Bay City sits on both banks of the Saginaw River, a few miles upstream from Saginaw Bay. For visitors, the quickest way to understand it is as a handful of districts, each with its own personality. This guide explains what each one is known for, where to eat and what to look for.
Two sides of the river
Bay City was limited to the east bank of the Saginaw River until 1905, when the former city of West Bay City on the west bank was annexed. You can still hear locals talk about the "east side" and "west side," and park names in our parks listing are grouped that way. Four modern bascule (drawbridge-style) bridges cross the river, the Lafayette Avenue Bridge (1938), the Veterans Memorial Bridge (1957), the Independence Bridge (1976) and the Liberty Bridge (1990), so crossing from one side to the other is easy, though the river is a working waterway and bridges can lift for ships. Our riverfront guide has more on the bridges.
Center Avenue Historic District
Center Avenue is lined with the mansions and civic buildings of the lumber-boom years, and its historic district contains more than 250 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Walking or driving slowly along Center Avenue is the best free architecture tour in the city. Gatsby's Seafood & Steakhouse, Mulligan's Pub, Tavern 101 and the First Presbyterian Church all have addresses here.
Downtown Bay City
The Downtown Bay City Historic District lies between Madison Avenue and the river. It is home to the State Theatre, the Historic Masonic Temple, Wenonah Park with the World Friendship Shell, the Bay County Historical Society and many of the restaurants and shops in this guide. Downtown hosts most of the festivals and holiday events on our calendar. Park once and walk.
The Midland Street district
Midland Street is a historic commercial district near the river, known for its old brick storefronts and a good concentration of bars and restaurants. Brooklyn Boyz Pizza, Eudici's Pizza, Pfund's Sandwich Company, Izakaya, W.H. Ales Brewpub and H2O's Waterside Grill are all on the stretch listed on our Eat and Nightlife pages.
Water Street and the antique district
N Water Street runs along the river and is described as Michigan's largest antique district. It is also home to North Peak Brewing Company, Drift Shoreside Beer Garden and Beatles and Beans Coffee Emporium, so antiquing and a drink fit into one trip. The Bay City Antiques Center is one of the largest antique retail centers in the state.
Neighborhood business districts
Beyond downtown, small business districts along Broadway Avenue, Columbus Avenue, Johnson Street and in the Banks area serve their neighborhoods. Bay City Players is on Columbus Avenue, Broadway Family Grill and Roma's Family Restaurant are on Broadway Street and Buddy's Columbus Cone is on Columbus Avenue. These are good places to eat if you want a neighborhood feel.
Shopping corridors
Wilder Road and N Euclid Avenue are the main retail strips, with supermarkets, big-box stores and chain restaurants. See our Groceries page. Note that the Bay City Town Center shopping mall is just outside city limits in Bangor Township.
Parks and the riverfront
Veterans Memorial Park and the Liberty Harbor Marina anchor the northern riverfront. Bigelow Park sits on Middleground Island, and Carroll Park and other neighborhood parks are scattered through the east and west sides. The Riverwalk and Rail Trail loop connect many of them.
Getting around
Downtown and the riverfront are walkable. For most other places, a car is the easiest way, though Bay Metro runs buses. See Plan a Visit and the map to orient yourself.
Sources
District and bridge facts come from the public encyclopedia article on Bay City and the City of Bay City website. This guide is independent.