Vacation!
BENZIE MANISTEE & CADILLAC NORTHERN MICHIGAN
outdoor adventures, family fun (and lighthouses!)
PHOTO BY DAVE WEIDNER
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ARCADIA ∙ BEAR LAKE ∙ BENZONIA ∙ BEULAH CADILLAC ∙ ELBERTA ∙ FRANKFORT ∙ HONOR LAKE ANN ∙ LUDINGTON ∙ MANISTEE ∙ ONEKAMA SLEEPING BEAR DUNES ∙ THOMPSONVILLE
2020 MYNORTH
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CHARTER FISHING CHERRY BOWL DRIVE-IN
ARCADIA DUNES OVERLOOK
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CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN MILLER’S NORTHWOOD MARKET
NORDHOUSE DUNES WILDERNESS
BIG SABLE LIGHTHOUSE
Go back to the 1950s at Crystal Falls Mini Golf in Benzonia, the A&W drive-thru in Frankfort and the Cherry Bowl Drive-In Theatre in Honor. Hang with your kids on Crystal Mountain’s zip line. Paddle the Pine—the fastest river in the Lower Peninsula. Wooha!
PILGRIM VILLAGE RESORT
The Insider's
BENZIE MANISTEE & CADILLAC
PADDLE THE PINE
Check out these tips for making the most of a vacation to this beautiful region! Charter a fishing boat out of Frankfort Harbor.
Explore all 3,500 acres at Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area.
Hike 3.6 miles round trip from Ludington State Park to Big Sable Point Lighthouse. Top it off with an ice cream cone at the park’s Lake Michigan Beach House.
Duck into the Pilgrim Village Resort and Fishing Shop in Cadillac to outfit yourself for fishing Lake Mitchell—tackle, boat and all!
Brake at Miller’s Northwood Market on M-22 in Bear Lake for fresh fruit and veggies and polished Petoskey stones.
Pack a picnic and linger over the bird’s-eye view of Lake Michigan at Arcadia Overlook on M-22. 2020 MYNORTH
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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S BEST KEPT SECRET! LOCATED JUST MINUTES FROM LAKE MICHIGAN & SLEEPING BEAR DUNES! Amenities: • Oversized Full Service Sites • Modern Bathhouse & Laundry Facilities • Wi-Fi Available • Walking Paths & Dog Walk Close to: Dining, Shopping, Golfing & More 231.352.7240
Frankfort Michigan
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Dine-in & Carry-out
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RIVERSIDE
POINT BETSIE LIGHTHOUSE Near Frankfort
C A N O E
231.352.7644 | www.pointbetsie.org
T R I P S
Kayaks |Tubes |Canoes Rafts |Boats |SUPs
Rent and enjoy the charming Lighthouse Assistant Keeper’s apartment with breathtaking views of Lake Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and the Manitou Islands. This historic renovated apartment is just steps away from the beach and spectacular sunsets.
231-325-5622
www.canoemichigan.com
5042 N. Scenic Hwy Honor, MI 49640
FA C E T I M E B E AT S
S C R E E N
TI M E .
Trade your iPad for the splash pad. Your laptop for the lap pool. And emails for exhales. Because memories aren’t made sitting behind a screen. They’re made in the waterpark, taking a trip down the alpine slide, relaxing by the campfi re, and on a long hike. It’s all happening this summer, at Crystal Mountain.
MAKE IT YOUR MOMENT.
CRYSTALMOUNTAIN.COM 855.721.5277
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paddle
THE PLATTE
PHOTO BY MORGAN TAYLOR
PHOTO BY TAYLOR BROWN
From the swift, chilly waters of the Upper Platte to the warm, slo-mo Lower Platte, this 29-mile-long river is made for paddling and floating fun. These outfitters offer trips that suit all ages and levels of experience. Riverside Canoes in Honor will set you up with canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, tubes or white-water rafts. Choose from various length trips (on either or both the Upper Platte and Lower Platte, with a shuttle to your car included). The fun headquarters is outfitted with a food concession, a grocery store with beer and wine, fishing supplies and anything else you might need on the river. canoemichigan.com Honor Trading Post offers tubing, kayak, canoe and stand-up paddleboard trips on the Upper and Lower Platte tailored to the way you want to enjoy this beautiful river. After-trip bonus: a piping hot, house-made pizza! canoeplatteriver.com
Discover more perfect paddle trips. MyNorth.com/Outdoors
2020 2020 MYNORTH MYNORTH
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DO THE SLEEPING BEAR DUNES!
