Spend 24 hours in Port Huron with Gordon Whitney

Growing up in Port Huron, he has learned to love a lot about the city he calls home. Working at Continue Marketing, a boutique creative firm located in the historical district of downtown Port Huron, he gets the opportunity to meet a lot of people and watch as the city grows and changes.

" [I have enjoyed] Being able to watch Port Huron become the comeback kid. I’ve seen a lot of progress over the many years of being here. I am continually encouraged by the tenacity and drive that this city has to keep improving upon itself," he says.

Is it perfect? Not quite, but the collaboration and dedication from its residents, workers, and those in positions of power make it a beautiful place to live, work, and play, he says. That's why Whitney, 31, his beautiful wife Regina, and their three children are proud to call it home.

While he recommends that people spend more than 24 hours in the city, here are his suggestions on how to spend 24 hours in Port Huron.Kate's is a popular lunch option.

9 a.m. Coffee at The Exquisite Corpse Coffee House

Gordon recommends a cup of hot, cold-brew with red-eye. The coffee house offers a variety of coffees and teas. "It is important to give Maggie and Nathaniel Bottenfield at least three high-fives a piece. It is more important to toss a few bucks in the tip jar," he says.

While enjoying your coffee, he suggests taking a few moments to stop and ponder deep thoughts while looking at the water.

10 a.m. Workout at Afterburn

He then makes a pit stop at Afterburn Fitness Club to get moving if the coffee hasn't kicked in. Working out will brighten your day and energize you to keep moving forward. Afterward, he says don't forget to thank Emily and Tim Lelito for making your life better. Before leaving, it's important to shower off that hard work, Gordon quips.

11 a.m. Time for new shoes

Whether you notice your shoes have holes in them or they make your feet hurt, head down to District 43 to get a new pair of shoes, and also to give Jorja and Scott Baldwin high fives. Hugs are optional, but they’ll also make your day even more amazing, so you decide how awesome you want to feel, he says.

11:30 a.m. Greet a stranger

After finding the perfect pair of shoes, he suggests saying hello to someone you've never met, which will not only improve your day, but likely the person you stopped to chat to.

11:35 AM: Stop at Ruboo Boutique

Gordon says your conversation with the stranger should not take more than 5 minutes, so then head immediately next door to Ruboo Boutique. Get some amazing clothing for you or a loved one, and, again— dish out some high-fives to Demiree Potter. Bonus points if you pronounce her name correctly on the first try.

12 p.m. Grab some lunch downtown
 

When you start getting hungry, Gordon suggests one of the following two options: Kate’s Downtown or Chef Shell’s.
 

You guessed it. It’s high-five or appropriate hug time again. Either place will fill your belly with amazing food, and your heart with love, he says.

1 p.m. Coffee at The Raven
The Raven Cafe is a great place to enjoy coffee.
After a filling meal, you’re most likely feeling the need for a siesta after all of that goodness from lunch. Pick yourself up a hot cup of joe from The Raven. Spend a little extra time in there to take in the atmosphere. It’s quite fantastic, Gordon says.

1:30 p.m. Visit the locally owned shops

Port Huron is home to a variety of fantastically fun shops, so Gordon says to make sure to stop by these businesses and offer your support:

• A Little Something
• The Closet by A Beautiful Me
• Weekends
• Patrick & James
• Everything Classic Antiques
• Grand Trunk Marketplace (don't forget to tell Kelly Lozano that Gordon sent you to give her a deluxe high-five).
• Papaya Branch Boutique

Late afternoon/eveningVintage Tavern is one of Gordon's top choices for a great meal

After an afternoon full of shopping and exploring, stop by Studio 1219 for some local, incredible art. Often times, they have events that showcase all sorts of talent in the area.

Dinner

Now that you've kept yourself busy for an entire day exploring, shopping and sampling all that Port Huron has to offer, Gordon has three great locations to pop in for dinner:

"You really can’t go wrong with just about anything downtown," Gordon says.

His top three recommendations are. Vintage Tavern, Sperry's Dinnerhouse and Lynch's Irish Tavern. Each offers its own unique atmosphere and great food.

After dinner fun:

Once dinner is done, there's still time to round out the day with a little fun. Depending on your favorite things to do, Gordon suggests:

• Catching a movie at Sperry’s Moviehouse
• Cheering on the home team at a Prowler’s hockey game at McMorran Arena
• Watching a musical/play at either McMorran Auditorium or The Citadel Stage.

"There’s so much to do in Port Huron! If you follow or don’t follow the aforementioned recommendations, I guarantee you’ll have a great time either way! And if you do decide to stay? Check out the Doubletree Hotel — it offers amazing views of the town and the water.