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For many visitors and summer residents, summer is THE season in Northern Michigan. Where else can you golf on fabulous courses until 10 pm, or go for a swim in pristine waters as the sun rises? Activities abound Up North in the summer with everything from festivals, to concerts at Bay View, to Blissfest Music, to Ugotta Regatta.
Life’s a beach and no where else is that more prevalent than Northern Michigan. We have miles of beautiful sandy beaches on Lake Michigan and inland lakes just waiting for a beach goer. Climb the dunes at Petoskey State Park, walk to the beach along a boardwalk at Thorne Swift Nature Preserve, or body surf in the waves at Sturgeon Bay. Harbor Springs has two beaches within the city limits, a rarity for most cities. Pack the sunscreen and hit the beach!
This is the place for water sports! Northern Michigan is your destination for sailing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, personal water craft boating, and fishing. Our many inland lakes are perfect for fishing. Walleye for dinner? Catch it yourself! The Little Traverse Bay is known for sailing. Youth sailing is important here with programs at Bay View and in Harbor Springs with the Little Traverse Sailors. Rent a pontoon boat on Crooked Lake and motor through the Inland Waterway to Lake Huron. Put your kayak in on Lake Michigan early in the morning and glide along the quiet waterfront. And when the water freezes, no problem! Ice boating is great fun and racing takes place throughout Northern Michigan in the winter months.
Northern Michigan is not the place where you’ll hear “there is nothing to do.” There is so much to do in the summer that keeping a daily calendar is a must. Concerts on the waterfront in Harbor Springs or Petoskey, concerts in the park in Petoskey, concerts and theater at festivals, to concerts at Bay View, music at Blissfest, sidewalk sales, gallery walks, and art fairs are just some of the organized activities to enjoy. Add to them golfing, hiking, kayaking, cycling, swimming, sailing, boating, fishing, shopping, dining, visiting with friends and…. well, you get the picture, the days are filled with wonderful opportunities Up North!
Each August, the Mackinac Island Fudge Festival celebrates this delight with music and activities throughout the weekend.
A unique event featuring a variety of one-of-a-kind exhibitors offering everything from yachts to boating goods for sale.
Northern Michigan grows the best. Our Farmers Markets are open from late spring to fall, from cherries, to potatoes, to sweet corn, and more.
People come from all over to celebrate the July 4th in Harbor Springs for the gorgeous setting along the water and many great activities.
The Mackinac Island Lilac Festival is filled with events and the celebration of the Island’s many varieties of lilacs.
Shay Days is a celebration of inventor Ephraim Shay and his contributions to the Harbor Springs community.
This 3-day festival in Boyne City begins with a run along Lake Charlevoix and ends with fireworks, with food, fun, and more in between!
The Venetian Festival in Charlevoix has been a highlight of summer in Northern Michigan for more than 80 years.
An amazing array of activities like parades, fireworks, and more, make the 4th of July a special day in Northern Michigan.
Hundreds of antique, custom, and celebrity automobiles take part in the internationally acclaimed St. Ignace Car Show Weekend.
Hosted by the Little Traverse Yacht Club, the Ugotta Regatta brings together some of the best sailboat racing in the country.
You can find performances almost any night of the week in Northern Michigan with music by area musicians as well as professionals.
East Jordan’s Freedom Festival has food, music, fun, entertainment, carnival, dancing, and more. Fun for the whole family!
Mackinaw City’s Heritage Village lets visitors explore life in the Straits of Mackinac as it was during the era of 1880-1917.
Built during World War II to haul heavy materials during the winter, the Icebreaker Mackinaw was in service for 62 years then became a museum.
Wilderness State Park’s 2,582 acres of natural area and 4,492 acres of wilderness area make this a great place to explore all year ’round.
The elegantly restored Cheboygan Opera House is an acoustically superb, Victorian theatre that presents entertainment of many genres.
Just a short drive from Harbor Springs or Petoskey are more than a dozen Northern Michigan cross country ski trails in Emmet County.
The Headlands, just west of Mackinaw City, is one of six International Dark Sky Parks in the U.S. and one of nine in the world.
Petoskey State Park is one of the premier destinations for campers and outdoor lovers and is tucked away between Petoskey and Harbor Springs.
Northern Michigan has many varied settings for kayaking- whether it by river, one of the inland lakes, or Lake Michigan,
With miles of scenic trails terrain and local snowmobile clubs, Northern Michigan is the place to bring the snow sleds in the winter.
A visit to Northern Michigan is not complete without a walk along the Lake Michigan in search of Petoskey stones.
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