Outdoor Activities
Weko Beach ($10 parking fee or $50 annual pass) is about 1.5 miles away. Pet-friendly at the south end of the beach (the boardwalk will lead you there), which tends to be a lot less crowded anyway. Lot can be full by noon, but folks start to leave around 4pm. Be sure to squeeze in at least one sunset.
52 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Weko Beach
5239 Lake StWeko Beach ($10 parking fee or $50 annual pass) is about 1.5 miles away. Pet-friendly at the south end of the beach (the boardwalk will lead you there), which tends to be a lot less crowded anyway. Lot can be full by noon, but folks start to leave around 4pm. Be sure to squeeze in at least one sunset.
Warren Dunes State Park ($12 parking fee), about 3 miles away. HUGE beach with a ton of parking. Tends to be more crowded than Weko.
289 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Iparke yaseWarren Dunes
12032 Red Arrow HwyWarren Dunes State Park ($12 parking fee), about 3 miles away. HUGE beach with a ton of parking. Tends to be more crowded than Weko.
“Floral Lane” access to Warren Dunes (just google “Floral Lane”) is about 2 miles away. No parking fee. After parking, you’ll hike about 1.5 miles through some woods and over some dunes to get to a very secluded beach. Careful, the sand can be very hot. Pet-friendly.
Floral Lane
Floral Lane“Floral Lane” access to Warren Dunes (just google “Floral Lane”) is about 2 miles away. No parking fee. After parking, you’ll hike about 1.5 miles through some woods and over some dunes to get to a very secluded beach. Careful, the sand can be very hot. Pet-friendly.
Grand Mere State Park (no parking fee) is about 5.6 miles away. After parking, you’ll hike about 1.5 miles through some woods and over some dunes to get to a very secluded but narrow beach. Hot sand here, too. Pet-friendly.
67 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Grand Mere State Park
7337 Thornton DriveGrand Mere State Park (no parking fee) is about 5.6 miles away. After parking, you’ll hike about 1.5 miles through some woods and over some dunes to get to a very secluded but narrow beach. Hot sand here, too. Pet-friendly.
Warren Woods is about 9.5 miles away. Easy, forested and beautiful with the Galien River running through it.
51 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Warren Woods State Park
Elm Valley RoadWarren Woods is about 9.5 miles away. Easy, forested and beautiful with the Galien River running through it.
Love Creek Nature Center, about 15 miles away. Pretty forest and some nice biking trails.
38 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Love Creek Nature Center and County Park
9292 Huckleberry RdLove Creek Nature Center, about 15 miles away. Pretty forest and some nice biking trails.
Galien River County Park, about 14 miles away. River marshland park with well-maintained trails, boardwalks, and overlook.
96 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Galien River County Park
17424 Red Arrow HwyGalien River County Park, about 14 miles away. River marshland park with well-maintained trails, boardwalks, and overlook.
Gorgeous natural reserve with nice trails and a science center. No pets allowed.
64 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Sarett Nature Center
2300 N Benton Center RdGorgeous natural reserve with nice trails and a science center. No pets allowed.
Food scene
Great greasy-spoon diner. Open early, perfect for breakfast. Super cheap and comforting, lots of daily specials.
11 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Lydia's Down Home Cooking
9804 Red Arrow HwyGreat greasy-spoon diner. Open early, perfect for breakfast. Super cheap and comforting, lots of daily specials.
Specializes in Italian fare and seafood. Solid cooking, family-run. A local favorite.
21 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
D'Agostino's Navajo Bar & Grille
8970 Red Arrow HwySpecializes in Italian fare and seafood. Solid cooking, family-run. A local favorite.
Hybrid bakery, Sicilian and Neapolitan-style pizza. Fresh ingredients, simple menu, great execution. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the busy season, but no table-service dining, just a few patio tables outside. Word on the street is their gluten-free pizza is fantastic.
18 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Emma Hearth & Market
9709 Red Arrow HighwayHybrid bakery, Sicilian and Neapolitan-style pizza. Fresh ingredients, simple menu, great execution. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the busy season, but no table-service dining, just a few patio tables outside. Word on the street is their gluten-free pizza is fantastic.
Northern Italian cuisine, attached to an excellent bakery (Bit of Swiss). Delicious, simple, and fresh. Get the zucchini blossoms in the summer!!
47 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Tosi's Restaurant
4337 Ridge RdNorthern Italian cuisine, attached to an excellent bakery (Bit of Swiss). Delicious, simple, and fresh. Get the zucchini blossoms in the summer!!
Old-school American fine-ish dining. Stuff like Oysters Rockefeller, steaks and chops, and crab legs and local seafood is on the menu. They aren’t rewriting culinary history here, but everything is delicious, fresh, and cooked EXACTLY like you’d expect it to be in a classic upscale restaurant.
40 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Grande Mere Inn
5800 Red Arrow HwyOld-school American fine-ish dining. Stuff like Oysters Rockefeller, steaks and chops, and crab legs and local seafood is on the menu. They aren’t rewriting culinary history here, but everything is delicious, fresh, and cooked EXACTLY like you’d expect it to be in a classic upscale restaurant.
Kurdish/Turkish cuisine. Really unique dishes in an area where you wouldn’t expect authentic Kurdish food. Some outdoor seating.
