Oak Cove Resort is located between the towns of Paw Paw and Lawrence.  If you head west toward Lawrence on Red Arrow Highway, you will find Cozy Comforts, offering treats as well as a myriad of antiques and uncle junques.  The Brush Creek Antiques Shop has expanded and will lure you. The Farmer's market in the square on Saturday mornings is a must.

In town is the famous "Red and Yellow House" which supposedly belonged to the owner of a circus.  It is said that the deed stipulates the house is to remain painted the circus colors, bright yellow and red.  Across from it is the Kid's Palace, a community sponsored maze of slides, ladders, crannies...a jungle gym of wood.  Further on are two other attractions:  The old Dehaven Store, which has been lovingly restored by a young couple, the Petersens.  This was a dry goods store in the late 1800's which handled everything from bonnets to butter.  A photo of it hangs in the Oak Cove dining room.  Across from DeHaven's is a fanciful store full of goodies, Twice Upon A Time, where Joan Mahoney will greet you with her inexhaustible smile.  Will will find fresh flowers and all your party needs here.

Bangor, the next town to the west, offers the Bangor Antique Mall with its four floors stuffed with collectibles and antiques and the old coach barn behind it, filled to the brim with less polished articles of the same vintage. Great buys are to be had.

Now, heading east from Oak Cove, you go down Red Arrow Highway toward Paw Paw.  How could you miss Reit's huge flea market?!  It is said to be Michigan's largest (open May through October).  And Cathy's Kitchen has a "farmer's omelette" unlike any you've ever eaten.   

Across the street is The Lakeside Convenience Store.  You'll find dollar wares and great bean town coffee, candy, snacks, almost anything you'll need.  Packaged goods, fishing supplies, paper products and luncheon items are available.  Call ahead and they will make sandwiches for you, 269-657-6777.

On your left is the celebrated Lake Cora Hills Golf Course where we will treat you to 18 holes of golf each and every day.  It is a semi-private, standard, regulation club which has a slope rating of 120.  For those of you with a billy goat's stamina, you can walk the course, but there are carts available.  It has a course rating of 69 for the white par and 70.6 for the red par.  You will enjoy the course and see how beautifully well maintained it is.  If you crave further variety, we also have arrangements with Heritage Ridge GC in Paw Paw, and the Lawton Golf Course.

Further east you see a sign which reads: Tea Pot Dome and wonder how a "wide place in the road" like that got such a name?   The little former gas station and small cafe have been the stopping place for the locals for the last 70 years. The owners will tell you the story as you sip coffee and study the many tea pots which line the shelves of their small eatery. You know when you seen cars and trucks around a place like that at meal time, that the food is good and reasonably priced.  Can you find the porcelain teapot donated by Susan and Bob from the original Oak Cove collection?

In Paw Paw are wineries which offer free tours and tasting.  Taking a right hand turn at the ancient, restored Dykman Hotel you will come to Warner's Wine Haus which is in a picturesque setting near a creek.  The train at Warners houses a unique art gallery.  Next you come to the St. Julian Winery.  It is the most enduring wine factory in the area and offers a lovely tasting room where gifts abound.  Their wines are excellent as are their sparkling juices and wine vinegar salad dressing.  You pass the vestiges of the wine train and wonder...will it ever return?

To the East of St. Julian's, across the road is Hood's Farm Market for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Does this sound a bit like a travel log?  It will fill several days of your vacation with high quality scavenging.  These are the places we like to go on our rare days off.

East of Decatur, be sure to see the Little Store on the Prairie, a Mennonite / Amish-owned store with hand made crafts and unprocessed food items, snacks, and bulk goodies.  Be sure to say hello to the Llama, donkey and rabbits.  Get directions from us before you leave Oak Cove to avoid getting lost among the famous celery flats of Michigan!

Kalamazoo is the largest metropolitan city in our area.  It's only 25 minutes away from Oak Cove to the East on I-94.  There you will find ample modern shopping and a multitude of popular restaurants, movie theatres, etc.  On the east side of Kalamazoo, you will find the Kalamazoo Air Zoo museum, which features Smithsonian exhibits of aircraft dating back to the start of aviation, including flying machines of both war and peace, plus rides and exhibits for large and small, old and young, including virtual flight!

In Battle Creek you will find the famous Binder Park Zoo well known for it's African Safari exhibit.  Your children can hand feed the giraffes!

For those still having energy after dinner, we recommend three additional area attractions.  The Kalamazoo shopping malls are excellent.  They don't call it "Mall City" for nothing.  Nearby are multitudinous theaters.  And let's not forget the local Paw Paw Strand Theater where you can still buy a seat for $2.00 daily with $1.00 specials. 

At Exit 66 off I-94 is a great place called Formula K with fun for all. There are race cars, miniature golf, bumper cars, batting cages, a race car track for tykes as well as the bigger kids and video machines galore. This place caters to kids of all ages, and to those who want to feel young again.  Ask us for a discount coupon. 

And finally, there is a tradition among some of our guests of going to the Hay Loft, a superb ice cream parlor where  gigantic portions are the norm.  I really don't know how you could eat any more after dinner, but some manage to down even a Brownie Bucket.  This cold spot is located south of the town of Decatur on M 51.  Paw Paw boasts the Sugar Bear on Red Arrow Highway at the 2nd light into town.

For a Sunday, every kind of church is available in nearby communities and we have maps to most.

 Horse back riding is a short distance away where the caring owner teaches you all of the fundamentals or guides you on a more advanced rides.  Also, Lake Michigan beaches are about 35 minutes away.   We will give you a map with directions through the back roads through picturesque area green-field highways!

Now that you have been out and about for most of the day, you head back for Oak Cove Resort.  As you make your way down the long tree-canopied drive, you can start to unwind.  We hope you will not miss the dinner bell heralding another mouth watering meal or an opportunity to lay by the pool for a few hours with a good book.  Take a few minutes to swim and cool off; a walk through the Woodsy Path and Boggy Dell; sit on a swing and look at the lake.  

But, remember again why you came to Oak Cove in the first place....... To Relax.

Links, information resources & some nearby places to visit / things to do....

Winery - Paw Paw, MI