossibly large. The small town of Ishpeming offers beautiful, locally-owned shops and restaurants perfect for refueling after a long day of hiking, skiing or snowmobiling at nearby Van Riper State Park or Craig Lake State Park. Mama Mia’s Italian Restaurant is the perfect spot to have a quiet dinner for two and fine wine after a day of exploring Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula. And in nearby Marquette, accommodations in the historic Landmark Inn overlook Lake Superior.
9. Linger in the Vineyards – Traverse City
The cozy, art-themed rooms and generous wine tastings at Chateau Chantal may just tempt you to stay indoors. But this inn’s setting on Traverse City’s Old Mission Peninsula marks the heart of northern Michigan’s premier wine region. Check out the tasting rooms at nearby Chateau Grand Traverse or other stops along the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail for a weekend of wine tasting for two.
10. Live Like Royalty at the Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton Hotel – Grand Rapids
West Michigan’s premier luxury hotel makes it easy to plan a romantic getaway. When the hotel opened as the Pantlind in 1916, it unveiled one of the world’s largest gold leaf ceilings and two stunning crystal chandeliers. The hotel’s ornate ceilings remain in the Amway Grand Plaza’s lobby areas, as does the beautifully paneled Lumber Baron Bar and seven other restaurants and bars. You’ll feel even more pampered after a couple’s massage in the hotel spa.
11. Indulge in Sophisticated Elegance at The H Hotel – Midland
Set deep within Saginaw Bay in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region, the H Hotel pampers its visitors with contemporary art and chic design in the heart of Midland. Enjoy a romantic dinner for two in the hotel’s elegant Table restaurant, or sip champagne in the cozy Bar Oxygen, decorated in orange and copper hues. Area activities range from the quiet beauty of the Dow Gardens to the 30-mile, paved Pere Marquette Rail Trail; from architectural tours of the mid-century Alden B. Dow Home and Studio to the raucous fun of a Great Lakes Loons Minor League Baseball game.
12. Plan a Golf or Ski Getaway at Boyne Mountain Resort – Boyne Falls
Petoskey is the perfect up-north getaway for a romantic weekend. Beautiful beaches line the Lake Michigan shore, and no matter the season, they lie scattered with Michigan’s state stone, the Petoskey stone. The Boyne Mountain Resort hotel, located just south of Petoskey in Boyne Falls, offers spectacular rural views as well as plenty of outdoor recreation. In summer, play two 18-hole championship golf courses. In winter, 60 downhill runs and 35 kilometers of groomed cross-country trails expose visitors to Michigan’s great outdoors.