You guys . . . I keep finding myself back in Indiana.
Formerly known to Brad and me as “the state you drive through,” Indiana has moved way up my list of reasons to love the midwest. Over the past year, I’ve traveled to Indiana for two multi-day trips (click here to read about my adventures in Fort Wayne!) and both times, I was already planning my next visit before I left.
Our latest adventure: a weekend getaway to Serenity Springs, a couples’ cabin resort in La Porte (right outside Michigan City), Indiana. Just three hours from metro Detroit, Serenity Springs is far enough away from southeast Michigan where it feels like a vacation, yet close enough to combat travel fatigue. As someone who’s all-too-familiar with lonnnnng road trips, this was an important factor in our planning and a very enticing notion, indeed.
[Disclosure: Serenity Springs hosted my husband and me for a two-night cabin stay in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
FRIDAY
We arrived on a Friday night, meeting at the main office to drop off our vehicle and check in. We were greeted warmly and promptly, invited to check out some free movies from the resort’s DVD library (I recommend doing this or bringing your own since there’s no wifi in the cabins), then went back outside to load our things into the resort shuttle. We were told that typically, guests have the option upon arrival to ride a horse-drawn carriage, but since it was after dark, the horse had gone to bed for the evening. No worries, because we’d have the opportunity to enjoy the carriage the following day.
Above: Each Serenity Springs cabin is decorated in a different theme (ours was “The Butterfly”).
A mini fridge was also stocked with complimentary beverages (specified to your taste when you make your reservation), while a microwave, coffee maker, water cooler, dishes/utensils, outdoor grill, and firepit eliminated any worries about needing other supplies. It didn’t take us long to decide we were going to like it here . . . bring on the royal treatment!
Above: Hot tub And Fireplace Inside Serenity Springs’ Butterfly Cabin
SATURDAY
The next morning, we woke up to the sounds of geese honking and drew back the shades to reveal a view of what we’d missed the night before: a back porch overlooking a pond! Accustomed to eastern standard time, I felt like the switch to central time gave me a bonus hour to enjoy the calm of the morning before the rest of the world woke up for the day.
Above: Our view from the Butterfly Cabin, one of many pond-facing units at Serenity Springs.
Grabbing a notebook, I sat down on the couch for some quiet time and realized one thing was missing: my morning coffee! Searching the supplies we had in our room, I noticed we were out of coffee filters, so I wrote my request on a piece of paper, put it into our magical butler door, and not long after, received the filters I’d asked for. Of course, I then found out that the coffee in our room came packaged in little bags that eliminated the need for filters in the first place, but I digress. Special kudos to the resort staff for quickly filling a need and not questioning my unnecessary request. 😉
Above: Feeding the birds at Serenity Springs! Watch out for the wild geese (previous photo), as they’ll use any means necessary to steal all the food from these sweet duckies.
The rest of our morning was spent digging into our breakfast basket, feeding ducks (the resort provides free corn for you to feed the birds!), and lazily watching TV from our comfy, reclining couch. At one point, I looked over and noticed that the light above our butler door was on. Squee! Scrambling over to see what we’d gotten, I found the cutest little note:
Above: Serenity Springs uses paper notes and “butler doors” to communicate with resort guests.
So, Brad and I reserved our time slot, bundled up for the chilly spring morning, and made our way outside around the time our carriage pulled up. Hopping in, we huddled under a blanket and chatted with our driver while he took us on a 20-ish minute ride around the resort, telling us all about the property and our fearless horse leader, Izzy. Interestingly enough, the tour paired with cooler weather made our journey feel quite a bit like Thanksgiving day. I can totally imagine how much fun the carriage tour (converted into a sleigh) would be at Christmas time, too. What a great year-round treat!
Above: Our carriage awaits!
We spent Saturday afternoon exploring nearby Michigan City, where we headed downtown for a colorful lunch and some tasty lattes, spent hours scoping out deals at the outlet mall, and made a quick stop at the Indiana Dunes for some photos. By the time we got back to Serenity Springs, we were beat . . . but lucky for us, the resort offered dinner delivery service!
Above: Pizza + Tyler Perry = A perfect Saturday night!
Now, there are a variety of different options available when ordering food at Serenity Springs. These will incur additional costs, but are completely worth the convenience if you don’t feel like making an extra trip into town. You can choose a full meal, a special treat (like chocolate-covered strawberries), or extra snacks (if you happen to go through what’s already in the room). Smaller treats are delivered through the butler door, while full meals begin with a knock at the door and a Serenity Springs team member delivering your food in person. There are fancier meals available (like steak dinners with in-room table setup), but Brad and I opted to share a pizza, which Serenity Springs orders from a local restaurant. We paired this with a couple of funny movies, and voilà—a perfect way to unwind after a full afternoon of shopping and being on our feet for hours.
SUNDAY
Since we had until 11:00 a.m. to check out on Sunday morning, Brad and I decided to spend some time at one of Serenity Springs’ two clubhouses, literally just steps from our cabin. The clubhouse was pretty cool: equipped with games, a TV, fireplace, and perfect for hanging out with larger groups (think couples retreats, etc.). We had the place to ourselves, and after we both gave up on figuring out bumper pool (does anyone know how to play it?), Brad patiently watched me fail at being a worthy table tennis opponent. Life lesson to all the ladies out there: Find a guy who loves you despite your lack of coordination and you’ll be set for life.
Above: Inside “Clubhouse A,” one of two available to Serenity Springs guests.
OVERALL IMPRESSION
Before our trip to Serenity Springs, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The notion of a cabin getaway seemed nice on paper, but when all was said and done, would it be worth the trek to Indiana?
The Verdict:
Serenity Springs hit the nail on the head service-wise, amenity-wise, and location-wise. Brad and I are typically “pack as much as we can into our itinerary” people, but I can honestly say that this experience has opened my eyes to the joys of restful vacations. We had the best time and given the opportunity, would absolutely go back in the future!
Cost/Value:
A weekend at Serenity Springs will run you around $500+ for two nights (not including meals/extras). Given the unique nature of this resort, I’d say it’s worth the splurge for special weekends (i.e., anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, etc.). Brad and I were both impressed with how the staff made our stay easy, which isn’t always the case during our travels. Literally everything—deliveries, scheduling, etc—was handled with a simple request to the staff, and all we had to do was sit back and wait for everything to fall into place.
Guest Specifics:
Serenity Springs is specifically designed for adults and couples—all guests must be 21 or older and a maximum of two guests may occupy one cabin. If you’re interested in traveling with a group of people, however (think reunions, events, retreats, etc.), you may consider reserving multiple cabins and booking one of the resort’s clubhouses for group gatherings.
Thanks again to Serenity Springs for a fantastic weekend!
