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There are many activities to enjoy in the Petoskey and Harbor Springs area! Whether you enjoy sports, shopping, uniquely local activities, or just walking around, there is plenty to do during the week of our wedding.
Maps & Directions
Our favorite online map program is at maps.google.com. Enter “Harbor Springs, MI” or “Petoskey, MI” for a map you can zoom in on to see all the city streets and waterways.
Here is an interactive map of Emmet County.
Get directions and a map.
Chambers of Commerce & General Websites
These are great places to get information on the area.
Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce www.petoskey.com
Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne Country Visitors Bureau www.boynecountry.com
Harbor Springs Chamber of Commerce www.harborspringschamber.com
Charlevoix Area Chamber of Commerce charlevoix.org
Charlevoix Area Convention and Visitors Bureau www.charlevoixlodging.com
Places to Visit
Mackinac Island:
A unique and fun place to visit in Northern Michigan. The ferry that takes you to the island is located about an hour north of Petoskey. The island doesn’t allow motor vehicles, so transportation is by bicycle or horse and carriage. You can rent both on the island or just walk around town. Here are some helpful links for more information:
Mackinac Island Tourist Information. Everything you’d want to know about the island.
Mackinac Island Chamber of Commerce. Events and history of the island.
Arnold Transit Co. Mackinac Island Ferry. Our favorite ferry. Schedules and rates.
Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry. Schedules and rates.
Recreational Activities
Golf:
Some of the world’s best golf courses are right here in northern Michigan! Please visit this website for the golf courses in the Charlevoix/Petoskey area.
Boating and Fishing:
Boating in the Charlevoix/Petoskey area is one of the favorite activities of locals and visitors alike. Lake Charlevoix, Walloon Lake, and Crooked Lake offer perfect waters for waterskiing, wakeboarding, jet skiing, sailing, kayaking, pedal-boating, fishing, and pleasure cruising. Venture out onto Lake Michigan for adventures on larger powerboats and sailboats.
Lake Charlevoix (interactive map):
The easiest boat launch is the Charlevoix City Launch located near Irish Boat Shop on Stover Road.
Recommended boat and jet ski rentals on Lake Charlevoix include Ward Brother’s Boats and Swan Valley Marina.
Also recommended is a chartered boat trip with companies such as Island Hopper Charters (to Beaver Island) and Sunshine Charters (Sailing and Parasailing).
Crooked Lake (interactive map):
The easiest boat launch is located on US 31 N just north of Conway, where there is public parking available. Keep in mind that the water is only 3 feet deep at the launch area.Recommended boat and jet ski rentals on Crooked Lake include Windjammer Marina and Ryde Marine.
Walloon Lake (interactive map):
The easiest boat launch is on the north end of the lake at the end of West Gruler Rd. From Petoskey, go south on US 131 and turn right on W. Gruler Rd. Follow to end of road.
Biking and Hiking:
Visit the Top of Michigan Trails Council for general information on biking and hiking trails in the area. One of best ways to see the area, and especially Little Traverse Bay, is the Little Traverse Wheelway, a total of 26 miles from Charlevoix to Harbor Springs. The most scenic portion of this trail is about halfway between Petoskey and Charlevoix where the trail hugs the shoreline of Lake Michigan—absolutely beautiful! It starts just east of the Lexalite Factory (park at the roadside park) and follows the lake for about 3 miles.
Revolution Bike in downtown Charlevoix offers bicycle rentals, sales, and service at 102 Antrim Street, Charlevoix, MI 49720, phone: (231) 547-2333.
In Petoskey, recommended bike rentals include Bahnhof Sports and Latitude 45 Cycle and Sport.
Swimming:
There are many lakes that are suitable for swimming. We’d like to suggest a few areas that are particularly good for swimming. Some have designated swimming areas, keeping kids in check and boats at bay. Here are some in the area:
Harbor Springs:
Zorn Park:
151 W. Bay
A beautiful municipal beach, with a lifeguard, restrooms, and a grassy picnic area.
Petoskey:
Petoskey State Park:
Believe it or not, there is only one sandy beach in Petoskey on Lake Michigan and it is in the Petoskey State Park. Click here to see to see a map. You do need to have a Michigan State Parks pass per car to get into the park. You can purchase a daily car sticker for $6 if you’re a Michigan resident or $8 for non-residents. You can also purchase a permit for the year of 2007 for $24.
Charlevoix:
Click here to see a map that includes these two parks.
Boulder Park:
Located in downtown Charlevoix, this is the best sandy beach in town on Lake Michigan for sunbathing or swimming. Keep in mind that Lake Michigan never gets very warm, but is very refreshing on a hot July day! It’s on the south side of the bridge on Lake Michigan.
Ferry Beach Park:
Located on Lake Charlevoix on the southeast side of town. This is a great swimming spot with a sandy beach and the water is the perfect temperature for prolonged swimming.
