I am often asked that question.  You would think that with a name like Bay City we would be situated somewhere on a bay of water.  Bay City is located on the Saginaw River which flows into the Saginaw Bay which then opens up to Lake Huron.  So, where are the beaches?  I have answers!  The nearest beach is at the Bay City Recreation Area 5 miles from downtown Bay City on the shores of Saginaw Bay.  The Recreation Area offers swimming, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, fishing and bird watching.  Another beach is located at the William H. Haithco Recreation Area 12 miles away in Saginaw Township.  The park offers a lifeguarded beach as well as paddleboat, rowboat, canoe and kayak rentals, fishing, sand volleyball and horseshoe pits. The next beach is 15 miles away in Midland.  Stratford Woods Park is situated around Kiwassee Lake.  The lake is fully stocked for fishing and it has a sandy beach for swimming, basketball courts and sand volleyball.  There is a picnic area with grills and tables and trails for hiking and walking.  Sanford Lake Park in Sanford just west of Midland has a large beach, a boat launch for motorized boats and jet skis, a fishing pier, sand volleyball and an 18-hole disc golf course.  Recent guests on their way to Pinconning to buy Pinconning Cheese came across Pinconning Park.  Mostly known for its fishing and its wildlife observation towers, the park also offers camping and a small, very private beach on the Saginaw Bay.  Cattails Kayak Rental is conveniently located there so you can enjoy kayaking on the Bay.  Last but not least, for a day trip you may want to head east to Caseville, a very quaint, touristy town.  They have a wonderful beach on the Saginaw Bay.  So bring your bathing suits and have some fun in the sun. then enjoy a restful, relaxing night here at the Webster House.

Summer has arrived in Bay City and our first full weekend of summer is packed full of activities.  The 2nd annual Michigan Jazz Trail kicked off in Bay City on Wednesday with Blues on the Bay.  There will be Jazz on the Green at Dow Gardens in Midland on Saturday and Heart & Soul at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw on Sunday.  The 25th RiverRoar boat races are also this weekend, June 22 to June 24.  Formula One Prop Racing will take place on Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24 with practice sessions on Friday, June 22.  Concerts featuring Cinderella, Skid Row and L.A. Guns on Friday night and Pop Evil, Finding Clyde, Wayland, and The Product on Saturday night.   A carnival in Veterans Park will be open Wednesday through Sunday.  Nearby Saginaw will be hosting the 2012  U.S. Youth Soccer Championships this coming week.  Free Wednesdays in the Park Summer Concert Series at Wenonah Park began this week and will continue through August 8.  Also free are the Fridays at the Falls performances at the Third Street Waterfall Park July through mid-August.  Sunset Entertainment Cruises are every Friday night through August 24 and include live entertainment, a casual dinner buffet and a three-hour cruise on the river out to the Saginaw Bay and back.  The 50th anniversary of the Bay City Fireworks Festival is July 5, 6 & 7 with the finale on the 7th promising to be the biggest ever!  July also brings the Be Cool Car Show, Downtown Sidewalk Days and  the Rewind by the River Music Festival.  The Pig Gig Ribfest in August offers the best in barbeque during a fun, 4-day foodtastic event.  Walk to all of the happenings in downtown Bay City while staying at the Webster House.  Follow Bay City events on their calendar at www.downtownbaycity.com.  

One of the many things to do in the area during your stay at the Webster House is to visit Dow Gardens in Midland.  While one might think of it as a place to go in the spring, summer or fall, it is a year-round garden.  Currently on exhibit through April 22 is Butterflies - Around the World!  Frank and I had the opportunity to go to it yesterday.  The exhibit is in the garden's Conservatory.  The plant life in the Conservatory was as beautiful and interesting as the many butterflies that inhabited the exhibit.  On the walk to the Conservatory, we enjoyed such beautiful landscaping along well-groomed pathways and walkways, streams and ponds.  It is a very tranquil place.  You can enjoy a stroll through the 110-acre botanical garden with its exciting horticultural displays, but there are also many activities scheduled througout the year at the garden:  Art in the Garden, Lunchtime Concerts, Friday Outdoor Movie Nights, Folk Music Sundays, Christmas Walks.  You can also tour the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Alden B. Dow home.  It is a garden for all seasons to be enjoyed!

It's not just the parade on Sunday, March 18.  There is also an 8K and a 5K run just prior to the parade (www.barc-mi.com for info and registration).  New this year is the St. Pattie's Palooza on Friday night, March 16, at the Masonic Temple just one block from the Webster House.  This beer tasting fundraiser will have hor d' oeuvres catered by Old City Hall and musical entertainment featuring The Waxies, the 2011 "Shammy Award Winners" for Favorite Irish Rock Band in Michigan.  All proceeds will benefit the Great Lakes Bay Regional Wellness Alliance, St. Pat's Parade Association and Friends of Celtic Culture.  We still have rooms available for Friday night, so come for Bay City's largest St. Patrick's Day Party (for some great causes) and then enjoy your stay at the Webster.