The Perfect Weekend in New Buffalo, Michigan

A Girls Weekend Getaway

If you’re looking for a relaxed lake-town getaway with a mix of great food, charming shops, and just enough exploring, the New Buffalo area is such a good option. With nearby towns like Three Oaks and Sawyer, you can easily turn this into a full weekend of coffee stops, antique hunting, and memorable meals.

We spent the weekend doing exactly that—bouncing between small towns, searching for hidden gems, and enjoying some really great food along the way. Here’s exactly how to plan a perfect weekend in New Buffalo and the surrounding area.

Where to Stay

We stayed at the Sycamore Suite by Christina in Three Oaks, which comfortably sleeps four with two bedrooms and one bath.

The space was modern, stylish, and perfect for a girls’ weekend. Three Oaks also ended up being a great home base—quiet and charming, but still close to everything we wanted to explore.

Friday

Start your day in Three Oaks with brunch at Oaks Eatery, then stop into Froehlich’s Kitchen & Pantry for baked goods to take with you (you’ll want them later).

From there, you can easily walk around downtown and explore some of the local shops. Be sure to check out Goods & Heroes, along with Alapash Mercantile, Poppy Hill Vintage, Mazet Antiques, and Catalpa Antiques. While some of these shops leaned a bit more high-end than what we typically look for, they were still fun to browse and had some really unique pieces.

For lunch, head to Journeyman Distillery, which is easily one of the coolest spots of the weekend. It’s set inside a historic factory where corsets were once made, and the atmosphere alone is worth the visit. The burgers and cocktails were just as good as the setting.

In the afternoon, drive over to Sawyer for more antique shopping at Harbert Antique Mall and Sawyer Antiques. These shops had more large furniture, global pieces, and higher-end items. If that’s your style, you’ll love it—but we tend to gravitate toward smaller, more affordable finds (give us an $8 piece of glassware any day).

Head back to Three Oaks for an afternoon coffee at Alan Ray’s, which had a really cool vibe and great drinks.

If the weather is nice, take some time to walk along New Buffalo Beach before dinner.

End the night at Beer Church Brewery, where the pizza and breadsticks were so good. After dinner, grab dessert—either ice cream from Oink’s or the famous strawberry shake from Nancy’s.

Saturday

Start your morning at Issa Vibe, such an aesthetically pleasing spot to visit. The breakfast panini and matcha were both amazing, and the space itself is bright, airy, and filled with plants—definitely a place you’ll want to linger.

If the weather allows, head to Galien River County Park for a nature walk. We weren’t able to go since it was still closed for the season, but it’s high on my list for next time.

For a more local, laid-back experience, stop by Farmette or Whistle Stop—both feel like hidden gems with fresh food, coffee, and a really welcoming, community-focused atmosphere.

In the afternoon, you can drive over to Michigan City for outlet shopping, followed by lunch at Shoreline Brewery (the sweet potato fries were easily the best I’ve ever had).

For dinner, we went to The Stray Dog, which is a popular spot in New Buffalo. I had a really fresh, delicious salad, and the overall atmosphere made it a great place to unwind after a full day.

But the highlight of the night was heading to Out There for drinks and bingo. This ended up being one of our favorite moments of the entire trip. It’s a small, local spot where we were clearly the only tourists, but everyone was so welcoming. You could really feel the sense of community—it made the night memorable in a way that bigger, more polished places just don’t.

Sunday

Before heading home, grab breakfast at Brewster’s—the breakfast sandwich alone is worth the stop.

If you have time for one more adventure, head to Niles, which is one of our favorite places for antique shopping. We always make a point to visit Main Street Antiques, Four Flags Antiques, and Pickles Paradise. These are exactly the kind of shops we love—great finds at reasonable prices.

Finish your trip with lunch at Iron Shoe Distillery, which had great food and drinks and was the perfect final stop before heading home.

Places to Try Next Time

We didn’t get to everything, but these spots came highly recommended:

Redamak’s
David’s Delicatessen
Bentwood Tavern
Viola Café
Hummingbird Lounge
Sonny D’s
Casey’s

Final Thoughts

This area works so well for a weekend getaway because you’re not limited to just one town. With Three Oaks, Sawyer, and New Buffalo all close together, you can mix and match your days depending on what you’re in the mood for—shopping, relaxing by the lake, or just enjoying good food and coffee.

It’s the kind of trip that feels easy but still full, and one we’d absolutely come back to again.