43 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Cafe Gulistan
13581 Red Arrow HwyKurdish/Turkish cuisine. Really unique dishes in an area where you wouldn’t expect authentic Kurdish food. Some outdoor seating.
Seasonal local spot selling Anna’s favorite flavor on Earth: Marion County Blackberry. Only open from May-October.
Scoops Ice Cream
9790 Red Arrow HwySeasonal local spot selling Anna’s favorite flavor on Earth: Marion County Blackberry. Only open from May-October.
Bakery specializing in donuts, pastries, and vegetarian sandwiches. Located in cute downtown Union Pier.
37 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Black Currant Bakehouse
9911 Town Line AveBakery specializing in donuts, pastries, and vegetarian sandwiches. Located in cute downtown Union Pier.
City/town information
FOR VEGETARIANS: Explore the restaurants in Berrien Springs. The town is a Seventh Day Adventist enclave (a Christian denomination known for, among other things, staunch vegetarianism), so nearly every restaurant in town is either completely vegetarian or caters to vegetarians with no problem. For example, a great sandwich option is Baguette de France (there is also a St. Joseph location), a quick pick-up operation with a ton of inventive vegetarian/vegan choices.
Berrien Springs
FOR VEGETARIANS: Explore the restaurants in Berrien Springs. The town is a Seventh Day Adventist enclave (a Christian denomination known for, among other things, staunch vegetarianism), so nearly every restaurant in town is either completely vegetarian or caters to vegetarians with no problem. For example, a great sandwich option is Baguette de France (there is also a St. Joseph location), a quick pick-up operation with a ton of inventive vegetarian/vegan choices.
Grocery Stores and Local Markets
Super cute market with a ton of local, seasonal produce and a well-stocked gourmet-ish grocery store. If you need any specialty ingredients, this is the place to look. Nice selection of local beer and wine. Right behind Greenbush Brewing. Can be busy on the weekends.
103 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Sawyer Home & Garden Center
5865 Sawyer RdSuper cute market with a ton of local, seasonal produce and a well-stocked gourmet-ish grocery store. If you need any specialty ingredients, this is the place to look. Nice selection of local beer and wine. Right behind Greenbush Brewing. Can be busy on the weekends.
Local, bare-bones chain about a mile from the Ranch. Use this place for basics. They ain’t gonna have organic stuff. The best thing about this place is the Rite-Aid drugstore it shares a parking lot with.
17 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Harding's Friendly Market
3651 W Shawnee RdLocal, bare-bones chain about a mile from the Ranch. Use this place for basics. They ain’t gonna have organic stuff. The best thing about this place is the Rite-Aid drugstore it shares a parking lot with.
Martin's Super Market
5637 Cleveland AveMore like a Mariano’s or Jewel in Chicago.
CLOSES ON FRIDAY EVENINGS AT SUNDOWN, CLOSED ON SATURDAYS. A large, wonderful ALL VEGETARIAN grocery store catering to the town’s sizeable Seventh Day Adventists community. Adjacent to the grocery store is De Café 31. IT’S A VEGETARIAN DELI. So good, a favorite lunch stop, especially if we’re shopping at Apple Valley.
Apple Valley Natural Foods, Inc.
9067 US-31CLOSES ON FRIDAY EVENINGS AT SUNDOWN, CLOSED ON SATURDAYS. A large, wonderful ALL VEGETARIAN grocery store catering to the town’s sizeable Seventh Day Adventists community. Adjacent to the grocery store is De Café 31. IT’S A VEGETARIAN DELI. So good, a favorite lunch stop, especially if we’re shopping at Apple Valley.
Michigan Local Harvest Fruit Stand
12120 Red Arrow HwyGreat covered but open-air farm stand. Seasonal.
Breweries, Cideries, and Wineries
Specializes in wild and fruited beers, IPAs, and Imperial Stouts. Excellent lagers. Frequent food trucks, expanding outside seating. Can be busy on the weekends.
40 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Transient Artisan Ales
4229 Lake StSpecializes in wild and fruited beers, IPAs, and Imperial Stouts. Excellent lagers. Frequent food trucks, expanding outside seating. Can be busy on the weekends.
Yup, the same one as in Chicago. Good beer, great wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas. Huge patio. Live music frequently on weekends. Open somewhat later than most places in the area.
95 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Haymarket Brewery & Taproom
9301 Red Arrow HwyYup, the same one as in Chicago. Good beer, great wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas. Huge patio. Live music frequently on weekends. Open somewhat later than most places in the area.
Decent beer, pretty good food. Hidden patio in the back.
64 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Tapistry Brewing Company
4236 Lake StDecent beer, pretty good food. Hidden patio in the back.
Decent beer, good pub food. Not super vegetarian friendly. Can be busy on weekends.
235 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Greenbush Brewing Company
5885 Sawyer RdDecent beer, good pub food. Not super vegetarian friendly. Can be busy on weekends.
Big outdoor space. Fun beers that sometimes sound like a dare. Frequent food trucks outside.
53 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Watermark Brewing Company
5781 St Joseph AveBig outdoor space. Fun beers that sometimes sound like a dare. Frequent food trucks outside.