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Cruise the Inland Waterway from Near Lake Michigan to Lake Huron
This Inland Waterway covers 38.2 miles from outside of Petoskey to Cheboygan. Find state parks, fishing, swimming, and more along the way.
Northern Michigan Guides Stock Photo
We have many Up North Specialties that indeed make us special. From a planked whitefish dinner to Blissfest Music Festival to the historic Bay View Association to Bay Harbor to the Little Traverse Wheelway, Northern Michigan is filled with so many wonderful opportunities.
Victorian architecture is prevalent here. Drive through the Bay View Association or along the waterfront in Harbor Springs and marvel at the Victorian ‘cottages.’
What makes Up North special? Castle Farms in Charlevoix is a gorgeous setting for an art fair, celebration or garden tour. How about a festival devoted just to spring’s morel mushroom, Boyne City’s Morel Mushroom Festival. Or a tasty cookie baked in Harbor Springs but known country wide, Tom’s Mom’s Cookies.
What else makes Northern Michigan special? The Heritage Highway between Harbor Springs and Cross Village is spectacular and the Tunnel of Trees is not to be missed. The fall color in Northern Michigan and along the Tunnel of Trees is gorgeous so bring along the camera to capture photos of our Fall Foliage. The newly completed Little Traverse Wheelway connects Charlevoix through Petoskeky to Harbor Springs, a 26 mile bike path, that is drawing bikers from around the country to this scenic part of Michigan.
A huge part of what makes Northern Michigan unique–the people who live here. Local residents love Northern Michigan and have chosen it as a place to live, play, work, and enjoy. Customer service is indeed a specialty in Northern Michigan and you will find it at the golf course, ski resort, restaurant, hotel, and our many fine shops.
Speaking of shopping, it’s often a reason many visitors head Up North! Shopping in Northern Michigan is a wonderful activity.
And, of course, we wouldn’t be unique without our visitors! Our visitors and seasonal residents love Northern Michigan and it is such a delight to hear someone exclaim “I love it up north!”
This Inland Waterway covers 38.2 miles from outside of Petoskey to Cheboygan. Find state parks, fishing, swimming, and more along the way.
The elegantly restored Cheboygan Opera House is an acoustically superb, Victorian theatre that presents entertainment of many genres.
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.
The Charlevoix Circle of Arts is a vibrant, cultural center in downtown Charlevoix that presents six major visual exhibits annually.
The Harsha House and the Charlevoix Depot Museum, run by the Charlevoix Historical Society, preserve much of Charlevoix’s rich history.
Get off the ferry from Mackinaw City or St. Ignace to Mackinac Island and the first thing you’ll see is the historic downtown area.
Fisherman’s Island State Park has more than 2,600 acres and miles of gorgeous Lake Michigan beach and is located just south of Charlevoix.
Petoskey State Park is one of the premier destinations for campers and outdoor lovers and is tucked away between Petoskey and Harbor Springs.
Harris Gardens at North Central Michigan College is a spectacular sculpture garden filled with 26 pieces of vibrant art.