St. Clair

I wasn’t sure if I was going to do an entire blog post on St. Clair, since I really leaned into the “vacation” portion of this trip… forgoing my DSLR camera and mostly working on some video content, relaxing, and spending most of my time at this incredible inn right along the St. Clair River. A unique blog post, with some video screenshots even, and not many photos of me, trying something new, but here we are! The vibe for St. Clair was definitely more refined, serene and small-town lux… leaning more into slowing down. And the St. Clair Inn is a destination in itself – a historic riverfront hotel with a pool, dinner and cocktail bar. The town is quieter, but the river views (and freighter spotting) are unmatched. I absolutely loved this portion of my trip, spending most of my time by the pool and hot-tub, geeking out over every passing freighter, drinking moscato, delicious dinners at the inn’s restaurant, and watching movies in bed. I already want to go back!

St. Clair Inn

I stayed at the historic St. Clair Inn, which feels like stepping back in time but with all the modern touches you’d want. The rooms are cozy (my room was just stunning, complete with a bedroom and living room), the common spaces have that old-world charm, and it’s right on the river, so you can watch freighters pass by with your morning coffee. The original inn opened in 1926, and became a destination for St. Clair’s wealthiest residents and even hosted secret parties at the height of Prohibition. It was fully renovated in 2019, and has 85 guest rooms and three private cottages, all with stunning views of the river. They have a wonderful restaurant on-site (more about that below), along with a speakeasy cocktail bar, Prohibition, which I didn’t get a chance to go to because they have weekend hours. (But going on weekdays was so affordable!)

OUTDOOR POOL & HOT-TUB

One of my favorite parts? The pool and hot tub. There’s just something about swimming with a view of the St. Clair River and then hopping into a hot tub while the sun sets. Fortunately, it was summer hot when I visited, like hot hot, you never know what kind of weather you’ll get in Michigan in early September, but I really just… timed this out beautifully. Kids were back in school, the pool/hot-tub area was essentially empty, I visited on weekdays so even vacationers weren’t out there, and… I spent hours and hours out there, swimming, dipping in the hot-tub, reading my book on a lounge chair, and I finally got a little bit of a tan in September, just… a glorious part of the trip. Plus, the views, and seeing the freighters pass by was just such a cool experience.

THE DIVE

The on-site restaurant at the inn was The Dive, which… was so good. I had both of my dinner meals there, and I have no regrets. I wondered if I should have ventured out, but again, I really leaned into that inn. The first night, I had a delicious burger, added French fried onions (that elevated it SO much), but the burger and the bun were so delicious and buttery, and came with fries (I upgraded to truffle). Just… legit one of the best meals on the trip. Plus, the staff was so incredibly kind, talked to me a bit about my travels, gave me wine samples before pouring the entire glass, just a 10/10 experience, along with the views. Plus, you can take your wine after and take a stroll outside, grab a dessert to go, and take it up to your room. The second night, I got the filet mignon, which was served with mashed potatoes & asparagus. Very very good meals. Both of them.

Morning scones, yogurts, fruit and fresh coffee available every morning.

WAR WATER BREWERY

On my second day in St. Clair, I knew I should at least get out and explore a little of the town, even just within walking distance from the inn. I was looking for an easy snack and drink option, and stumbled upon War Water Brewery, which is located in this really cool indoor/outdoor plaza with several restaurants and shopping. But they have over 50,000 square feet of space, and a huge menu of drinks and food. I’m not always the biggest fan of beers, but they had a delicious sour I tried, and their seltzers were so unique and super good. I was obsessed with this purple drink, think Kool Aid but not for kids, and just radiates grape, hahaha. And I had a snack of fried cauliflower (although it wasn’t a snack, it was a BIG appetizer!). But the staff was so incredibly kind, and made me feel welcome, and I’m really glad I popped in there to try a flight.

stroll the WORLD’S LARGEST FRESHWATER BOARDWALK

And of course, you can’t come to St. Clair without walking the world’s largest freshwater boardwalk. It’s only a half mile walk along the river, but the views are wonderful, there are speakers playing music, lots of people lounging in the park in chairs, reading, taking in the views, and it’s really a serene and cozy spot to sit, grab a coffee from T.A.P. Cafe (The Anchor Point Cafe) (their frozen chai was delicious) and enjoy!