Discover more must-dos. MyNorth.com/SleepingBearDunes
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The 10,000 acres of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore that line the Benzie County coast are waiting to be explored. Here’s a taste of what awaits you. GLORIOUS BEACHES
Find Platte Point Beach at the Lake Michigan river-mouth of Platte River and you’ve found paradise. Otter Creek emerges from its tree-lined banks into the wide-open blue of Lake Michigan at Esch Road Beach. Plan on staying through sunset. The winding, forest-lined Peterson Road leads to the sublime, sandy and secluded Peterson Road Beach.
GHOST FARMS
Step back in time at the Tweddle/Treat Farms. Now owned by the National Park Service, both farmsteads (separated by a lovely, half-mile wooded lane) offer a glimpse of pioneering life here. The jaw-dropping view of Lake Michigan just beyond Treat Farm is a bonus.
WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS
Deer, sandhill crane, trumpeter swans and fox are just some of the wildlife who call the park home. One sure place to see wildlife is on the quiet, 14.7-mile Platte Plains Trail that loops past Lake Michigan and around Deer and Otter lakes (where motors are prohibited).
PHOTO BY TAYLOR BROWN
Get directions and a park entrance pass at nps.gov/slbe.
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Shop online at Cottages, Lodge, Special Events www.hullsoffrankfort.com 231.352.7522 • Frankfort, MI 49635
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region of
LIGHTHOUSES
From Ludington to Manistee, these six lighthouses stand as picturesque tributes to this coast’s dramatic maritime history. PHOTOS BY TAYLOR BROWN
Plan your lighthouse tour. MyNorth.com/Lighthouses
1. POINT BETSIE LIGHTHOUSE, FRANKFORT
This famously photogenic lighthouse, built in 1858, is open seasonally to the public—as are the keeper’s residence, fog signal building, boathouse museum and gift shop.
2. BIG SABLE POINT LIGHTHOUSE, LUDINGTON
The payoff for a two-mile sandy hike to get to this lighthouse in Ludington State Park is the 100-foot-tall, black-and-white circa 1867 lighthouse with its inspiring view of Lake Michigan. Open seasonally.
3. MANISTEE NORTH PIERHEAD LIGHTHOUSE, MANISTEE
This pretty piece of maritime history has been beaming ships into the Manistee harbor since 1872. The light is undergoing an extensive renovation and not currently open to the public.
4. LITTLE SABLE POINT LIGHTHOUSE, MEARS
Finished in 1874, Little Sable is set in the sand dunes of what is now Silver Lake State Park. Open seasonally.
5. FRANKFORT NORTH BREAKWATER LIGHT, FRANKFORT
Take a front row seat on the Frankfort Pier (at the end of Main Street) for fabulous sunsets. The lighthouse, built in 1932 at the pier’s end, ups the ambiance factor.
6. LUDINGTON NORTH BREAKWATER LIGHT, LUDINGTON
This lovely little 1924 lighthouse with its bright green light and its half-milelong pier is a main attraction in downtown Ludington. Open seasonally.
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Changes
And No Changes Much has been changed to be better for you. But the favorites – the dunes, beaches, and sunsets – haven’t changed. They are just as beautiful. So, come, or come back and recharge with beauty.
Visit Us In Michigan: Cadillac • Traverse City • Manistee • Gaylord Fremont • Charlevoix • Petoskey • Rockford Grand Haven • Holland • Alpena • Saugatuck Escanaba • South Haven • Fenton • Iron Mountain St Joseph • Sturgis Frankfort • Minocqua GLIKS.COM
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cool things to do in
LUDINGTON STATE PARK
Whether you want to hike, bike, boat, paddle or just lounge in the sun, the 5,300-acre Ludington State Park offers fun for everyone. Ready, set, go! PHOTO BY TAYLOR BROWN
Spread your towel on the wide sandy beach and break for treats at the Lake Michigan Beach House.
