There’s nothing I love more than a girls trip with a close friend or two and that’s exactly what I got to do last weekend thanks to Inn at Bay Harbor. I’ve stayed in a cottage here before in my 20s on another girls trip coincidentally and absolutely loved it and it was great to return again.
I actually hadn’t seen Emily at all this year and the two of us love skincare and beauty, shopping, eating a great meal and drinking indulgent coffees and teas! So this weekend was exactly the rejuvenation we needed and gave us lots of time to catch up and relax while exploring Petoskey.
Where We Stayed
The Inn at Bay Harbor graciously gifted us a weekend stay in a suite with the most spectacular views of the bay.
If you’re interested a girls trip or any kind of getaway this summer, use code BAR for 20% off peak summer dates this year.
What We Ate + Restaurant Recommendations
We arrived on Friday just before our dinner reservation at the Vintage Chophouse. Emily ordered the short rib and I ordered the walleye and asparagus dish along with the gnocchi dish to split with Emily since I couldn’t decide. Emily also ordered the espresso martini while I went with a local riesling. This restaurant is on the first floor of the Inn at Bay Harbor with views of the water. Highly recommend.
We also had breakfast at the hotel each morning. There is nothing I love more than a hearty breakfast buffet. The bacon was incredible and usually buffet bacon isn’t my favorite but this was my favorite breakfast item each morning. We also had Belgian waffles with homemade whipped cream, biscuits and gravy, breakfast potatoes and fruit during our two breakfasts.
For coffee and tea, I recommend North Perk Coffee in downtown Petoskey. It was a super cozy, familiar spot where people brought in their dogs and greeted you as if they knew you. I ordered the Petoskey fog, basically a London fog and probably the best one I’ve ever had. And Emily ordered an iced matcha with vanilla and that was by far the best matcha I’ve ever tasted. Sometimes those taste like grass to me, but this one was smooth and the vanilla added a little sweetness.
We also went ham at the Kilwin’s. There was a pretty large location just outside of the downtown area and we bought chocolates, peanut brittle and gifts.
After shopping, we had an afternoon tea service in our hotel room with earl grey tea and a selection of mini sandwiches, scones, macarons, fruit and other pastries with jam, clotted cream and honey. The scones with clotted cream and honey were my favorite and Emily loved the mini egg salad sandwiches!
For dinner on the second night, we wandered over to Nomad. The Masseuse at Inn at Bay Harbor spa recommended this place and did not disappoint. The Village at Bay Harbor is right next to the hotel and walkable, but you can take a shuttle from the hotel. Here, we ordered mocktails since that’s what sounded so good to us and Emily ordered the wagyu cheeseburger and I got the lasagna. Everything was delicious and the interior was super chic.
Where We Shopped
Downtown Petoskey is a treasure trove of adorable little shops include Ruff Life Pet Outfitters, Flora Bae Home and Symon’s General Store to name a few. You really should just wander the streets and shop it all.
We also had the best time shopping before our massage at the spa at the Inn at Bay Harbor. They carry luxury French skincare line Biologique Recherché and Emily had been wanting to try their lip mask and vivant mask. They also carried Beyond Yoga, Varley and a small selection of Lululemon clothing and accessories.
Other Fun Things We Did
We both got lavender bloom Swedish massages at the spa. This was Emily’s first massage ever and she was raving about it. I personally love a massage and try to go every couple months and this was exactly what I needed to relax fully!
We also just spent a lot of time unwinding in the hotel room whether it was sitting on the balcony people watching the shoreline or sharing skincare products and masks and watching movies, it was fun to sit around and do nothing. Now that I’m 38, I greatly appreciate the downtime to rest and catch up with my friend.
Sponsored by the Inn at Bay Harbor.
