How It Started, How It’s Going: 45 Years of Dunes Magic

If you’ve spent even one weekend by the pool here, cheered for a queen at our cabaret, or just danced until the lights came up, you know there’s something special about The Dunes. Call it joy or call it freedom, but whatever it is, it’s been part of our story for 45 years.

That’s right! 2026 marks the 45th anniversary of The Dunes Resort, the Midwest’s largest and most iconic LGBTQ+ resort and a place thousands of people have called home—even if just for a weekend. As we head into the new year, we’re taking a moment to look back at where The Dunes began and how the magic has only gotten stronger.

Before The Dunes, There Was a Feeling

Long before our epic pool parties and afternoon tea dances became a way of life, Saugatuck and Douglas were already drawing gay visitors from all over the region. Artists, travelers, weekend escapees—they all found something here that felt different from anywhere else. Maybe it was the beaches. Maybe it was the creative vibe. Maybe it was simply the way people opened their arms and said, “You’re welcome here.”

By the early 1900s, historical records show young men sunbathing nude at Oval Beach. During the 1920s, LGBTQ visitors from all walks of life were flocking here to spend their summer vacations and enjoy a sense of connection and liberation. And by the 1960s, the area saw its first gay bar, the Blue Tempo, a trailblazing hangout that defied state liquor laws by serving to openly queer patrons.

Saugatuck/Douglas quietly built a reputation as a place where LGBTQ people could be themselves without apology, long before that was common or easy. It was that spirit of acceptance that laid the foundation for everything that would come next.

The First Chapter Begins

In May 1981, the former Amity Motel was purchased by Larry Gammons and Carl Jennings and reborn as the Douglas Dunes, a bar and motel where LGBTQ locals and visitors could gather, relax, and feel at home. With only 22 rooms at the time, it wasn’t flashy, but it was important. It gave the community a place to belong, a place to dance, a place to breathe more freely. And that lifeline mattered.

A Few Margaritas Later

Fast-forward to 1998. Thanks to one unforgettable night involving three friends, some pizza, a few margaritas (or a lot, depending on who you ask), and the kind of life questions that usually end with “what if?” and the seeds for the next iteration of the Douglas Dunes were planted. Let’s face it. Some people make questionable choices under the influence of tequila.

On May 26, 1999, Mike Jones, Danny Esterline, and Greg Trzybinski officially purchased the Douglas Dunes, renamed it The Dunes Resort, and began shaping it into the destination so many of you know and love today.

Under their leadership, The Dunes expanded in size, spirit, and ambition. What started as a modest bar and motel has grown into a 22-acre LGBTQ resort and entertainment complex with now over 80 guest rooms, a massive dance floor and pool scene, cabaret, and multiple bars and lounges, attracting visitors from Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and beyond. The Dunes has become both a sanctuary and a destination for celebration, welcoming a mix of singles, couples, trans folks, bears, lesbians, retirees, twinks, allies—a.k.a. everyone.

Over the years, countless people have walked through our doors and found new friends, new love, or simply a space where they could just “be.” As Mike once put it: “People come here to find themselves, lose themselves, but most importantly—be themselves.”

Looking Ahead

As we begin 2026, we’re kicking off a yearlong celebration of everything this place has meant to people over the decades. Expect moments of nostalgia but also plenty of chances to make brand-new memories with the people who continue to make The Dunes what it is—a close, connected community shaped by everyone who’s ever walked through our doors.

Here’s to 45 years behind us. Here’s to everything ahead. And here’s to you for being part of our story.