Looking for romantic getaway in Ohio/Michigan

November 10, 2006 8:30 AM

I'm in the greater Toledo area and I'm looking for a romantic weekend getaway location in the surrounding area for thanksgiving weekend. I'm fairly new to the area and don't know the nice places to go and stay. Its an anniversary, so I want somewhere kind of romantic, like maybe a resort hotel or something. But it needs to be somewhere that won't just be cold and dead in late November.

The perfect spot would be somewhere within a 2 or 3 hour drive of here, which has a nice hotel - maybe in a small town with some shopping and a few nice restaurants. I'm essentially looking for somewhere like Sonoma in California; but in Southern Michigan or NW Ohio. Am I just dreaming?

posted by heh3d to travel & transportation (8 comments total)

How about Holland, Michigan?
posted by hollygoheavy at 9:01 AM on November 10, 2006

Hmm... Chelsea is a nice little town west of Ann Arbor with an excellent restaurant. I don't know about any hotels though.

The Mackinack Island area is a little outside your 2-3 hour range, but may fit your other requirements. (No personal experience, as we've only just driven past it on our way to the UP)

We've found the UP to still be very pretty in late october, so it might not be entirely dead by Thanksgiving.
posted by GeekAnimator at 9:04 AM on November 10, 2006

It would be about 3 hours for you, but Chagrin Falls, OH might be an option. It's a "quaint" town outside of Cleveland with a nice inn and number of little restaurants & shops. It sits on the Chagrin River and the focal point of the town is the Falls and the Popcorn Shop next to it.

I grew up there, so I have a love/hate relationship with it, but it might be just what you're looking for. I can't say that it's a hopping place, but it's a very pretty area of Ohio (rolling hills) and the town itself is nice to walk around. As a possible bonus, it's only about 20 minutes to Cleveland which, while not the greatest city in the world, has a few things to offer.
posted by imbri at 9:07 AM on November 10, 2006

I would say Mackinac Island is a good place to go. it would probably be more like 5 or 6 hours for you but it fits all of your other requirements. Also, a drive through michigan this time of year can be a beautiful scenic trip.
posted by Bjkokenos at 9:17 AM on November 10, 2006

imbri, did you ever meet Bill Watterson?

heh3d, add another couple hours on your trip and you could get to northern lower Michigan, which has many excellent resorts and restaurants. Think Petosky/Harbor Springs, or Glen Arbor, or Traverse City.
posted by pardonyou? at 12:53 PM on November 10, 2006

Put-In-Bay. It's a bay where you put your boat in the water, on an island in Lake Erie. The ferries have stopped running for the winter, but you can still get there. Just fly your personal plane. All true Ohioans have pilot's licenses, by the way. It has something to do with the Wright Brothers and Neil Armstrong (and John Glenn).
posted by billtron at 1:01 PM on November 10, 2006

I don't think you are dreaming--Bell Tower Hotel Ann Arbor (small intimate European atmosphere) 45 minutes, numerous excellent restaurants in A2. As noted, many many fine places in Harbor Springs area (5 hours). Hall house Kalamazoo Michigan, next to Kalamazoo College--very good restaurants in Kalamazoo (specifics on request) shopping not as good as A2. Have a wonderful time
posted by rmhsinc at 7:22 PM on November 10, 2006

If you're willing to drive to the other side of Michigan (west coast of the lower pennisula) the Saugatuck / Douglas area seems quite nice. A few friends of mine make it a regular retreat area, and some coworkers have gone their for a (reportedly wonderful) portion of their honeymoon.
posted by c0nsumer at 10:27 PM on November 10, 2006