Brooke Elward – Photo and Design Editor
As someone who lived in Bay City for one year, I found a lot of places to go and things to do. My top five favorite in no particular order include Brooklyn Boys Pizza, Wenonah Park, Grand K Ranch, Washington Lanes and Heidi’s Darn Good Cookies.
Brooklyn Boys Pizza is not just the best local pizza joint, but also the best pizza I have had overall—as claimed by a gluten-free pizza enthusiast.
Wenonah Park is a free park alongside the Saginaw River. There are bird scooters, bar crawls, and live concerts.
Grand K Ranch is a local horse farm that gives discounts to students for rides. It offers wine-and-rides, lessons, date night, pizza- and-ride and more services.
Washington Lanes is a bowling alley located on the other side of the bridge in downtown Bay City.
It offers a cosmic college night for $12 every Thursday with student ID. It offers a bar, entertainment, DJs, bands, arcade and bowling.
Heidi’s Darn Good Cookies is a short walk just south off campus. The cookies are addicting for oneself as well as a hit at parties.
Get off campus, start making your way around the cities, and enjoy some cheap fun with your friends.
Alyssa McMillan – News Editor
While SVSU offers a variety of fun events, sometimes it’s nice to get off campus for a while. One of my personal favorite places to go on a weekend is WhichCraft Taproom in Midland, MI.
WhichCraft is only a short drive away from campus and has something to offer everyone. It has the vibe and atmosphere of a coffee shop while being a bit more targeted to adults. The brick walls are lined with board games for guests to borrow.
My favorite part is the unique cocktails they offer. My go-to is the cherry limeade but they also offer a variety of ciders and wine. They also have mocktails available for those who don’t drink, as well as appetizers.
They have plenty of indoor seating, but the patio is great this time of year on days when the weather is nice. It overlooks downtown Midland and the Tridge, which is lit up at night.
Another reason this place is notable is the staff. The waiters and waitresses are very friendly and are always willing to recommend drinks. Last time I was there, we had a conversation about serial killers and horror movies.
WhichCraft Taproom, however, is the best place to end your night.
Audrey Bergey – Vanguard Photographer
Would you like to get off campus and enjoy the fall weather this semester? Try visiting the Johnson Pumpkin Farm in Saginaw.
And what is a pumpkin farm without the pumpkins?
There are a variety of sizes, shapes and colors you can choose from.
The farm also has a 60 feet trebuchet, which can hurl 30-pound pumpkins thousands of feet in the air.
Farm animals are in various pens such as goats, emus, chickens, cows, alpacas and assorted varieties of birds.
Inside you can check out their unique craft store and find lots of different items, from clothing to decor.
While you are in there, you can buy and enjoy some apple cider and their famously good and fresh donuts.
The Johnson Pumpkin Farm has the classic corn maze, which spans 13-acres of land, that visitors can try to escape.
If this is something you’d like to check out, they are open Mondays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Both admission and parking are free, so bring your friends along. Their farm is even accessible and handicapped friendly.
Rebekah Williams – Vanguard Reporter
My favorite local spot near campus is the Saginaw Valley Rail Trail off Stobel Road on the southwest side of Saginaw.
If you like a quiet, small town feel this is a great spot.
The trail is well kept, fresh-looking and the path is my favorite. Everything is green and beautiful.
Along the path there are benches and covered picnic tables.
The roads that the trail crosses aren’t super busy which makes it perfect if you’re rollerblading or biking.
Last fall, when classes were all online, this trail became one of my favorite spots to get away for a few hours, listen to some tunes and rollerblade or run.
Additionally, the trail is very flat which is especially nice if you are learning to skateboard or rollerblade.
It is usually a quiet place, and everyone gives you space to run or walk.
In the fall, the trail is beautiful and full of colors.
This is another reason I like it: it’s a beautiful little spot that you don’t have to travel up north to get to.
I highly recommend this location for all the reasons listed above and I encourage you to check it out.
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