Michigan Travel Destinations – Tawas City
Beautiful scenery abounds in every corner of the Tawas Bay area, from the shoreline of Lake Huron to the storied Au Sable River. The area provides a hundred reasons to have one great vacation for the entire family. The Tawas Bay area is a people-friendly area that still has that wonderful “Up-North/Small Town” appeal.
Tawas City was founded in 1854 as the first city to be located on the shores of Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron north of Bay City. Tawas City was established as the county seat of Iosco County, and the first post office was established January 6, 1856, with James O. Whittemore appointed postmaster.
nce Tawas City’s founding, the community’s economy has been a major factor influencing land use and development patterns in the city. The rich natural resource base of the area (forest lands, Lake Huron and wildlife) combined with the protection offered by Tawas Bay provided the basis for the original founding of the city and caused the lumber industry to flourish. Tawas Bay continues to serve as a harbor of refuge that large freighters use to escape the adverse effects of storms on Lake Huron. The shoreline, as the transition zone between land and water, became the focus of the community, with the city developing in a linear fashion along the bayshore.
Local Restaurants
BOATHOUSE BEER COMPANY & BOOZERY
450 W Lake St, Tawas City, MI 48763, 989-984-5233
Handcrafted Beer, Food & Cocktails
MANGOS MEXICAN CUISINE AND TEQUILA BAR
214 Newman St, East Tawas, MI 48730, 989-984-5219
ROUTE 23 BBQ
1626 S U.S. 23 #48730, East Tawas, MI 48730, 989-984-5123
Locally sourced meats, soups and sandwiches everyday.
BIKINI’S BEACH BAR
300 E Bay St, East Tawas, MI 48730, 989-362-8600
Relaxing lakeside beach bar with live entertainment, food and drinks.
Accommodations
TAWAS BAY BEACH RESORT
300 E Bay St, East Tawas, MI 48730, 989- 362-8600
Give your family a memorable vacation or weekend retreat at Tawas Bay Beach Resort.The full-service resort and sandy beach are located on the shores of Lake Huron, in East Tawas, Michigan. Take a trip ‘up north’ with just a short, three-hour drive from the Detroit area.
PARADISE BEACH RESORT
1029 W E Lake St, Tawas City, MI 48763, 989-362-3234
The perfect beach resort for your Lake Huron vacation or special occasion. Tawas City is the perfect place for a Great Lakes vacation that will be memorable and exciting. Bring friends or family or come alone and stay a week or more. Featuring fully-furnished beachfront cottage property you can enjoy a bonfire pit, children’s play area, barbecue grills, picnic tables and outdoor games.
YOUNG’S GETAWAY BEACHFRONT RESORT
1015 W Lake St, Tawas City, MI 48763, 989-362-2366
Relaxed clapboard-style cabins with kitchenettes in a casual beachfront resort offering BBQ grills.
Area Attractions
CZAIKA’S BLUEBERRY FARM
838 Leggett Rd., Tawas City, MI 48763, 989-362-4638
Czaika’s Blueberry Farm is a 60-year old family U-Pick blueberry farm just south of Tawas City, MI. You may either bring your own containers or borrow our buckets with plastic liners. In either case, it is best for your blueberries to spread them out as soon as you can so that they can all get air and not be squished by the weight of other berries.
TAWAS CITY SHORELINE PARK
429 W. Lake St., Tawas City, MI 48763
https://tawascity.org/places/shoreline-park/
Adjacent to Town Square, Shoreline Park recreational identity comes from the 450-foot-long pier with an additional 100 feet added in 2021 to create a L-shaped pier. In 2020, the park also received lighting upgrades and an addition of 9 day docks. The regulations for Shoreline Park Day Docks can be found here. The presence of the pier encourages active (fishing) as well as passive (benches) recreational opportunities. Aside from the pier, Shoreline Park, 429 W. Lake St., is also equipped with picnic pavilions, a food concession stand, restrooms, boardwalk along the beach and playscape for the children.
IARGO SPRINGS
River Road Scenic Byway, Oscoda Township, MI 48750, 989-739-0728
www.michigan.org/property/iargo-springs-interpretive-site
A stunning stop along the Scenic Byway is Iargo Springs, featuring an interpretive kiosk and a series of springs bursting from the sandy banks of the Au Sable River in the form of small waterfalls. The springs are tucked under a canopy of hemlock, pine, and maple near the river. There is a wonderful boardwalk at the springs, which are reached by descending a multitude of stairs.
NEWMAN STREET
Newman Street is a beautiful shady tree lined street packed full of shopping, boutiques, tea shops, restaurants and a chocolate shop. Be sure to stop at The Tea House for bubble tea or my personal favorite, iced chai tea.