One of our favorite parts of Michigan is the Leelanau Peninsula. This is in the Traverse City area, but offers more laid back and small town vibes that we prefer! We have travelled up that way for years, and even have made the trek up 3 times in 2024. Here is some of our favorite things to do while there while visiting Leelanau County or Traverse City!
Where to stay?
We own an Airstream, so most of our stays are in and around campgrounds in the area. On our last trip we stayed at Holiday Park in Traverse City which is a wonderful RV park. They have a lot of amenities, full hookups, and is a great base camp to explore the area. We also stayed at Indigo Bluffs in Empire – which I think we decided as a family that we prefer due to its proximity to the Lake, some of the small towns and the Sleeping Bear Dunes. If I had to stay in a AirBnB, hotel or cabin, I would try to be in the Glen Arbor, Frankfort, or Empire area.
What to do?
Boy this could take a while. We aren’t huge excursion people, but we tend to like to explore local cities, beaches, or hikes. We love more low key activities. Here are some of our favorite things we do while visiting the Leelanau Peninsula and Traverse City area.
– Visit Sleeping Bear Dunes. Do the Dune Climb and drive the Pierce Stocking Drive and do the dune overlook. There are a ton of places to stop for a picnic, little hikes, and scenic overlooks.
– Visit Glen Arbor – This is a charming small town, and really you can’t beat it in the summer. Over the Fourth of July weekend there is a great small town parade. Be sure to stop by Cherry Republic – we like to get the kids ice cream or a slushy, and the adults can enjoy a beer, pie, or anything cherry related! Glen Arbor also has a few shops that we pop in to browse for books, art, or touristy shirts.
Visit Leland & Fish Town – Be sure to visit Leland and Fish Town! It is a super cute small town on Lake Michigan with some original buildings, great restaurants, and a cool town. Our kids love picking up a smoked fish from Carlsons!
– Rent a Boat on Glen Lake – We did this on our last trip and it was amazing. We rented a pontoon from Glen Craft Marina and enjoyed 4 hours on the beautiful Glen Lake. The water is so clear due to its sandy bottom, and they have a handful of sand bars to anchor at. This was a highlight to our summer!
– Hike Empire Bluffs Trail – There is a great hike that is family friendly with amazing views. Check out the Empire Bluffs Trail. This is maybe a 1-2 hour hike. Here is link on AllTrails.
– Visit the Beach – Our favorite beaches are Good Harbor or Esch Beach. These are both fairly popular, so be prepared to park a few blocks off. There aren’t any concessions or fancy bathrooms, so be sure that you bring some drinks and food!
– Visit Wineries, Breweries, or Cideries – The area has so many great places to visit. Some of our favorites are Two Ks, Rove, Tandem, Hop Lot, Sutton’s Bay Ciders, and St Ambrose.
– Eat at Farm Club – We don’t eat out a lot, but we always find time to make it to Farm Club for at least one meal while up that way. It is closer to Traverse City, and is accessible from their bike trail system.
– Ride your bike – One of the best parts of this area is that they have so many bike friendly roads and trails. We have utilized the TART trail system in Traverse City. They have trails that route through the city, as well as out into the country. My wife and I have recently gotten into road cycling, and this area is top notch! Most of the country roads are pretty calm, have wide shoulders, and fun hills to climb up and down. The serious cyclists love riding on M22. We recently did a 56 mile ride from Empire Michigan down to Frankfort and back, and it was a ton of fun!
If you have any questions about anything you read here, or would like more info, feel free to send me a message! You can also follow our Airstream Chronicles Instagram page!
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