While Michigan’s lower peninsula may not be top of mind for queer travelers, the lower portion of the state is a more diverse one than many people realize. From big-city Pride parades to idyllic queer beach getaways, the state is a great one to explore, especially in the world of COVID-19, where road trips are more desirable to many.
Detroit is synonymous with Michigan for a lot of people, and with good reason. As the 13th largest metro area in the U.S., the city and its environs comprise 40 percent of the state’s population. Motor City Pride is the state’s largest Pride celebration, and the city’s Black Pride celebration, Hotter Than July, is the county’s second oldest such event (this year was the 25th anniversary).
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In addition to a plethora of queer establishments to sample—Soho, Pronto!, Inuendo, Adam’s Apple, Menjo’s, Gigi’s Cabaret, Woodward Bar and Grill—visitors will want to check out the area’s historical sites, from the Underground Railroad to the many venues that influenced Motown and Rock ‘n Roll. Ferndale, one of the area’s gayborhoods, has an openly gay mayor, its second one in a row.
Other nearby community events include Pride events in Windsor, Canada and Ann Arbor, so you can get more Canadian-flavored and collegiate vibes if you so choose. Michigan also boasts a lot of mid-sized cities, each with its own pride events and local flavor: Lansing, Grand Rapids, Bay City, Kalamazoo.
An Unspoiled Corner
We recently ventured to the northwest corner of the lower peninsula to Traverse City and found a welcoming and vibrant area. Home to Up North Pride, the area has an endless supply of beaches, crystal clear water in the Grand Traverse Bay and plenty of interesting shopping. There’s even a gay club located downtown, Side Traxx, a longtime popular local dance spot.
If pampering yourself is important, check into the stunning Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, located about 10 minutes east of downtown. The 16-story hotel tower provides incredible views of the water and surrounding gentle hills. Dinner at the rooftop Aerie Restaurant and Lounge is glorious at sunset, with some amazing seafood options and an impressive wine list, including some nice Michigan wines.
The attached Spa Grand Traverse is a soothing space and ranked as one of the Top 100 spas in the country. While COVID precautions precluded a couple’s massage, we understood the reasons and instead did simultaneous massages in different rooms. Here, as everywhere else we went in the area, people took masks and other precautions seriously, which eased our fears about getting sick.
We also enjoyed a variety of attractions in Traverse City, from the magnificent 450-foot-tall sand dunes at the nearby Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to multiple lighthouses, hiking trails, dozens of area wineries (most with tasting rooms!) and a tall ship cruise on the bay, with the Tall Ship Manitou. The area also boasts some excellent restaurants and is popular in foodie circles. Try the dragon wings appetizer at Red Ginger—you’ll be back for more, trust me.
The city is also well known as one of the main cherry growing regions of the country, and you’ll find everything from cherry candy to cherry pies to cherry wine here. The National Cherry Festival is held nearby each July.
Life’s a Beach
Further south down the Lake Michigan shoreline, and only about a two-hour drive from Chicago, is the scenic Saugatuck/Douglas area. Located just south of Holland, Michigan, this has long been a popular LGBTQ retreat, with picturesque beaches and lovely summers. I’ve heard it described as “the Midwest’s Provincetown,” and that seems an apt description after our visit.
We stayed at The Dunes Resort, one of the largest gay-owned resort in the country. The Dunes is situated on 20 acres, located only about 3/4-mile from the beach. You can choose from motel rooms or a variety of cottages that sleep from one to six guests. There are also some smaller dormitory-style rooms available for the budget-conscious.
The Dunes, with its signature Adirondack chairs painted in rainbow colors, is a wonderful queer haven. It includes a gift shop (with a lot of nice clothing choices), a bar, karaoke area, outdoor nightclub/performance space and a wonderful pool deck that’s been greatly expanded over the years. We met nice couples from all over the Midwest, and there was a fun vibe at the pool all weekend, even with the COVID-19 restrictions.
The resort has a regular series of weekly events, including a piano lounge, great drag shows, karaoke night and poolside DJs. What’s more, there are annual events that people come back for every year, such as Mardi Gras (August), Christmas in July, Venetian Weekend and big celebrations around the Fourth of July and Labor Day. It also brings in major DJs from Chicago, Detroit and beyond.
Saugatuck and smaller Douglas are adorable little towns, which boast a lot of good restaurants, as well as plenty of art galleries and shops. They’re both quite walkable, and the Pride flags are ubiquitous—always a positive sign when exploring a new place.
