The bestplaces to spend a rainy day in Manistee

THE BEST PLACES

to spend a rainy day in Manistee

ERIN GLYNN VENTURE STAFF WRITER

Unpopular opinion: I love summer thunderstorms. But there’s no question, rain can throw a wrench in your plans if you’re on a beach vacation. Luckily, Manistee has plenty to offer in terms of indoor entertainment.

Here are some highlights:

The Vogue Theatre

Manistee’s neighborhood cinema still has its original neon signage and renovated interior from 1938, so no matter what film you choose to take in here, it will feel like an event.

The Vogue has two screens: one in the Pure Michigan Theatre with 187 seats and one in the Oleson Family Theatre with 44 seats, so here are two film choices each week.

Manistee County Public Library

Curling up with a book while rain splatters against the windows is a classic activity for a reason and the Manistee Library is the perfect place for it. Even if you’re not a big reader, the library offers crafting and creative writing activities for children and adults.

If you’re elsewhere in the county, there are five other branches besides the main one.

Library hours in Manistee are Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check out the event calendar at manisteelibrary. org.

Bowling

If you’re not in the mood for anything quite so sedentary, the bowling alley is another fun option. Striketown Manistee is a 20-lane bowling center with a bar, food, pool tables and arcade games. It’s open Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 6-10 p.m.

Dempsey Manor

A rainy day can also be the perfect opportunity to tour the historic Dempsey Manor, a 19th century Victorian house museum, built by lumber baron James Dempsey. The mansion itself is a work of art, but it also houses antique furniture, paintings, sculpture and historical artifacts collected by James Colburn, a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Public tours are offered yearround. To arrange a tour, call the Dempsey Manor office at 616-802-4588 or email DempseyManor@yahoo.com.

Browse local shops

Another option is to explore the local shops along River Street. Manistee boasts specialized shops for a variety of interests: cookware at The Ideal Kitchen, art and tchotchkes and Port City Emporium or books and puzzles at Happy Owl Bookshop. You can also just grab a cup of coffee at Goody’s Juice & Java or The Outpost as you wait for the downpour to let up.

Manistee’s Vogue Theatre boasts two screens. (File photo)

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