Day 1: Full Day | 5 Stops
This is a great day trip itinerary for couples who love the outdoors, mural art, and craft breweries. Start the day with a beach walk at Warren Dunes State Park, enjoy brunch at a local restaurant, and meander through the Benton Harbor Arts District while admiring the mural art and spring blooms. Then end the day with dinner and craft beer flights at two local breweries in St. Joseph.
1
Start your morning early with a quick beach walk at Warren Dunes State Park before brunch. It has three beautiful miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and six miles of hiking trails. Plenty of options for all activity and interest levels. We decided to take a leisurely stroll along the beach and dunes during our visit and loved hearing the sound of the waves crashing into the shore.
Pro Tip!
2
Head to The Inn at Harbor Shores and enjoy a delicious brunch inside the hotel at Plank's Tavern on the Water. The location is conveniently located between St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. We had a nice time eating and chatting there, and thought our meals were very tasty. If it is nice enough outside and the patio is open, definitely ask for a table out there as the view is very pretty.
Pro Tip!
3
Take a look at Ja'Kobi's Wings Mural on the outside of ARS Gallery*. Pop in to check out the art exhibit if it is open while you are there! This is a great starting point for exploring the Benton Harbor Arts District area and finding as many murals on the Southwest Michigan Murals Trail as you can. There is also a beautiful garden and town square area that you must stop by and enjoy. I love that there is a little free library there, too!
Pro Tip! Note : As of 2026, ARS Gallery Arts & Culture Center is now located at 15300 Red Arrow Highway, Lakeside, MI 49116.
4
Before dinner, stop into The Market and head to The Community Taproom for a drink or tasting flight. There is a nice variety of craft beers to try here, and we really enjoyed all the ones that we tried. We thought it was very helpful that the menu was divided into very hoppy and less hoppy, and we tried one tasting flight of each side.
Pro Tip!
5
End the day with dinner at Silver Harbor Brewing Company in St. Joseph. It is located across the street from The Market/The Community Taproom, so continue your craft beer tasting journey here. We loved everything we tried here, especially the Ramen. There is also a fun, colorful mural outside, which is perfect for a photo-op and another stop on the Southwest Michigan Mural Trail.
Pro Tip!
Thanks for joining us!
We hope you enjoyed your travels throughout Southwest Michigan. Check out other trips that you can take on our influencer itineraries page.
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