New Year’s Eve Edition

And that’s a wrap people. Well, almost. Saturday marks the endgame scene for 2011. If you’re up for a night imbibing in the Viagra Triangle environs, heck, go for it. Our strategy? Get out of Dodge. Where to go? The Kingsley House Bed and Breakfast Inn in Fennville, Michigan, where the closest you’ll get to a mosh pit of beverage-fortified partiers marauding through a balloon drop is watching shooting stars from the inn’s wraparound front porch. (Although if you really do want to get crazy, you can drive 10 miles to Saugatuck and watch the fireworks go off over the harbor at midnight). We also love the Kingsley House’s New Year’s Eve chocolate buffet, the room service Champagne option, and the inn’s lavish New Year’s Day brunch. All in all, this is a recipe for starting 2012 with just the right balance of serenity and decadence.

GO The Kingsley House Bed and Breakfast Inn, 626 W. Main St., Fennville; 866-561-6425, kingsleyhouse.com). Rates range from $139 to $299 a night.

Where to stay: If the Kingsley House is sold out, try the Lake Shore Resort (2885 Lake Shore Dr., Saugatuck; 269-857-7121, lakeshoreresortsaugatuck.com), which is five minutes from Saugatuck’s downtown and overlooks Lake Michigan; rates from $170 to $190 a night.

Where to eat: Salt of the Earth (114 E. Main St., Fennville; 269-561-7258, saltoftheearthfennville.com) offers a seasonal menu of locally sourced dishes to tempt carnivores (“whole hog” pizza covered in bacon and sausage made at the restaurant) and vegetarians (four-cheese cavatappi) alike.

Photograph: Courtesy of The Kingsley House Bed and Breakfast