Walloon Lake Village:
Click here to see a map. This is a great swimming area with a sandy beach on beautiful Walloon Lake. It’s about 8 miles south of Petoskey. Take US-131 south from Petoskey. Turn right on N. Shore drive. You’ll see the beach shortly afterwards on your right. It’s called Melrose Township Park.
Camping:
There are many area parks and several state parks that would be a fun alternative to staying in a hotel. Northern Michigan Camping gives a great overview of the many places to camp in the area with details and contact information. Here are our favorite state parks nearby:
Petoskey State Park:
Located on the north end of Little Traverse Bay, the park is situated on 304 scenic acres and offers a beautiful sandy beach on the bay. The park has two separate modern campgrounds. Tannery Creek offers 98 campsites, and Dunes offers 70 campsites. 1.5 miles N. on M-119 from US 31 N. Petoskey.
Young State Park:
Located at the east end of beautiful Lake Charlevoix. The park spans over 560 acres in Charlevoix County and is a mix of gently rolling terrain, lowlands and cedar swamp. Officially opened in 1921, some of the buildings in existence today were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and 1940s. US 131 to Boyne Falls, M-75 to Boyne City, N.W. on C56 to Park Entrance.
Fisherman’s Island State Park:
Fisherman's Island State Park is not actually an island, but a 2,678-acre park with five miles of unspoiled Lake Michigan shoreline. The park encompasses a tiny island, Fisherman's Island, located a short distance offshore from the picnic area. Located just south of Charlevoix, it features a rustic campground with some of the sites nestled in the dunes along the lakeshore. The park road travels through the campground to the picnic area with access to the beach and miles of hiking trails. The interior terrain consists of rolling dunes covered with maple, birch and aspen broken up by bogs of cedar and black spruce. Turn west on Bells Bay Rd. from US 31 about two miles.
Bowling:
Northern Lights Recreation:
Located between Harbor Springs and Petoskey on M-119 just south of the Harbor Springs Airport.
Boyne City Lanes:
Located at 1199 Boyne Ave., Boyne City. 231-582-7291.
Family Fun:
The Jungle Family Fun Center:
Indoor miniature golf and arcade. Located in Petoskey.
Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf:
Outdoor miniature golf. A local favorite! Located in Petoskey.
Charlevoix Community Pool:
Located on U.S. 31 North near the Charlevoix Country Club. Information about swim classes and open swim schedule is available by calling the Charlevoix Community Pool at 231-547-0982.
Shopping
Petoskey Gaslight District:
Shop overlooking Lake Michigan among the gaslights of downtown Petoskey. Find antiques, clothes, art galleries, books, delis, restaurants, cafes, gifts, crafts, jewelers and much more!
Downtown Charlevoix:
Located on a small piece of land between Lake Michigan and Round Lake, downtown Charlevoix offers many shopping opportunities and lots of charm. See the site above for a listing of shops.
History & Museums
Little Traverse History Museum:
The Little Traverse History Museum is located in Petoskey in the picturesque former Chicago and West Michigan Railroad depot and is operated by The Little Traverse Historical Society. Features exhibits on Ernest Hemingway and Faces & Places that Shaped Emmet County. Located at the Petoskey waterfront park.
Crooked Tree Arts Center:
Features ever-changing exhibits and a variety of performances. Located in downtown Petoskey.
Harsha House Museum:
The Victorian style house, built in 1891, was donated to the Charlevoix Historical Society in 1978. The museum includes: 3 Victorian period rooms, 10,000 historic photos, local history artifacts, 1917 working player piano, local oral history collection, local family history collection, local history research materials, U.S. Census on CD's, Sanborn Fire maps on micro film, and Gray's Reef Lighthouse Third and One-half Order Fresnel Lens. Museum Hours - Summer: Monday - Saturday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Railroad Depot Museum:
The train depot, located across from Depot Beach, was donated to the Charlevoix Historical Society in June 1992 on the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first passenger train in Charlevoix. The Charlevoix Area Garden Clubs are developing a Heritage Garden on the grounds based on historic garden principles and utilizing local cuttings wherever possible.
The Earl Young Homes:
Some call them "Fairy Houses" because they possess storybook whimsy; others call them "Mushroom Houses" because of their irregular shapes. By any name, the stone houses of Charlevoix are an amazing legacy of one of Michigan's most fascinating builders. Born in 1889, Earl Young grew up in Charlevoix, walking the shorelines collecting interesting rocks. It was a pastime that grew into a passion. He saw these things in his mind, would make a sketch, and his wife, often did the precision drawings from which the houses were built. The construction of the buildings, utilizing the boulders left behind by the great glacier, are a unique architectural accomplishment. Included are the turreted Weathervane and Lodge motels, the rustic Weathervane Restaurant, and story-book homes on Round Lake, Park Avenue, and in Boulder Park. Earl Young left a lasting legacy on Charlevoix. The houses and buildings he created continue to fascinate visitors when they see the wave-like rooflines and inimitable stonework that have become his trademarks.
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