This blog post may contain affiliate links, which may reward me in the event of a sale. I use these funds to reinvest in my blog and to create more great content like this article to share with you! My visit to Midland was sponsored by Go Great Lakes Bay, however all thoughts & opinions are my own. Disclaimer here.
I’ve discovered a hidden gem of a town to explore during the holidays! And that town is none other than Midland. This winter, we went on a Christmas themed day trip to Midland, which couldn’t have been any cuter!
Midland is about 45 minutes away from Frankenmuth (aka THE Christmas town in Michigan). But if you’re looking for a place to enjoy some holiday cheer without the crowds, Midland is a great alternative. Otherwise, you can definitely tack it on as a day trip during a getaway to Frankenmuth.
During this day trip, we enjoyed several activities. This included a free carriage ride, local shopping, and visiting Santa at the most adorable Santa House ever to be seen.
Inspiration Behind this Christmas Themed Day Trip to Midland
I’ve been eyeing Midland as a town that I want to visit with my family during the holidays for awhile now. A couple years ago, we visited Midland during a fall getaway when we biked past the Santa House.
I remember it vividly. We were riding bikes exploring Midland on a relatively quiet day. Then suddenly, we came across this vibrant, green and red house that almost looked like a gingerbread house or something out of a storybook. As we biked closer, we read the sign saying that is the Santa House.
So I pulled it up online and learned not only does the Santa House open up for FREE during December, but that there is a free train ride through town! So, I knew we needed to go back to check this out during the holidays.
Summary
When: Saturday in December
Why: When looking at other festive activities and attractions throughout Michigan, I came across Midland’s Santa House and thought it so unique! It really looked like a great day trip destination or place to stop at for a night during a getaway in the Great Lakes Bay region.
Time Traveled (one way): 1.5 hours from Lansing, almost 2 hours from Detroit, 2 hours from Grand Rapids, 2.25 hours from Traverse City, 2.5 hours from Kalamazoo, 2.5 hours from Toledo, almost 4.5 hours from Chicago
Time Spent at Destination: 1 day & 1 night (since we live far)
Budget: $$
Christmas themed day trip to Midland Details
Now the day’s finally come – here we are visiting Midland during our Christmas themed day trip. It’s time to see the cute gingerbread-looking house in action!
But before our visit to the Midland Santa House, we did a number of activities in the downtown Midland area as part of their annual Holly Jolly Days.
Cafe Zinc
By the time we arrived in Midland, we were hungry and ready for something to eat! So out of both convenience and familiarity, we dined at Cafe Zinc in downtown Midland.
Cafe Zinc is located within the H Hotel. It is a European inspired cafe. The indoor dining area is bright and spacious with a counter with pastries and desserts on display that stretches across the length of the room. A cozy fireplace was roaring during our visit that also added to the festive ambiance.
Now, I also mentioned we chose to eat here out of convenience too. When looking up information on what activities were happening in downtown Midland as part of the Holly Jolly Days we attended, the horse drawn carriage ride was picking people up from outside the H Hotel. So what better place to kick off the festivities than one of the cutest cafes in Midland that just so happens to be in a close spot to where we wanted to be next?
While I’ve been here before, I’ve never tried lunch so that was a new experience! The menu offers a number of hot sandwich and salad options for lunch. From it, I ordered the brisket sandwich which came with southern coleslaw, pepperjack cheese, and horseradish cream on Texas Toast. Instead of fries as a side, I opted for a side salad. There is also a kids menu. I ordered a spicy cocktail made with habanero peppers and mango to drink with lunch. All of our food and drinks came out nicely, however service was a bit slow during this experience.
Holly Jolly Days
With our tummies now full of delicious food, it was game on for all things Christmas!
Every year during the first weekend of December, Downtown Midland hosts “Holly Jolly Days” on Friday evening and Saturday. During this annual event, there are free horse-drawn carriage rides, holiday shopping deals, and holiday painted window displays. Also not to be missed – there are fire pits in town, and the Commons social zone, should you wish to grab a cocktail or beer to go!
Once we wrapped up at Cafe Zinc, we strolled a couple feet away to line up to go on one of the free horse-drawn carriage rides. Two Clydesdale horses and carriage operators from Town’s End Clydesdales & Carriage clomped around a route that winds through downtown Midland. The rides last from 5-9pm on Friday evening and 12-4p on Saturday. We waited in line for about 20 minutes before we hopped on. Blankets are available to use during your ride to keep warm! We even sang a Christmas carol to go along with the jingle bells on the horses that quite literally jingled all the way!
Following our carriage ride, we wandered down Midland’s Main Street to check out the holiday window displays on the businesses. And popped into a couple of the shops to look for gifts. Two of our favorite shops to pop into are Serendipity Road and A Joyful Tantrum. Both of these stores are attached. The first is a gift shop with a unique collection of feminine finds, while A Joyful Tantrum is a toy store.
There is still plenty to appreciate in downtown Midland if you can’t make it during the Holly Jolly Days. The holiday window decorations remain up. Plus in the evening, elegant white Christmas lights line the streets.
Santa House & Northern Star Train
After resting up for a bit at our hotel, we were in bright spirits to see Santa at the Midland Santa House! And there’s a fascinating backstory behind how the Midland Santa House got its start.
The Midland Santa House was built in 1987 by local donors and the Midland Area Community Foundation. To this day, the Santa House runs admission free thanks to the effort of local volunteers, and the donations overseen by the Midland Area Community Foundation.
The Santa house was intentionally built to resemble a real life gingerbread house. There are also many practical features that make it the perfect Santa house:
- The roof is slanted for reindeer takeoffs.
- It is two stories tall with a loft allowing for extra room for Christmas decorations.
- The bay window up front provides room on the first floor for revelers to peer inside to sneak a peak of the Christmas magic before entering.
