Neighbourhood highlights
We are near Three Oaks and Sawyer, which have become premier destinations for foodies and antique-hunters. The Journeyman Distillery, Granor Farm, and Greenbush Brewery draw aficionados from far away. New Buffalo and Lakeside and Union Pier often lots more. Check out this website to see all the local attractions! https://newbuffaloexplored.com/
The Beach. There are several beaches accessible within a 5-minute drive or 15-minute walk, including Pier Street, Townline Road, Berrien Road, etc. Our favorite (though others are closer) is Pier Street Beach in Lakeside, turn left out of the driveway, and go straight ahead over the railroad tracks and the Red Arrow, then bear right onto Lakeshore Drive (rest assured, no relation to the Lakeshore in downtown Chicago). Follow Lakeshore northeast for a little under a mile, passing some nice houses on each side until you reach the small four-way intersection with Pier Road. Turn left and park, and at the end there is a set of steps down to the beach. You’ll find other nearby public beaches online. If you turn left on Lakeshore, instead of turning right, that's also nice walking/running/driving territory, and you can follow it all the way to New Buffalo.
Other outdoor activities. To climb -- and slide down -- a sand dune the size of a ski hill, go to Warren Dunes, a 20-minute drive northeast on the Red Arrow. Or, in Three Oaks, look for signs for berry picking. Also, the Warren Woods State Park is 300 acres of trails and woods; turn right out of the driveway, take your first right on Lakeside Rd, then left on Elm Valley, and go for about two miles, to signs on the left for the park.
Three Oaks. A 10-minute drive takes you to Three Oaks, a village with shops, the famous Drier's Butcher (worth a visit), an art house movie theater called Vickers, a fun distillery called Journeyman, and other bits and pieces. Turn right out of the driveway, and take your first right on to Lakeside Rd. Follow it for three miles to Route 12 and turn left for another three miles to Three Oaks. Left at the gas station and it's a single road through town. Drier's is on the left.
Antiques. There are many shops with second-hand oddities along the Red Arrow, heading north/east. The first one you'll pass is worth a visit: the big red barn at the corner of East Road. Continue straight for another few miles and on the right is Marco Polo, open only on the weekends, with good stuff. Keep exploring and you'll find more places on both sides of the road.
Produce and groceries. The Sawyer Market & Garden Center has great produce and groceries, etc. Turn left out of the driveway, and right on the Red Arrow. Go north/east on the Red Arrow for 5 miles and turn right on Sawyer Rd. It's a half-mile into town, and the market is on your left, through the parking lot, just after the railroad tracks. For hardware, there is Cooney's, which is on your right, after the tracks. For coffee, bagels, newspapers, a closest place to the house is the Whistle Stop shop, which is less than a quarter-mile away; just go left out the driveway, and left on the Red Arrow. It's on your right. It has sandwiches and other stuff, but it's a bit overpriced, so don't stock up there. If Sawyer Market doesn't have what you need, consider a run to the grocery store in New Buffalo called Barney’s, which is fifteen minutes southwest on the Red Arrow.
Restaurants (they open and close in the area, so check out the website linked above for the latest and greatest):
-- Granor Farm. Just down the way on Warren Woods Road. They are now doing seated farm-to-table dinners but reservations are hard to come by. If you reserve in advance, we hear it’s a superb meal. You can also go and explore the farm. https://granorfarm.com/visit-us
-- Luisa's Café. Good, creative lunchtime and brunch place. Beside the Harbert Swedish Bakery, 5-10 minute drive down the Red Arrow. Turn left out of the driveway, right on Red Arrow, go straight into Harbert until you see it on your left. Sometimes a short wait is required but worth it. 269.469.1777. 13698 Red Arrow Highway Harbert, MI 49115.
--Blue Plate Café, good brunch/breakfast/lunch, 2 minute-drive from the house, north/east on the Red Arrow; www.blueplatemichigan.com 15288 Red Arrow Highway, Union Pier - (269) 469-2370
-Café Gulistan, great Kurdish/Turkish food, worth a visit, 10-15 minute drive, north/east up the Red Arrow. www.cafegulistan.com/ 13581 Red Arrow Highway Harbert, MI 49115-5109 - (269) 469-6779
--Red Arrow Roadhouse, bustling, good burgers and dinner fare, kid-friendly, 2 minutes from the house. Right next to the Whistlestop, south/west on the Red Arrow. Can be busy at dinner so go early/late or expect to wait a few minutes. www.redarrowroadhouse.com - 15710 Red Arrow Highway, Union Pier - (269) 469-3939
--Greenbush Brewery. Hipsters have arrived. Good beer, food, worth a visit. 10 minutes by car. In Sawyer. Left out of the driveway, right on Red Arrow, after 10 minutes, turn right at the light onto Sawyer Road, straight for 2 minutes. After the train tracks, on your left. 5885 Sawyer Road, Sawyer, MI 49125, 269-405-1076. greenbushbrewing.com
--Journeyman Distillery. Nice design, good cocktails and menu for light dinner. Worth a visit. Tours, tasting available. Right out of the driveway, follow Warren Woods Road 10 minutes to Three Oaks Road, take a right on Three Oaks Road and follow it into the center of Three Oaks. Turn right into the old Featherbone Factory, distillery is inside. 109 Generations Drive Three Oaks, MI 49128 ph: 269-820-2050 journeymandistillery.com
-- Peasant’s Pantry, a great lunch spot on the Red Arrow. It opened recently and has superb sandwiches and salads. 10-minute drive from the house, north/east on the Red Arrow. 12856 Red Arrow Hwy, Sawyer, MI 49125 (269) 426-4878
--Timothy's Restaurant, good mid-upscale place that takes food seriously. 5-minute drive on Lakeshore, heading south/west. Reservations suggested. timothysrestaurant.com - 16409 Red Arrow Highway, Union Pier - (269) 469-0900
