Northern Michigan Road Trip Part 1: Bellaire
A couple of weekends ago, I had the amazing opportunity to go on a northern Michigan road trip with Pure Michigan up to Bellaire and Alpena! I absolutely live for these weekend trips in Michigan, road tripping around, checking out new-to-me places and some old favorites. I had never been to Bellaire before, so I was really excited to get out and explore the town… especially to visit Short’s Brewing, since I’ve heard so many good things about it. I was able to see a little bit of fall color, sample some amazing brews, and get a small feel for the town… but I already can’t wait to go back and explore more! Read on for all of the spots I visited and ate at during my time in Bellaire! I’ll be back with a part 2 from my time in Alpena. Autumn is the best time to road trip in Michigan, amiright?!
TOONIE’S FISH & STEAKHOUSE
Friday night, I headed up to Bellaire as quickly as I could after I got out of work! It’s about a 2.5 hour drive from Grand Rapids, or 3.75 hour drive from Detroit. First stop was to Toonie’s Fish & Steakhouse. It’s a local favorite, and it’s in a great location right in the Heart of Bellaire. I went for their Friday night all-you-can-eat fish fry… which was delish! I also LOVED that they had local wines available, so I went for the Torch Lake Cellars blackberry wine, which was my absolute favorite. Toonie’s was great though, I’d definitely recommend! They have breakfast, lunch and dinner available too.
SHANTY CREEK RESORTS
For lodging in Bellaire, I stayed at Shanty Creek Resorts at the Lakeview Hotel. This place was so fun! When I arrived and got inside, it just felt so lively in there, and the staff was super welcoming. The room I stayed in was amazing! Very retro-vibes, and it was massive with a small kitchenette and whirlpool tub… along with an awesome lakefront view. The patio situation was so fun; and provided an awesome lookout of the lake and the grounds. For breakfast in the morning, they serve up Starbucks, and have three different restaurants on-site. I wish I had more time to spend here, because there is literally so much to do. Dining, golfing, skiing, you name it. Such a great place to stay during my time in Bellaire!
On Saturday, I ventured out to explore downtown Bellaire as much as I could! It’s SO quaint… I love it. Everything is in walking distance, there are so many cute shops to stroll through, places to grab a beverage, or a snack, etc. It was pretty gray and rainy the entire time I was exploring downtown, so I was thankful for the many cute shops and restaurants to stop into.
M88 MORNING GRIND
First stop of the day was to grab coffee and a quick breakfast at M88 Morning Grind. I tried their vanilla cinnamon latte with oat milk (yummm), the quiche of the day, along with a slice of pumpkin bread that was so good! All the autumn vibes! Plus, they had plenty of socially-distanced tables to sit at and I was able to snag one right by the fireplace. But yeah, definitely a cute place to stop by for a quick and easy breakfast and a delicious coffee to start your day off!
THE 45TH APPAREL
Named after Bellaire’s proximity to the northern 45th parallel—the halfway point between the North Pole and the Equator — The 45th Apparel is a Michigan-inspired gifts and outdoor recreation clothing store! The staff was super welcoming when I walked in, and they had so many different options for t-shirts, sweatshirts, you name it.
SHORT’S BREWING COMPANY
Next stop was to Short’s Brewing Company, of course! I think anyone who has been to Bellaire would agree this is a must-visit in Bellaire. I sampled five different drinks (including a few ciders on tap) and everything was so good. I especially loved their Soft Parade Shandy. The staff was so awesome, everything was socially-distanced, food and drinks were delicious. (Be sure to make a reservation if you’re planning on coming through though!) I ordered the “Loop De Loop”, which is their soft pretzels served with beer mustard, peanut butter and Soft Parade jam (!!!) and Huma cheese dip. SO GOOD. I also tried the pulled pork and bacon pizza, which was amazing. And it was so great to get a little preview of their NEW beer they just announced — the Pure Michigan Autumn IPA, which is an India Pale Ale made with all Michigan ingredients. Pretty much fall in a glass! It’ll be available on October 2nd, so keep a look out for it!
BEE WELL MEAD & CIDER
After lunch, I decided to grab one more drink at Bee Well Mead & Cider, since I heard such great things! It’s all hand-created meads and ciders… all super unique and flavorful. I loved the cozy atmopshere, and reclaimed wood decor. Again, everyone in Bellaire was so kind and welcoming, the staff was amazing. There wasn’t a place to sit when I arrived, so the staff made me a special little area to taste a few ciders before a table opened up and recommended some of their favorite ciders. A great experience. They have ciders like Antrim Apple Pie Mead, and Ginger Peach Mead, along with Ghost Cider and White’s Harvest Cider. Definitely worth a visit.
GRASS RIVER NATURAL AREA
Bellaire has so many outdoor places to visit just outside of their quaint downtown area. Grass River Natural Area (GRNA) houses more than 1,400 acres of protected nature for you to explore. Their education center helps visitors learn more about the area, and their staff of naturalists can make suggestions on which trail is best for you. If you’re heading to this area, the boardwalks are easy to walk through the terrain and allow viewings of unique wetland plants and wildlife up-close! Plus the fresh air was amazing, and it smelled so good in this area with the fresh rain. I loved exploring for a little bit before I hopped into the car again!
I hope you enjoyed my quick trip to Bellaire! I’ll be back with a part 2 in Alpena! Be sure to check out the Pure Michigan Autumn IPA from Short’s Brewing, available on October 2nd. And thank you to Pure Michigan for sponsoring this amazing weekend trip.