5 Things to Do This Fall in Bay City
Shandra Martinez
| 2 min read
Bay City sits near the base of Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron, though not along the shore. The Saginaw River flows through this Mid-Michigan community and is crossed by several historic bridges, including Liberty Bridge, Veterans Memorial Bridge, Independence Bridge, and Lafayette Avenue Bridge.
Michigan's largest antique center is housed in a historic building at the heart of downtown. It can take a day to explore all the dealer booths in the Bay City Antique Center, which offers three stories of quality antiques and collectibles in a historic former hotel built in the 1860s. It’s a haven for treasure hunters on a quest for antique, vintage, and collectible items. Bay City Antiques Center is part of a stretch of local antique malls.
This 10-mile looping trail surrounds the east side of Bay City and follows the west bank of the Saginaw River. The rail trail is an asphalt and cement path on land once used as a railroad right-of-way that has been repurposed for joggers, cyclists, and in-line skaters. The Riverwalk/Railtrail loop connects to or is very near several parks, including Maplewood Park, Carroll Park, Bigelow Park, Ted Putz Nature Area, Riverwalk, Veterans Memorial Park, Dwan Property, Defoe Park, and Infinity Skate Park.
Dedicated to documenting the history of the U.S. Navy, the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum is housed aboard the USS Edson, a retired Navy destroyer. Formed in 1997, the nonprofit works to preserve and promote the Edson as a historical memorial, an active educational facility, and a unique visitor attraction. The Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum promotes Bay City’s century-old shipbuilding heritage.
Located in the heart of downtown Bay City, the Delta College Planetarium is housed in an award-winning building, considered one of the most unique and significant structures in downtown Bay City. The planetarium, which opened in 1997, was built with an $8.75 million NASA grant to create a learning environment that fosters an appreciation of the significance, relevance, and application of the sciences.
This 6-acre downtown park, along the east bank of the Saginaw River, was built in 1908. It has an amphitheater used primarily for arts performances at the World Friendship Shell and includes a large oval sculpture and water fountain that can be seen along the length of Center Avenue. A dock at the seawall accommodates all sizes of vessels.
There’s lots to see and do in Bay City in the fall. Check out the highlights in this video.
Photo credit: @baycitymilove
