From the beaches of Sleeping Bear Dunes to the wilderness of the Upper Peninsula, Northern Michigan's most splendid vacation destinations are just a short drive away. Take out your card and uncap the marker. We're here to help you with 11 Great Lakes State getaways that you and yours will cherish forever.
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Platte River Point Beach, Frankfurt
Like salmon moving upriver, families are drawn inexorably to where the warm, sleepy Platte River flows into Lake Michigan in 2007. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Credit the fun of swimming in the current and a sandy shore that surrounds a beautiful, world-class Platte Bay. We are talking about mental images that will pass through your collective consciousness forever. Camp within walking distance at the national park's Platte River Campground. Complement your love of nature with day trips south to Frankfurt, with its surfers and pretty lighthouse, or north to Esch Road Beach, another sandy beauty that will get tattooed on your heart.
Photo by Mark Lindsay
Good Harbor Bay, Maple City
A long afternoon on a Great Lakes beach, sun-baked, water-cooled, covered in sunscreen and sand. This image captures the experience at Good Harbor Bay on the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. With 9 miles of shoreline in this lovely cut of coast, you and your group will never have a problem staking out your own stretch of sand. Driving access on County Roads 669 and 651. Little ones love playing in the magical places where streams flow from the forest, through the beach, out to the big water. Find beach supplies at Market 22 (just east of 669 on M-22) or head to Leland for groceries at Leland Mercantile or sandwiches at Village Cheese Shanty. No one will ever forget this day.
Photo by Angela Brown
West Grand Traverse Bay, Traverse City
The plan: set the alarm earlier and the coffee machine timer even earlier. In fact, get out of bed and head to Clinch Park downtown. Traverse Town, to admire the sunrise over Grand Traverse Bay. Pink above, blazing sky reflected in calm morning waters below. Hell yeah, it's a moment in life that will stay in your mind for a long time. Then, head downtown for brunch at Towne Plaza.
Photo by Todd and Brad Reed
North Port
It's easy to fall prey to Leelanau County's enchantment when tracing the rolling roads or spreading a towel on the sandy shores. But Leelanau's magic is just as strong from above, as demonstrated here in an aerial photo of Leelanau Point. The great arc of Cathead Bay, much of which is part of Leelanau State Park, appears in the foreground; On the other side of the peninsula are Northport Bay and the town of the same name, in the cut of land that appears in the upper part of the image. Stay at the national park campsite at the tip. Go up to the lighthouse. Take a walk on the shore. Travel along smooth sidewalks and roads lined with orchards and vineyards. Know that Northport's dining scene is small but mighty, with notable choices at Fischer's Happy Hour Tavern, just 5 miles from downtown.
Read next: The ultimate M-22 road trip
Photo by Bob de Jonge
Sturgeon Bay, Cross Village
Wilderness State Park, so beautifully named. And the 10-mile stretch of undeveloped public shoreline along Sturgeon Bay proves the wild side: walk until you can't walk anymore on the sandy stretch with dune cliffs to the east and Lake Michigan to the west. It is a timeless landscape that will be written into the strands of your DNA. Find easy access at the intersection of M-119/North Lakeshore Drive and W. Lakeview Road and begin heading north. Camp right in the state park at the 250-site campground east of Mackinaw City, perched on the Straits of Mackinac. Do you prefer to sleep indoors? Many hotel options in Mackinaw City. The area's must-see road is M-119 to Harbor Springs, nicknamed the Tree tunnel for the shaded canopy that envelops the winding two-lane road.
Photo by Beth Price
Frankfurt
When the wind blows strong from the south, the waves turn into violent swells that long distance north along the coast of Lake Michigan. When they hit the 600-foot-long breakwater in Frankfurt, a new physics takes hold. The waves curve toward the shore and break as they go, giving surfers the crashing, undulating energy they need. This is why Frankfurt has become ground zero for surfing in the North. Tasty restaurants right downtown, steps from the beach: Stormcloud Brewing Co. (craft beer, flatbread pizza), Dinghy's (eclectic American cuisine).
Photo by Angela Brown
View of Empire Bluff
The trailhead is just a short drive from the headquarters of Sleeping Bear Dunes at National Lake, then it's a hilly, wooded half-mile hike to a viewpoint that you and yours will claim as a spiritual place for life. From a perch about 40 stories above Lake Michigan, you look north to the Manitou Islands, south to Platte Bay, and west to eternity. Stay at the park's DH day campground, 10 miles north of Glen Haven, but no showers or running water (latrines, friend). Are you not interested? Try the Empire Lakeshore Inn (book early) or the many hotel options in Traverse City, a half-hour east.
Photo by Aaron Peterson
Illustrated Rocks, Munising
To truly love Illustrated rocks in the Upper Peninsula, just get closer, in person. See them from the water. For many, that means boarding a tourist ferry in Munising – a good day, yes. But to preserve this indelible memory, we offer you a kayak. Take a lesson, know what you need to know, be safe, know the weather well. Paddle. (Book a guided tour from Pictured Rocks Kayaking if you're new to the sport.) Sandstone cliffs rise about 180 feet from the water, and mineral stains from eons of groundwater seeps create ethereal patterns along the face. In the golden hours of early morning and evening, the sandstone cliffs glow. Bonus: Top it all off with a kayak camping trip. Beachfront campgrounds at Mosquito Beach and Chapel Beach provide access to the most spectacular cliffs.
Read next: The Best Things to Do and See at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Photo by Todd and Brad Reed
Hamlin Lake, Ludington
HAS Ludington State Park, this gigantic, beautiful Lake Michigan (7 miles of beach!) gets all the publicity, but Hamlin Lake, which also has a shoreline in the park, is also a solid mainstay of good times. Reserve a plot of land in the camp and spend hours with your family, fishing or sailing small boats on Hamlin. (Bonus: Hamlin offers a great backup beach for little ones when a cold wind blows across the big water.) Save time to dine in downtown Ludington. Jamesport Brewing Co. does a good job with their beers and food. Blu Moon Bistro for inventive cuisine and seafood options.
Photo by Aaron Peterson
Royal Island
Go by seaplane (35 minutes) or ferry (3 hours), but definitely go there. Destination Royal Island is a 45-mile-long slab of rock covered in boreal forest and roamed by moose and wolves. The location of this legendary island, rising far from the shore in the middle of the largest freshwater lake on the planet, means you'll find the back-to-nature solitude you're looking for, as it is one of the least visited national parks in America. Backpack to a harborside campground – nine good campgrounds within five miles (fairly flat hike) of the main Rock Harbor – set up a base camp and launch day trips for a few days. If you are lucky enough to hear the howling of wolves echoing through the midnight forest, you will never forget it, guaranteed.
Read next: Wilder Than We Think: Paddleboarding in Michigan's Only National Park
Photo by Todd and Brad Reed
Père Marquette River
The heritage of river fishing runs deep in Northern Michigan, with Ernest Hemingway's love affair with northern rivers and the first meeting of Trout Unlimited taking place among us. The cold, clear Père Marquette River is one of those legendary streams that puts us on the national map for anglers looking for brown trout, salmon, steelhead and more. Spend a day floating on the current and that river will also flow through your soul forever. Guide trips, classes and clinics at Wolfe Outfitters and The Fish Whisperer. The river empties at Ludington, where you can mix up the outdoor ambiance by reserving a room at Cartier Manorone of the most classic Victorian B&Bs in the state.
Featured in the July 2014 issue of Traverse Northern Michigan magazine; updated March 2024.
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