Welcome to the Garden Grove Inn
A boutique bed and breakfast nestled in the woods near Lake Michigan's Sunset Coast…
Meet Garden Grove Inn - a 100-year-old farmhouse that is a peaceful enclave in the heart of Harbor Country, just an hour/under two hours from Chicago. This popular bed and breakfast destination was once a fruit farm and has long been recognized as a beautiful escape for guests to enjoy the magnificence of Lake Michigan and its sandy beach, rolling hills, beautiful forests, and sand dunes making for endless opportunities for adventure and relaxation.
The Ultimate Garden Grove Experience- With its country cottage charm, the seven-guestroom bed and breakfast offers guests a perfect home base to explore the beaches and all that Harbor County has to offer, including water sports, hiking in nature, biking, wineries, breweries, shopping and more. After your days of exploration, come back to the inn and relax in the peaceful gardens, enjoy a romantic soak in your double jacuzzi tub or retreat near your cozy fireplace. Each spacious room has its own private bathroom and comfortable sitting area. Breakfast is a feast each morning and is included in your room rate. Homemade and "egg-centric" and accented with sweets, guests are fortified for the day with healthy, locally sourced ingredients, including fresh farm eggs from Verdant Hollow Farms.
Unique experiences at The Garden Grove Inn
Romance
Rekindle your romantic side with a fun getaway to Garden Grove Inn. Five of the seven rooms include double jacuzzi tubs and lovely fireplaces. Reconnect with that special someone as you stand with your feet in the sand while you experience a spectacular sunset over Lake Michigan or enjoy a delightful evening checking out the many breweries and wineries close by.
Foodie
Foodie experiences are endless in the area, including eight towns of local farms and orchards that feed into the food culture. Innkeeper Hillary has many local recommendations on how to "Live Like A Local," including a farm-to-table dinner at Granor Farms, enjoying the local vibes at Gather, or a romantic Italian meal at Brewster's New Buffalo.
Adventure
The Harbor County area offers a variety of activities to pique many different interests- including bike and walking trails, kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding, or a faster pin addition, the Waverunner. The inn has bikes for you to borrow, a beautiful way to connect with nature at a much slower pace and explore the wooded forests and beaches nearby.
Craft Beer
Innkeeper Hillary loves to recommend local breweries to her guests and fondly compares Bed and Breakfasts to Craft Breweries; both offer a more personal connection with Local Experiences instead of commercial hoteliers or home rentals. Union Pier's own Seedz Brewery is close by and is agriculturally driven, using locally-sourced ingredients. You can check out this MBBA blog to find other Michigan Breweries.
Cool City
Union Pier is located within the larger area of Harbor Country, which comprises eight small towns. It is intrinsically tied to the land, first through the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, the original inhabitants of this area, and later as a popular weekend getaway destination, particularly for Chicagoans looking to enjoy the region's beaches and forest-covered countryside brimming with orchards, farmstand and vineyards.
Wine Trail
You can "Live like a Local" when you taste local wines and chat with those who make them at Harbor Country's many beautiful vineyards, wineries, and tasting rooms. All are within easy driving distance, and two wine-tasting rooms are within walking distance from the Garden Grove Inn. You can also take a self-guided tour of the fifteen area vineyards. Private charters and hop-on tours are available if you prefer not to worry about driving.
Natural Wonders
Along with the beautiful beaches, this area also includes some breathtaking sand dunes that can be enjoyed in the Warren Dunes State Park. Here you will find 1,952 acres of recreational opportunities and rugged dune formations that rise 260 feet above the lake, offering spectacular views. In addition, the park has three miles of shoreline and six miles of hiking trails- open year-round and pet-friendly.
Waterways
Some landscapes are best explored from the water. Meandering along the Galien River via kayak or paddleboard is a beautiful way to experience the rare Great Lakes wetland area. Check out the three-mile Galien River Marsh Trail- perfect for beginners, the trail is wide, calm, and blessedly quiet, save for the splash of your paddle and the surrounding wildlife.
Events
A popular quiet season event at the Garden Grove Inn includes Destination Book Club Weekends, where guests gather to discuss a particular book with the author. Check the inn's blog and website for current events.
Historic Charm
The inn is filled with historic charm, and it is fun to imagine the area as a large orchard near the beach. Each individual town in Harbor County also carries its unique vibe and history.
Culture
The area is filled with old fashion entertainment, including the Acorn Theatre, where you can enjoy a live performance, and Vickers Theatre Cinema in Three Oaks.
Autumn
The fall season brings gorgeous weather, fewer crowds, and brilliant colors to Harbor Country. Especially popular are the biking and hiking trails in the area, the Apple Cider Century Bike Ride that takes place each year, U-Pick Fruit, and pumpkin patches. You are in for a real treat visiting the vineyards in the fall as the grapes are being harvested- beautiful colors and enticing grape aromas will have you booking your stay for the following fall.
Winter Fun
The inn has snow shoes available during your stay. It's also a fun time to bundle up and walk the beaches at sunset and cuddle by the fire afterward.
Dog Friendly
Garden Grove Inn has three pet-friendly rooms, and many breweries and wineries are pet friendly.
