Things to Do in Three Oaks, Michigan
The best things to do in Three Oaks, Michigan, are touring Journeyman Distillery, catching a show at the Acorn and riding the backroads bike loops that start downtown. It’s a village of 1,370 people in Berrien County’s Harbor Country, 5 miles from Lake Michigan and 2 miles from the Indiana line.
Both the distillery and the theater fill the old Warren Featherbone Factory. E.K. Warren built it to strip turkey quills into featherbone, a cheaper substitute for the whalebone in corsets. The village also claims the country’s largest Flag Day parade, every June.
Journeyman Distillery
Journeyman makes certified organic whiskey, gin, rum and vodka inside the Featherbone Factory. Tours walk you through the grain-to-glass process and the building’s history, then end with a tasting in a private room. Staymaker, the on-site restaurant, handles check-in.
★ Good to know Tours cap at about 12 to 15 people, so book online; Three Oaks runs on Eastern time, an hour ahead of Chicago.
The Acorn
This nonprofit performing arts center at 107 Generations Drive shares the old factory complex with Journeyman. It books rock, folk, jazz, comedy and more year-round, with a full bar. It also runs open mics and a yearly singer-songwriter competition with finals in July.
★ Good to know The box office opens at 4 p.m. Eastern on most show days, so plan dinner at Staymaker next door.
Dewey Cannon Trading Company and Bicycle Museum
The Three Oaks Spokes Bicycle Club runs this 1850s-style storefront at 3 Dewey Cannon Drive. It’s part travel-info stop, part antique and gift shop, and part bike museum, with an 1860s Boneshaker and an 1890s Tally-Ho tandem. You can also rent cruiser bikes here.
★ Good to know It’s the start of 16 self-guided Backroads Bikeway loops, and it has a public restroom.
Backroads Bikeway and the Apple Cider Century
Sixteen self-guided Backroads Bikeway loops begin and end at the Dewey Cannon Trading Company downtown. On the last Sunday of September, the Apple Cider Century rolls out on routes from 15 to 100 miles. It started in 1974 and draws up to 3,500 riders.
★ Good to know If you don’t want the crowds, avoid the last weekend of September; if you do, register early through the club.
Vickers Theatre
This restored single-screen cinema on North Elm Street shows independent, foreign and classic films plus documentaries. It also hosts special screenings like the Manhattan Short film festival. It’s a relaxed way to end an evening downtown.
★ Good to know Showtimes change weekly, so check the theater’s site before you go.
Dewey Cannon Park
In 1899, Three Oaks raised $1,400 for a memorial to the men of the battleship Maine, the largest per-capita gift in the nation. The reward was a cannon Admiral Dewey captured in the Spanish-American War. It still sits in the park, engraved with the monogram of Queen Isabella II of Spain.
★ Good to know President William McKinley dedicated the park in 1899, and a state historical marker tells the story.
Warren Woods State Park
Just north of the village, this 311-acre preserve protects a tall beech and maple forest along the Galien River. A quiet 1-mile trail follows the river and crosses it on a footbridge.
★ Good to know The Elm Valley Road entrance closes in winter; park on Warren Woods Road by the trailhead instead.
Warren Dunes State Park
North of town in Sawyer, Warren Dunes has 3 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and dunes rising 260 feet above the water. There are 6 miles of hiking trails, two campgrounds and rustic mini cabins. Hang gliders launch here with a permit.
★ Good to know Lake Michigan currents can be dangerous, so check the DNR’s beach safety notes before swimming.
What is the Featherbone Factory in Three Oaks?
It’s the old E.K. Warren factory that turned turkey quills into featherbone, a substitute for whalebone in corsets. Today it houses Journeyman Distillery, its Staymaker restaurant and the Acorn performing arts center.
How far is Three Oaks from Lake Michigan?
About 5 miles. Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer is the big public beach nearby, and Warren Woods State Park is even closer to the village.
When is the Apple Cider Century bike ride?
It’s held on the last Sunday of September every year, with routes of 15, 25, 37, 50, 62, 75 or 100 miles. The Three Oaks Spokes Bicycle Club has run it since 1974.
What other Lake Michigan towns are near Three Oaks?
St. Joseph is a short drive up the shore, and Saugatuck is farther north. See St. Joseph, Saugatuck or all our small towns in Michigan.
Where to find them
- Journeyman Distillery 109 Generations Dr., Three Oaks, MI 49128 Website Directions
- The Acorn 107 Generations Dr., Three Oaks, MI 49128 Website Directions
- Dewey Cannon Trading Company and Bicycle Museum 3 Dewey Cannon Dr., Three Oaks, MI 49128 Website Directions
- Backroads Bikeway and the Apple Cider Century 3 Dewey Cannon Dr., Three Oaks, MI 49128 Website Directions
- Vickers Theatre 6 N. Elm St., Three Oaks, MI 49128 Website Directions
- Dewey Cannon Park Dewey Cannon Dr., Three Oaks, MI 49128 Website Directions
- Warren Woods State Park Warren Woods Rd., Three Oaks, MI 49128 Website Directions
- Warren Dunes State Park 12032 Red Arrow Hwy., Sawyer, MI 49125 Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Three Oaks, see Harbor Country Chamber of Commerce →
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Where to stay in Three Oaks
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