Have you explored downtown Grayling in Northern Michigan? Make a date out of it! Jillian Tremonti, Executive Director of Grayling Main Street, has great suggestions for every couple:
An Arts and Culture Outing
For the creative & artisan types, grab a coffee and a handmade baked good at Coffee by Steph. Peruse the AuSable Artisan Village for artwork and gifts from local artists, then pop across the road to check out Main Branch Gallery. Spend some time scouring the racks at Hidden Nook Booksellers, then stop for lunch or dinner at Paddle Hard for an interesting and tasty experience. Finish the day by tucking into Rialto Theater for a movie night, making a pit stop at Rotten Princess Records East to check out the record and skate shop.
For the Couple Who Loves to Shop
Hoping to make it a day of shopping? Breakfast at Grayling Restaurant will start customers off right. Shopping at The Curator will be a delightful start to the trip, followed up by heading down the road to White Pine & Petals, which also houses Bob & Son’s specialty foods. Pineview Military Surplus makes for an interestingly useful and fascinating trip and is well positioned for final a stop at The Old Lumberyard Shoppe, which showcases dozens of merchant booths inside, featuring anything from antiques to home décor to apparel and more. There isn’t much like ending a hefty shopping day with a good piece of pizza, which you can find at Bear’s Den Pizzeria.
A Perfect Michigander Date
Michigan pride can be felt strong with breakfast or brunch (and a morning cocktail) at Michigan Brew, where all beverages and most of the ingredients are Michigan-made & -sourced. Dive into some real state love at Tip’n the Mitten with a wide variety of gifts, snacks, and beverages, all sourced from the Mitten, not forgetting to buy your sweetie a bouquet of flowers from Flowers by Josie while you’re in the building. Ron’s Fly Shop will help prepare you and your date for your next outdoor adventure, and then cozy up next to the AuSable River at Ray’s BBQ, Brews & Blues, for a uniquely Grayling experience to top the date off.
A Classic Grayling Day
Folks who like to keep it classic, start with coffee and a donut from Goodale’s Bakery, then peruse through North Country Corner for well-made goods and gifts, and pop next door to AuSable Gifts for a truly unique Grayling souvenir. Cap the date off with a visit to Spike’s Keg-O-Nails, home of the Spike Burger, where you’ll be taken care of like a regular.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your sweetheart and head to Grayling for your next date! Start at downtowngrayling.com.
Jillian Tremonti is the Executive Director of Grayling Main Street.