Glen Arbor, MI
Hiking trailsKayak & canoeFishing
Usually from $267/nightUnplugging around Sleeping Bear Dunes
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore covers about 35 miles of Lake Michigan shore, plus North and South Manitou Islands out in the lake. The dunes climb up from the beach to bluffs hundreds of feet high, and on a clear day the water looks almost tropical.
Around it is Leelanau County, the little finger of land that sticks up into the lake. It's orchards, vineyards, back roads and small towns, and it gets very quiet once the summer crowds go home.
Where to stay
Glen Arbor puts you right in the lakeshore. Cedar and the farm country around it are quieter. Benzonia, to the south, is close to Crystal Lake and the Betsie River.
A bed and breakfast in Glen Arbor, the little village in the middle of the lakeshore. Trails and water are close, and there are books and board games for the evenings.
Glamping on the Betsie River in Benzonia, south of the lakeshore. You can put a kayak or canoe in the river, and there's a hot tub, fire pits and games. Guests rate it very highly.
What to do
- The Dune Climb
- A big sand hill you can climb straight up from the parking lot. Most people stop at the top. If you keep going, it's a long, hot walk over the dunes to Lake Michigan and back, so bring water.
- Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
- A seven mile loop road through the woods and up onto the dunes, with overlooks high above the lake. Go near sunset.
- Empire Bluff Trail
- A short hike through the woods that ends on a bluff over the lake, with the dunes off to the north. One of the best views for not much effort.
- Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail
- A paved path that runs through the lakeshore from Empire past Glen Arbor. Easy walking or biking, with stops at the beaches and the old village at Glen Haven.
- South Manitou Island
- A ferry runs from Leland in summer. There's a lighthouse, an old growth cedar grove and a shipwreck off the shore, and no cars. Camping is the only way to stay overnight.
- Crystal Lake
- A big, clear inland lake just south of the lakeshore near Beulah and Benzonia. Good for swimming and paddling when Lake Michigan is too rough.
The towns
Glen Arbor is a small village between Glen Lake and Lake Michigan, with a few places to eat and places to rent bikes and kayaks. Empire, at the south end, is even smaller.
Leland has Fishtown, a row of old fishing shanties on the river. Suttons Bay is a little harbor town on the other side of the peninsula. Traverse City is about half an hour from most of it, if you need a bigger store.
Before you go
- July and August are busy, and the Dune Climb lot fills up early. September is warm, calm and half as crowded.
- You need a park pass for the lakeshore. Buy it online or at the visitor center in Empire.
- It's about four hours from Detroit and five from Chicago. Plan on two nights at least.
First look
New places we find and the odd guide to somewhere quiet. A few emails a year, that's it.