Appledore Tall Ships provide dinner cruises and other public sails on Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay and the Saginaw River. Sails depart from downtown Bay City. On Saturdays and Sundays, a lunch cruise and historical presentation is offered midday, while dinner cruises are featured Friday and Saturday evenings. The ships are 85-foot schooners originally built for world voyaging. Dinner aboard the Appledores includes a three-course meal catered by Fusion One Cafe. The menu changes from cruise to cruise, so some guests may want to ask about the menu when calling for reservations. The dinner cruises are run by BaySail, a non-profit organization that aims to foster environmental stewardship of the Saginaw Bay Watershed, according to the Appledore Tall Ships website.
Appledore Tall Ships: Public Sails and Dinner Cruises
107 Fifth St.
Bay City, MI 48708
989-895-5193
baysailbaycity.org
Traverse Tall Ships Co. of Traverse City presents dinner cruises on the Tall Ship Manitou, a 114-foot replica of a 19th century coastal cargo schooner. The boat accommodates 62 passengers, with overnight cabins for 24 passengers. When it comes to dining aboard the Manitou, Traverse Tall Ships goes way beyond just dinner. Other dining excursions include Moomers Ice Cream sails, Microbrew tasting and pizza sails, wine tasting (and dinner) sails, and bed-and-breakfast overnight sails. A regular evening sail offers guests a picnic-style dinner aboard the Manitou. The ship departs from Traverse City onto Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay.
Traverse Tall Ship Co.
13390 S. W. Bay Shore Drive
Traverse City, MI 49684
800-678-0383
tallshipsailing.com
The Charity Island Lighthouse Dining Excursion begins near Au Gres. The 49-passenger sailing vessel, Northport, departs from Northport Travel Center on an hour-long trip to Charity Island. Charity Island is located at the mouth of the Saginaw Bay between Au Gres and the tip of East Michigan's Thumb region. Island hosts will greet guests and lead them in a presentation of the island's history, then a seven-minute walk through the woods to the lightkeeper's house. Guests dine on a deck overlooking the bay. Menu choices include Great Lakes perch or beef tenderloin, Michigan potatoes, and green beans. Dessert is served aboard the Northport on the return trip at sunset. The trip time totals 3.5 hours, but departure time varies depending on when sunset is.
Charity Island Lighthouse Dining Excursions
3660 E. Huron Road
Big Charity Island
Au Gres, MI 48703
517-579-3182
charityisland.net
