We stopped in after hiking at Love Creek. The tasting room has a cool artsy vibe, and the owner…read moreexplained each wine and gave good recommendations. The charcuterie board was excellent and paired perfectly with the flights. We're already planning to come back to try their award-winning Chardonnay next time.

Fun, unique, off the beaten path winery in Baroda, MI! Friendly and knowledgeable staff with plenty…read moreof indoor and outdoor seating along with a neat art gallery to browse. The wine samples were $20 with 4 selections at 2 oz each. Wine was mostly tasty-favorite wine was the symphony on the white!

The sign on the side of the building quotes Georgia O'Keefe with "Fill a space in a Beautiful Way."…read more So true., so true. The owner selects an ever changing and wide range of artists and craftsman to fill this shop with beautiful objects, paintings, and jewelry. Fun place to browse as well as buy. The price points are reasonable so i have been able to buy gifts here several times. She also has a selection of hand crafted cards that are unique.

From the owner: The vision for Studio b. was to create a space to promote work in various mediums from all over the…read moreworld and within that provide an atmosphere where anyone could feel comfortable buying art. Studio b. consists of an eclectic collection of "fine art and fabulous finds," which includes paintings, photography, sculpture, ceramics, glass, jewelry, textiles, fine greeting cards and more. The Verduns have carefully hand selected work from across the globe, from local Michigan artists to painters from Paris, and offer work in a vast price range that is said to suit the most discriminating buyer.

Super cute co-op art gallery! The woman working today said that they have 17 artists who stock the…read morestore and also take turns working shifts there. I ended up grabbing a fused glass piece for my work desk and absolutely love it. The texture is awesome and the colors match my space perfectly. My mom got a small ornament for her fig tree before we left, and we both agreed that we'd be back next year to see what's new in show!

This is a cool art co-op in downtown St. Joe. I feel like this kind of thing can skew too beachy,…read moremaking for a shop filled with sailboat pictures. But this isn't the case. Cool, funky jewelry, small and large paintings and prints make this a good and reasonably-priced place. I got an 11x14 painting for my powder room that I love. And it was only $35. I'll be back next time I'm in town.

This is a nice small and free art gallery. They change the exhibits sometimes and have events…read morethere. The art on the outside of the building is nice too.

During our visit we learned about the Berrien Artist Guild . They purchased the . Paper Box…read more building and converted to an art facility. Membership to the Berrien Artist Guild is $35/year. One of the artists shared this history and much more with us. There are 3 floors to explore and during our visit, some of the artists were in their studios. There was a mixture of paintings, sculptures, pottery and mixed media. A great place to browse art.

Remarkable collection of unique items that makes this store a great place to explore for unusual…read morekeepsakes. The staff are fun to talk to about the exotic origins of the products in the store.

Holly's studio is a treasure in the downtown Chesterton area. Weekends there include the farmer's…read moremarket seasonally. I first visited a few years ago while taking a long weekend. There a few nice B&B places there and it's accessible to the lakeshore attractions. It was by chance that I wandered down her street and I stayed, talking to her and looking at everything she had painted in the two room studio. She is an abstract artist. I was struck by one of her large acrylics, she told me the story behind its creation and I finally bought it, my first original acrylic! Her work has changed over the years, as do the style or subject matter of most good painters, but I enjoy her eye for color and shape. Check it out, if only just to experience her world and meet a very cool woman.

Lovely lovely lovely! I have one of her pieces hanging in my room. I adore it. I hope to come back…read moresoon!

A visit to Jones Blueberry Farm is one of the most relaxing activities I can think of. It is so…read moreenjoyable to just hear the sounds of birds (yea) and the breeze through the trees. It's nice to visit on a Thurs or Fri (instead of a weekend) so you feel more like you have the place to yourself. It's a great, sprawling place - relatively close to Chicago (less than 2 hours away, depending on traffic). AND, what a great bonus that you get to enjoy the fruits (pun) of your labor. Not only is it a great, relaxing way to spend your time, but you bring home a ton of healthy, fresh-picked blueberries when you leave. It's dirt cheap to pick your own - I think last time I picked over 6 LBS of berries (that's a huge bucket) for a little over $8 bucks (you'll never look at the "2 cartons for $6" special at the Jewel the same way again). The people who work there couldn't be nicer. The also sell a great assortment of preserves - I buy a bunch and try to make them last through the fall and winter (they never do, they're so good). Also, they grow several types of blueberries - so if you are looking for smaller or larger berries, or tart or sweet ones, they can direct you to the best spot to pick them. I can't say enough about this place. A great, lo-tech retreat for some time away from the city. And lots to do in the surrounding area (SW Michigan is packed with great things to see and do - wonderful restaurants, shops, beaches, etc...) and on the drive there and/or back from Chicago (Indiana Dunes, for ex). As a final bit of info, they do have VERY clean "port-o-lets" at the Farm in addition to a nice little sheltered area with tables and chairs if you want to bring your lunch or a snack or just take a break. Nice view of the farm from there and the aforementioned birdie songs to accompany your rest.

Went blueberry picking for the first time ever, today. Easy to find, decent signage. A young girl…read morecame out of the barn to tell us where to go to U-Pick. Girl at the counter gave us buckets and told us where to find the two varieties that were being picked. They start picking different kinds at different times of the summer. Call to ask if you want something specific. I was worried that everything would be picked through, as this is getting late in the season, however, we went towards the back and found wonderful, plump berries. Tried a few from different bushes and they were ripe and delicious! Paid for the berries and it seemed like maybe the owner was there. Lovely woman who was super friendly and really wants to make a go of the business. She suggested we go on the facebook page and so we posted our freshly baked Blueberry Crumble we made when we returned home. Delicious! Friendly people, nice selection, not too expensive, great family activity. Suggest bug spray and tall boots to keep ticks away. You are walking through taller grasses. Bring cash

The Nest is an excellent addition to the Michigan City art scene. This space features work from…read moremany local artists but also pieces from talented artists from all over the country. It is hard to define what you can expect to find at The Nest because everything is completely unique and something you've likely never run across. This is a great spot for special gifts for weddings and birthdays as well as simply for those times that you're looking for something completely out of the ordinary. You can expect to find anything from awesome locally-made clothing, to framed pieces, to pottery, to local food and cookware, to jewelry, and even pieces like coins that have been turned into tiny puzzle pieces. Outside of unique gifts, The Nest also features live music as well as local art classes, and once the business grows, you can expect delicious local food and drinks. So support local business and support a place like The Nest. You will be amazed by what you find at the spot. A definite favorite, and a place I will also frequent. NOTE: Call ahead to ensure that The Nest is open. Particularly as it is just opening, hours can be somewhat inconsistent.