East Tawas is a GREAT town to take Grandma and/or Grandpa to! The sidewalks are evenly paved with bricks, making it easy to walk or roll over, but textured enough to not be slippery. ALL of the shops, and businesses we encountered today on Newman Street, the "main drag" were easily accessible with my rolling walker, although some were a bit of a tight fit. Elevators are available for the second floor spaces, and public restrooms are plentiful and clearly marked. I would avoid Norman's, the big green monstrosity on the corner of Newman and Bay Streets, however. It's cluttered enough to be a fire hazard.
Besides Newman Street, the state dock and adjoining day-use park are also easy to get to and pleasant. There is also a sidewalk along the bay side of US-23 from East Tawas all the way back to Tawas City, with many benches along the way if you need to stop and rest.
Several of the East Tawas eateries have outdoor dining available. Just today we noticed G's Pizzeria, Marion's Dairy Bar, Barnacle Bill's and Jacks's with outdoor seating. It was just a touch on the chilly side today, though, so only Marion's actually had diners outdoors. But we did notice on Newman Street several of the decorative benches were occupied, as people enjoyed the weather and visited.
We were excited to see that several of the "gift shops" carried unique items that you just don't find in your run-of-the-mill tourist trap shops. Our favorite stop of the day was Brew Crew. My sister was intrigued by several series of unique figurines. One group was some freaky frogs, and another series were just regular people. I fell in LOVE with a mirror/art piece that I thought would be great to put on the wall of the living room to serve as a "last glance" before heading out or a place to fix your hair when you took your hat off. BUT it was over $90 so I had to pass. I did buy a bag of cherry dog treats, made in Michigan, not China, so I feel perfectly safe feeding them to my beloveds.
The other side of the store sold wine and wine-related items, spice mixtures, bottled sauces, and spiffy kitchen tools. They had a section of Michigan wines, and I was delighted to be shown two labels I'd never heard of before. The staff were all so helpful and knowledgeable; a real pleasure to browse!
There were at least two antiques shops on the main drag, and who doesn't love antiques? There is also a small restaurant on US-23 between Tawas City and East Tawas called Augie's On The Bay. Good "home cooking" type place with a wonderful view!
Bottom line, take Grandpa fishing at the state dock, Grandma to the antique store, and on a hot Saturday afternoon take them to the matinee at the Family Theater. In the evenings, look for shows at the Playhouse, band concerts at the park, or for a drive out to Tawas Point or Lumberman's Monument/Iargo Springs when the wildlife starts stirring before dusk. I'm sorry I have no idea about the accessibility of any of the family-owned motels or cabins, but there are several chain motels between the Tawases and Oscoda.
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