- In 1997, the glockenspiel was added to the house. This was a gift of the Dow Chemical Company in honor of Dow’s 100 year anniversary.
- The houses’ architecture was made to blend in with the whimsical architecture of the Midland County Courthouse next-door. {Now, that’s a tale for another day.}
We made sure to give ourselves plenty of time to wait and came bundled. In total, it took about an hour to get to the entrance of the Santa House. Once inside, the whole place is decorated from top to bottom. It’s truly a sight to behold as there’s so many decorations! And every hour on the hour, the glockenspiel opens up to chime and play a couple Christmas songs.
Upon entering the house, an ‘elf’ will discreetly approach you and ask your child’s name. When it’s your child’s turn to see Santa, the elf quietly relay’s the name to Santa so each child is greeted by name when he sees them. Photos are free to take so make sure to carry your phone or camera.
Once we left the Santa House, we headed next door to the front of the County Courthouse, where rides on the Northern Star Train start. Train rides and the Santa House are both free to visit! The train ride lasts 15-20 minutes and circles through downtown Midland before returning back. While we did both during the evening, this is also something you can visit during the day as an afternoon session runs 1:30-4:30pm.
Aviator Cookie Company
What’s Christmas without enjoying some Christmas cookies? Aviator Cookie Company is another place we visited! For the longest time, my son’s been obsessed with airplanes so we seek out all things airplane themed within Michigan. A couple months back, an Instagram follower reached out to me recommending this place. So finally it’s our time to check it out!
Besides the cookies, there are several cool facts about it. The counter of the bakery is made from an actual airplane wing! And the founder of the bakery is actually a commercial airline pilot! He founded the company in 2020 back when people weren’t traveling much. Cookies are baked fresh daily. They sell a wide selection of popular and seasonal flavors like chocolate chip, sprinkle, and peanut butter. We purchased half a dozen to snack on later in the evening.
If you plan to visit, know this is a place where you pick it up to enjoy somewhere else. There aren’t any tables and chairs from which to enjoy the cookies here. However, the hours here are convenient and you can order online. Monday to Thursday, Aviator Cookie Co is open 10am-7pm. And on Friday and Saturday, they’re open 10am-9pm.
Brinstar Arcade Bar & Grill
Our final stop on our Christmas themed day trip to Midland before we all retreated to the hotel to rest was dinner at Brinstar Arcade Bar & Grill. This place is fantastic if you’re looking for a fun spot for the family. There are all sorts of classic arcade games and pinball machines to enjoy here. It makes for some good fun as you wait for your food to come out. Some of the games are even free! Like the game my son is sitting at in the photo above, that is both free AND a table you can dine and play from.
The other games are all coin operated, so make sure to carry your quarters. There is a change machine on site too.
And speaking of food – the food is delicious! There’s a variety of burgers plus appetizers and a kids menu. I ordered one of their newest burgers on the menu – the Mother Burger, which is a half pound patty (I was hungry!) with a Guinness Glaze, bacon, smoked gouda, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Winston ordered a kids hot dog. Other menu options include poutine, unique eggrolls, gyros and coney dogs. For drinks there are 12 beers on tap plus cocktails. I ordered a hot spiked cider after a day well spent embracing the cold weather outdoors. Check out the complete menu here.
Complete Itinerary for a Christmas Themed Day Trip to Midland
Here’s my family’s itinerary for how we spent the day in Midland:
- We came from Frankenmuth and left there around 1pm.
- 2:00 pm: Lunch at Cafe Zinc at the H Hotel.
- 3:30 pm: Horse drawn carriage ride through downtown Midland
- 4:15 pm: Check into the hotel (Fairfield Inn) and have some rest time
- 6:00 pm: Midland’s Santa House
- 7:00 pm: Ride the Northern Star train
- 8:00 pm: Pick up some indulgent dessert from Aviation Cookie Company
- 8:15 pm: Grab some dinner and play games at Brinstar Arcade Bar & Grill
Map of Christmas Themed Day Trip to Midland
Other Helpful Info to Note
What are some other restaurant options in Midland?
There are several restaurant options in downtown Midland. Besides the couple that we dined at during our visit, there is Molasses – a barbecue joint, Gratzi for Italian, Witchcraft Taproom with a wide variety of Michigan made beers, wine, cider and mead with plenty of food options, Proper Taco, Pizza Baker, and ONe Eighteen, which in the winter has several cozy igloos in the courtyard of the H Hotel.
Where do you recommend parking in downtown Midland?
Free street parking is available, but there are also several lots located along the riverfront, which is where we usually park when we’re in town.
Is this day trip easily walkable or do I need to drive anywhere?
This is an easily walkable day trip. If you park in any of the lots by the river, you’ll be good.
When does the Santa House start for the holidays?
The Midland Santa House opened November 28th and runs until December 23. It is open daily. Here is the schedule.
Do any of these attractions require reservations?
You can make reservations at Café Zinc on Open Table, other than that, nothing else required or accepts reservations.
Where can we spend the night in Midland?
Since we stayed in Midland late and we’re from the west side of the state, we stayed overnight at the Fairfield by Marriott. It’s a bit of a walk. So we drove from the hotel to where we parked, and then drove back when ready to rest.
But we also loved our stay at the H Hotel when we visited during the summer. You could read more about that here.
Midland is also less than an hour away from other great towns in the Great Lakes Bay region of Michigan including Bay City, Saginaw, and Frankenmuth. You could easily convert this into a Christmas themed weekend getaway by visiting another town in the Great Lakes Bay region!
For more information on visiting these towns in the fall, discover our family friendly guide to visiting the Great Lakes Bay in fall. I also have another for summer!
Happy adventures!
From Michigan with love,
Jackie
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