CIRCLES FROM BOTTOM: PHOTOS BY SHELBY SOBERALSKI // TAYLOR BROWN // SHELBY SOBERALSKI // SHELBY SOBERALSKI
Book one of the park’s three mini cabins. Cute as buttons, they sleep four and are outfitted with a microwave, mini-fridge, heaters, lights and an outdoor fire pit. Rent a pontoon at Hamlin Lake Boat Rentals to go tubing, fishing or lounge in the sun on Hamlin Lake. Take in the view from 112 feet up at the top of Big Sable Point Lighthouse. It’s worth the 2-mile hike to get there! Learn archery! One morning a week all summer long, the park offers a free introductory archery class at its archery range. You’ll learn all the how-to’s, and yes, you’ll get to shoot. Rent a canoe or kayak from Hamlin Lake Concession (located in the park) and take the 4-mile canoe trail that skirts parts of Hamlin Lake that aren’t accessible on foot. Bonus: Time it so your paddle ends with the sunset. Fish for salmon at the Hamlin Dam in the fall. Rent a tube or paddleboard at the Hamlin Lake Concession and tube the Big Sable River to its mouth at Lake Michigan.
Discover more must-dos. MyNorth.com/LudingtonStatePark
Find more info at michigan.gov/dnr
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Taste something new.
PHOTO BY LYDIA MEJIA
PHOTO BY MAE STIER
PHOTO BY COURTNEY JEROME
PHOTO BY SHELBY SOBERALSKI
MyNorth.com/FoodAndDrink
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SIP LIKE A LOCAL From Northwoods taverns to hip microbreweries and distilleries, this region is brimming with spirits! BUZZY
Add an award-winning brewer to a charmer of a small town and let the fermentation begin. Set in Beulah, in a renovated 1950s building nicknamed the Quonset for its arched roof, Five Shores Brewing opened its doors in January and the crowds haven’t stopped coming. The newest craft brewery in the region, Five Shores is the love child of Oliver Roberts, formerly the head brewer at Wolverine State Brewing Co. in Ann Arbor, and Matt Demorest, a craft beer aficionado and businessman. Beyond its robust list of craft beers, Five Shores serves cider, wine, cocktails and light, inventive food.
CRAFTY
While Five Shores is the newest addition to this region, it is in good company. Check out Stormcloud Brewing Company in Frankfort, Jamesport and Ludington Bay brewing companies in Ludington, North Channel in Manistee, Clam Lake Beer Company in Cadillac and Lake Ann Brewing in Lake Ann. Each establishment has its own beer profile, but they all share conviviality, great live music and an eclectic mix of entertainment. The craft touch is embracing the world of wine and cider in this region as well. Sip estate-produced wine and cider at Douglas Valley Winery in Manistee, where the tasting room is in a renovated bunkhouse that used to serve passengers on the Manistee & North Eastern Railroad. Over in the postage-sized town of Chief, Northern Natural Cider House and Winery boasts a menu of USDA-certified organic cider. Mead—the ancient alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey—is the main attraction at St. Ambrose Cellars, where the owners have been making local honey for decades. St. Ambrose, set in the Beulah countryside, also makes wine and brews beer. Turning the countryside into liquid gold? You've got the theme. Now meet Iron Fish Distillery, a farm-to-flask operation set on a 120-acre former wheat farm surrounded by forest. Besides handcrafted spirits from grains and other ingredients grown on the farm and locally, Iron Fish Distillery (named for the steelhead in the nearby Betsie River) has become a food and entertainment destination.
CLASSIC
When the evening calls for a laidback Up North vibe, these long-loved watering holes serve it up just the way you want it. At Lumberjacks Bar & Grill in Honor, the food is awesome, the pool table is center stage and Happy Hour starts at 11 a.m. and goes until 7 p.m. Monday–Thursday. Jodi’s Tangled Antler (east of Beulah) pairs kicked-up classic tavern food with a game of pool. Note: Monday nights are pool-league nights and on Fridays the table gets moved to make way for karaoke. Snap a selfie in front of the stagecoach at Manistee’s oldest operating bar, The Painted Lady Saloon, where the food is comfort and Bell’s and Michelob Ultra are on tap.
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Open 7 days a week at noon
We serve up good food and good times! Daily Food & Drink Specials
Full carry-out menu!
