Saugatuck, MichiganThe drive: 2.5 hours

You know how when you’re stressed out, people say, “Think about your happy place”? When I think of mine, I imagine sitting on my yoga mat on a wide wood-planked deck overlooking Lake Michigan, listening to the waves and the birds and taking in the deep blue of the water. Even just typing this has lowered my heart rate.

When I first learned about Lake Shore Resort, a third-generation family-owned motel in Saugatuck, in the summer of 2020, I was drawn to the idea of eating breakfast alfresco and relaxing in the beautifully renovated property, which has a midcentury modern aesthetic. It was too late to snag a booking that year, so we stayed in nearby Holland instead, but drove by the resort to take a peek. We fell in love with the landscaping and the location, just across the road from the water. Next year, we promised. 

We made good on that in 2021 and every year since. Landing a room requires some planning — bookings for the entire season open at 7 a.m. on April 15 — but there are often cancellations. On my last visit, the West Loop residents we chatted with at the fire pits had snagged a spot only the day before.

The 30-unit property is arranged in a horseshoe shape, so each room offers a glimpse of Lake Michigan. But for me, Lake Shore Resort is best enjoyed outside. Guests gather on the deck for the daily breakfast, which is always good (I alternate between the tomato-and-basil-topped bagel and the whitefish toast with a poached egg). If there’s a yoga class, I’ll do that, and if it’s nice out, I’ll sit with a book by the pool or in one of the comfy chairs arranged around the grounds. If it’s rainy, I’ll post up at the airy little lodge, where there’s coffee and daily newspapers. 

One evening each stay, we pick up a Spicy Sicily pizza from Marro’s Italian Restaurant so we can eat it and drink wine while watching the sun set over the water. Then we head to the fire pits with the rest of our bottle as the sun disappears over the lake.