Venture Out

• The North Western State Trail is 32 miles in length and connects Petoskey, Alanson, and Mackinaw City.

• The 23-mile Little Traverse Wheelway connects Charlevoix, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs.

• Go to: www.traillink.com › Find Trails › Michigan for a full list of bike trails in the area.

• Little Traverse Conservancy Nature Preserves are beautiful sections of land that have been set aside for the public enjoyment. For the full list and their locations, go to landtrust.org. One of our favorites is the Woollam Family Preserve, just up the road and close enough to reach by bike. A short half-mile hike on the woodland trail brings you to lovely lake views and stunning shoreline.

• Thorne Swift Nature Preserve, three miles north of Harbor Springs, has an informative natural center and programs for children and adults.

• At Middle Village, an old Native American settlement, you’ll find a lovely beach with shallow and clear waters perfect for swimming. While there, make sure to visit the historic St. Ignatius Mission Church.

• A few other nearby favorites: Bear River Recreation area, Avalanche Mountain Preserve, and Sturgeon Bay.

• Bike rentals: The Outfitter of Harbor Springs, Touring Gear, and Grandpa’s E-bike rentals

• Book a Great Lakes fishing charter and catch some fresh salmon.

• Meander through The Inland Waterway—Michigan’s longest chain of rivers and lakes. Nearly 40 miles long, it runs from Pickerel Lake to Lake Huron. michiganwatertrails.org

• Charter a sailboat with Little Traverse Sailors, a nonprofit sailing school on the waterfront in Harbor Springs. Climb aboard and head to Beaver Island or enjoy a sunset cruise.

• Enjoy a leisurely paddle down Bear River, or for the more adventurous, wrangle its rapids— one of Michigan’s few true whitewater experiences.

• Fish Wycamp Lake for bluegill, yellow perch and largemouth bass. Surrounded by unspoiled state forest expect to see bald eagles. The lake is accessible by small boat, canoe, and kayak.

• Have a boat of your own? The closest access for Lake Michigan is in Cross Village. The access to Burt Lake is just a short distance away. Enjoy its bright blue waters or make your way to other lakes along the Inland Waterway.

• Visit the Oden State Fish Hatchery, one of Michigan’s six state hatcheries, and see how brown and rainbow trout are raised and transported to their new ‘homes.’ A new interactive learning area has been recently added.

• Use CC Guide Service for fly-fishing in a custom-built cedar drift boat, Plumber’s Helper Charter Fishing for a superb Great Lakes fishing experience, or Northern Michigan Fly-Fishing Guide for a day of outdoor adventure for you and your family.

• There are numerous ways to enjoy the surrounding waterways. Bear Cove Marina offers pontoon boats for a relaxing day on Walloon Lake. Bear River Canoe Livery is perfect for renting canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards for navigating the Bear River. Lake to Lake Boat Rentals will deliver a wide variety of rental watercraft to lakes within approximately 30 miles of their location in Petoskey. A good option for easy access to the Chain of Lakes (Michigan’s Inland Waterway), is the Indian River Marina.

Visit the wineries that dot this region’s landscape. See the grapes, taste the wines, and discover each family’s passion to create one-of-a-kind tastes.

• Pond Hill Farm Vineyards and Wineries

• Walloon Lake Winery

• Rudbeckia Farm and Winery

• Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery

• Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery

• Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery

• Three Pines Studio-Cross Village

• Good Hart Glassworks-Good Hart

• Ahrens Gallery and Studio-Harbor Springs

• Indian Hills Gallery-Petoskey

• Somebody’s Gallery-Petoskey

• Sturgeon River Pottery-Petoskey

Don’t forget to pack your clubs, these fairways will fit you to a tee. Eighteen courses are within a short drive, ready to challenge no matter what your level of skill.

• Boyne Highlands Resort - Arthur Hills and The Heather

• Bay Harbor Golf Club - The Quarry and The Preserve

• Harbor Point Golf Club

• Chestnut Valley Golf Course

For those of you with good taste, we’ve got you covered! Not only are the surrounding towns filled with great options for foodies, there are numerous tasty treasures tucked along the county roads just waiting to be discovered. These are a few of our favorites.

• The Crow’s Nest

• Douglas Lake Bar & Steakhouse

• Moose Jaw Junction

• Legs Inn

• Old World Cafe

• Pond Hill Farm Cafe

• State Road Provisions

• Good Hart General Store
  

Ready for a day of Adventure? Pack a picnic, load the car, and head out for a day of making memories. These destinations are all within an easy car drive. Explore, meander— sit back and enjoy the ride— you’re on vacation!

• The Headlands International Dark Sky Park

• Castle Farms

• Mackinac Island

• Raven Hill Discovery Center

• Harbor Springs History Museum

• Inland Water Route Historical Museum

• St. Francis Solanus Indian Mission

• Bay View Association

• The Young Americans Dinner Theater

• Crooked Tree Arts Center

• Lavender Hill Farm

• Beaver Island

• Pointer Boat Tour

• Emmet County Sportsmen’s Club

• Michigan’s Upper Penninsula

Experience the bounty of the area— ripe peaches and apples and pumpkins, juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, regional honey, and crusty bread. Half the fun of getting away is grazing on the local fare. On those days you feel like dining in, visit a farm for field-ripened local provisions and enjoy a delicious farm-to-table meal.

• Bill’s Farm Market

• Coveyou Scenic Farm Market

• Pond Hill Farm

• Knaebe’s Apple Farm

• Black Barn Farm

• Local Farmer’s Markets - Good Hart, Harbor Spring, Petoskey, Boyne City and Charlevoix

• Boyne Highland Resort

• Renegade Ranch Riding Stables

• Bliss Polo Club - Experience an exciting polo match during mid to late August. Picnic on-site and take part in the stomping of the divots.

Grab the kids and enjoy a round of fun! A perfect evening activity for kids and kids-at-heart. Win or lose, everyone deserves an ice cream.

• Big Bear Adventures

• Pirate’s Cove Adventure

• Great American Adventures

• Good Hart General Store

• Pellston General Store

• Cross Village General Store

• Harbor Springs - IGA

• Petoskey - Walmart, Meijer, Olsen’s, D & W Fresh Market, and Plath’s Meats

• Readmond Township Beach—A great little public beach on Lamkin Drive, just 2 miles south of us on 119.

• Middle Village Beach—A perfect, little-known beach just down the road.

• Wilderness State Park—26 miles of beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. Drive 11 miles north on Lake Shore Drive and enjoy!

• Sturgeon Bay—Miles of sand and dunes. The water is always a little warmer in the bay.

• Harbor Springs Zorn Street Beach—For downtown fun and sun. Spend the day at the beach and walk into town for lunch and ice cream.

• Petoskey State Park—Enjoy endless sand while hunting for Petoskey stones.

• Camp Petosega—Three hundred acre park on Pickerel Lake with nature trails, park, and playground.

• First Beach—swim all day and enjoy the night stargazing at nearby Dark Sky Park.

• Fisherman’s Island State Park—locals say its unspoiled views of land and water alone make it worth the drive. Dog-friendly, too, from all we’ve heard.

• Petoskey’s Break Wall—not exactly a beach, but the teens will love taking a running leap into the refreshing Lake Michigan water.

• Ocequeoc Falls—Don’t forget your water shoes! It’s a bit over an hour a way, but when else will you get the chance to swim in the lower peninsula’s largest waterfall?