Home of Lucilles’ St. Louis style ribs! Served every Thursday from 5 until 9pm
Located 1.7 miles east of Crystal Mountain in Historic Downtown Thompsonville
www.genossportsbar.com | 231-378-2554
Made in Michigan by natives of the Mitt
The Michigan Layered Necklace. Available now in silver, yellow, and rose gold. Both Peninsula’s, one necklace.
www.wexfordjewelers.com
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127 W. Cass St., Cadillac MI 49601 231-468-3526 after26project.org
Full Service Breakfast & Lunch Tuesday - Friday 7am- 2pm Saturday - Sunday 8am - 2pm
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CHARTER FISHING
CHARTER FISHING 231.651.9995 www.charterfishinginmichigan.com
Aboard the INTIMIDATOR & the INTIMIDATOR II Big Lake Fishing for Salmon & Trout All Fish Cleaned & Bagged Sails out of Frankfort, MI
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Lake Ann Honor
Frankfort & Elberta Beulah & Benzonia Arcadia
Thompsonville
Bear Lake Onekama Manistee
Cadillac
Ludington
Small Towns, Big Charm These towns put out the welcome mat with food, libations, music and fun in the sun! HONOR
Tucked next to sweet, sandy beaches in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, this village is bordered by the Platte River and home to classic Northwoods taverns and quiet campgrounds.
LAKE ANN
Set on the shore of lovely Lake Ann, find an old-fashioned grocery store, a rocking brewery with a fab pizza place next door and a downtown beach. Hike or mountain bike the 5.8-mile Lake Ann Pathway.
THOMPSONVILLE
Crystal Mountain, the hub of this rural township, is a top destination for snow sports and summer fun including the Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide. Off-campus, check out Thompsonville’s Up North-style taverns.
BEULAH
A buzzy new brewery, a boutique-filled shopping district, a darling downtown beach on Crystal Lake and Thursday evening Music in the Park concerts (June 25–August 13), make this a destination town.
Rent a boat at Bear Lake Marine and spend the day on the gorgeous sandy-bottomed lake of the same name. Then saddle up for a trail ride at Rockin' R Ranch, find fun stuff as well as an old-fashioned country store feeling at Wee Bee Jammin’ and get U-Pick organic berries at Ware Farm.
ARCADIA
Tucked between Lake Michigan and Arcadia Lake, this town is about water sports and beach days. But don’t miss the nationally renowned Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club. Just north on M-22, pull over at Arcadia Overlook, the highest viewing area on the Lake Michigan shoreline.
ONEKAMA
This idyllic, slow-mo coastal town has access to both Lake Michigan and Portage Lake. Take in the outdoor Concerts in the Park, Monday evenings July through August, and be sure to nose around for some new and cool eateries as well as MacBeth & Co., a stylish home decor shop.
MANISTEE
Brake on US-31 for margaritas at The Roadhouse Mexican Bar & Grill, stop for house-made ice cream at Hill Top Soda Shoppe and explore the fabulous Benzie Area Historical Museum.
It’s all things Victorian from this town’s lumber-era Victorian architecture to the annual Manistee Sleighbell Parade & Old Christmas Weekend. But it’s always fine to throw off your corset and dive into Lake Michigan at one of this city’s primo beaches, or belly up to its fabulous pubs, eateries or downtown brewery.
FRANKFORT
LUDINGTON
BENZONIA LEFT TO RIGHT: PHOTOS BY MAE STIER // MAE STIER // LYDIA MEJIA
BEAR LAKE
This Lake Michigan harbor town has it all; a top-flight microbrewery, a stateof-the-art small-town theater, memorable eateries, fun shops, a big, sandy swath of Lake Michigan beach and a lighthouse pier for sunset walks.
ELBERTA
Find a bountiful farmers market (Thursdays, May–October) and stunning views of Betsie Bay and Lake Michigan—shhh, the beach here is a bestkept secret. Top an Elberta day off with blackened fish tacos and very cold beer at the Cabbage Shed, set on the shore of Betsie Bay.
The car ferry S.S. Badger calls this Lake Michigan harbor town home—hop it to Wisconsin just for fun but come back to Ludington for the beaches, concerts in the park, Victorian-era shopping district, two historic lighthouses and groovy food and craft beer scene.
CADILLAC
Blessed with lakes Mitchell and Cadillac, a plethora of fabulous walking and biking trails, a bustling downtown, home to boutiques and eateries, a children's splash pad and a renovated performing arts center, Cadillac pretty much has it all.
For more on these charming towns: MyNorth.com/Towns; visitbenzie.com; visitmanistee.com; pureludington.com; cadillacmichigan.com; frankfort-elberta.com. 2020 MYNORTH
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