Strolling St. Joe With My Mum
As a travel writer, it's tempting to focus on the crazy stories and far-out destinations. To channel the inner Bourdain, if you will. But much of the joy derived from travel, especially in your own backyard, comes from simple moments on sunny days spent with good company. Such was the scene while visiting St. Joseph, Michigan with my mum. Given our limey heritage, I use the British spelling.
Upon checking into The Boulevard Inn on a summer Sunday, we immediately spotted the Antiques on the Bluff market sprawled along the narrow park overlooking St. Joe's waterfront. That instigated a curious stroll through downtown, past wineries, sweet treats, and boutiques. From there we made our way down those patriotic steps to the historic carousel, well-populated beach, and dual-lighthouse pier. Evidently, St. Joe has something for all ages and persuasions. Permit me to walk you through it.
A Lay of The Land
St. Joseph sits on the southeast shore of Lake Michigan. If you are driving up from Chicago, it is the first of many beach towns along this stretch of Michigan's coast. Heading the other direction, it is the ideal denouement for anyone working their way south down the dune-lined shoreline. Either way, you arrive in a small, lively community with attractions split into two tiers thanks to a serious lakeside bluff. Up top sits the bulk of the traditional businesses and accommodations. Down below is all beach-day nostalgia.
The Bluff
Lined by Lake Boulevard and Lake Bluff Park, St. Joe's bluff hosts the Antiques on the Bluff each Sunday, plus the monthly Lake Bluff Artisan Fair. But any day is a good day to walk this pedestrian path, take in the panoramic views from its swinging benches, read the historical plaques, and visit the Maids of the Mist Fountain. From there, you are one block off State Street (St. Joe's spiritual main street), or a simple plop down the Bluff Stairs, currently painted as the Statue of Liberty in honor of America's 250th anniversary (there is always a cool mural of some sort up there).
Downtown
Signs indicated that my mum and I just missed the Farmers Market that unfurls across State Street every Saturday. No matter. In the six blocks between Lake and Main (actual Main) and between Elm and Port, there were buskers and flower beds, boutiques and wineries, cafes and chocolate shops, ice cream parlors and eateries of every other kind. Strolling around State Street felt safe and pleasant, with colorful, well-patronized small businesses on every block.
If you're traveling as a family unit, you might want to check out the Curious Kids' Museum or the Krasl Art Center. If you're wandering around with friends, Silver Harbor Brewing Company or the trifecta of tasting rooms (which we'll get to in a minute) could be more your speed. And if you're strolling with your sweet-toothed mother, then you'll probably have to stop in Cabanas and Kilwins for some ice cream and fudge.
The Waterfront
If the downtown is the calm side of St. Joe, the waterfront is the loud one. Descending the Bluff Stairs, we saw kids frolicking in the massive Whirlpool Compass Fountain on our left, one of the largest splash pads in the state. To the right, parents and grandparents watched their progeny spin around the Silver Beach Carousel, a hand-built tribute that opened in 2010 on the site of the original 1910 amusement-park ride. Continuing up Broad Street, Silver Beach revealed itself in all its glory, with the sands packed as far as the eye could see on a fair-weather weekend. Delighted but not in the mood for sunbathing or paddlecraft rentals, we carried on to the piers.
Upping the ante over its Lake Michigan peers, St. Joseph has not one but two walkable piers at the mouth of its namesake river. And not one but two lighthouses on the north pier itself, joined by an elevated catwalk that gave keepers a safer path to the outer light when waves and ice made the pier too dangerous. Plenty of fellow pedestrians were out on both paths, alongside a healthy contingent of kite flyers and anglers. From the south pier, a full and satisfying view of Silver Beach pops like a beachball.
Wine Trail & Other Treats
As above, so below. That is the case when it comes to St. Joe's indulgences. The waterfront specializes in beachside concession stands, food trucks, and a made-to-order pizza booth beside the Amtrak Station. Up top is where the adult beverages come out to play. St. Joe is the biggest tasting-room cluster on the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail, which winds through the Lake Michigan Shore AVA, the southwest corner of the state that holds the great majority of Michigan's vineyards.
If you're more of a beer drinker, then take a turn up Pleasant Street, where you'll find the St. Joe Community Taproom (housed within The Market), and its neighboring Silver Harbor Brewing Company. The former affords shopping amongst the various retailers within the post-industrial community space (i.e. cheese, coffee, crafts, etc.), while the latter has an ample outdoor patio. The best part about all of these venues is that they exist within St. Joe's Social District, meaning you can take your drink in a plastic to-go cup so that you can continue shopping while you sip. How's that for laid back?
St. Joe Is The Place To Go
For years I have been touring Michigan's Lower Peninsula. I have seen the Sleeping Bear Dunes and enigmatic Mushroom Houses in the north, and the Dutch tulips and maritime heritage down here in the south. But for some reason I have passed within mere miles of St. Joseph a number of times between family visits in Sarnia and St. Charles, always assuming it was a rambunctious beach town and not much else. After finally committing a full day here, and with my mother, no less, I saw how broad the appeal of this Great Lake enclave actually is. St. Joe taps into a youthful spirit at lake level. But up on the bluff, the markets, wine trail, and pedestrian-friendly streets do their part for an older audience. Whichever you want on a given weekend, St. Joe has it within a single afternoon's walk. My mum and I will be back.
