Bay City

Bay City is a city in Central Michigan. A former lumbering/mill town that was incorporated in 1865, it was at one time the home of the celebrity Madonna, which is commemorated in a mural downtown.

Get in

By car

Bay City is accessible from I-75 / US-23 and US-10 highways.

By bus

Bay City is served by Greyhound Bus Lines through Indian Trails.

By plane

• 1 MBS International Airport (MBS ^IATA) (located in nearby Freeland, about midway between Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw.). The airport is served by United Express flights from Chicago-O'Hare, plus Delta Connection flights from Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul, plus seasonal flights from Atlanta. (updated Nov 2019)
• 2 James Clements Municipal Airport. A General aviation airport. (updated Nov 2019)

See

• Delta College Planetarium & Learning Center, 100 Center Ave, ☏ +1-989-667-2260, planet@delta.edu. 146-seat, interactive, Digistar 6 theater. Observation deck with panoramic view of downtown Bay City and Saginaw River. Astronomy programs for enthusiasts of all ages. (updated Nov 2019)
• 1 Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum. Daily 9AM-5PM. An intriguing naval museum given that it is housed in a former US destroyer. $14 adults, $12 veterans, $10 kids ages 4-17. (updated Nov 2019)
• Historical Museum Of Bay County, 321 Washington Ave, ☏ +1 989-893-5733, info@bchsmuseum.org. M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa Noon-4PM. Historical review of the area. Free. 
• 2 State Theatre. (updated Nov 2019)
• 3 Bay City State Park, 3582 State Park Dr, ☏ +1 989-684-3020. Daily 8AM-10PM. State park along Saginaw Bay contain Tibico Marsh, a freshwater marsh sanctuary, with boardwalks and bird blinds, plus (often polluted) beach and recreational amenities. 
• The four bascule-type drawbridges over the Saginaw River that bisects the town along with the historic downtown area.

Do

The Riverwalk located along the Saginaw river. Features artwork, gardens, softball fields and a children's playground.

• Center Avenue Homes, Eastside (part of Hwy 25). Center Avenue consists of a long string of classic and historic homes built by some of the elite lumber barons who helped settle the area. Each home is different and seems to have been constructed to "out-do" its neighbor. Look for tower rooms, sprawling three and four story homes with wings off the main structure. Free. 
• Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival. (updated Nov 2019)
• Bay City Fireworks Festival. 4th of July. (updated Nov 2019)
• Things That Go Bump In The Night Film Festival. (updated Nov 2019)

Eat

• Fusion 1 Cafe, 813 Saginaw St, ☏ +1 989-891-0551. 

Drink

Visit Bay City's Midland Street for a wide variety of pubs, bars and clubs set in with local shops and restaurants. The area is part of the historic down town of West Bay City.

• Populace Coffee, 810 Saginaw St.. The best coffee shop in town, and a favorite haunt of many young locals. 

Sleep

• Quality Inn & Suites, 4105 East Wilder Road, ☏ +1 989 667-7050, fax: +1 989 667-7050. 

Go next

Routes through Bay City

Mackinaw City ← Grayling ←	N  S	→ Saginaw → Flint
Ludington ← Midland ←	W  E	→ END
Alpena ← Tawas City ←	N  S	→ Saginaw → Flint