Empire

Empire is where a Sleeping Bear Dunes trip starts. The park’s main visitor center is on Front Street, the village beach is a few blocks away, and two of the park’s easiest wins, the Empire Bluff Trail and the Heritage Trail, begin close to town. Give it a half day on the way in, or a full day if you want the beach at sunset.

This guide sticks to the village. For the park itself (passes, the Dune Climb, the scenic drive and the islands), see our Sleeping Bear Dunes planner.

Getting there and getting around

M-22 runs through the village along the coast, and the visitor center is on Front Street. By our routing estimates, the drive takes about 3 hours 5 minutes from Grand Rapids, about 5 hours 15 minutes from Detroit and about 6 hours 25 minutes from Chicago. See getting here and the Traverse City to Sleeping Bear route.

The nearest airline airport is Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, which our estimate puts about 45 minutes away by car. Private pilots have the small William B. Bolton Airport at the edge of town; no fuel is listed there.

In town you can walk. Empire Beach is at the foot of Niagara Street, just west of downtown, and parking there carries a small fee. The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail starts in Empire and runs north toward the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, the Dune Climb and Glen Arbor, so a bike covers a lot.

Where to eat

Empire has a handful of places, mostly casual. Check hours before you go, especially outside summer.

• Joe’s Friendly Tavern. The village tavern on Front Street since 1940, known for a big burger you can top with a fried egg, with poutine on the side and rotating local beers on draft.
• Empire Village Inn. The other full-service restaurant in town, dating to 1959 and known for its pizza, with a long tap list and draft root beer. Expect a wait on summer weekends.
• Shipwreck Cafe. A breakfast and sandwich stop on M-22 with buns baked daily. It lists itself as open year-round and opens early, which helps on a hiking day.
• Little Finger Eatery. A small, beachy storefront for sandwiches, wraps and salads to carry down to the sand, plus soft-serve.
• Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate. The sweet stop: truffles, bars and chocolate-coated fruit made from chocolate sourced from producers the owners know personally, with a gelato and sweets shop next door in summer.

Where to stay

The village pick is the Empire Lakeshore Inn, with rooms in two buildings, one beside the visitor center and one in the village center, listed as open year-round. For rentals and the full list, see places to stay in Empire.

For more choice, look at Glen Arbor to the north or Frankfort to the south.

Our picks

The Philip A. Hart Visitor Center. Every lakeshore visitor needs an entrance pass, and you can buy it here (or online ahead; see our licenses and passes guide). Stay for the exhibits and the park film, and ask the rangers what is good that day.

The Empire Bluff Trail. A 1.5-mile round trip through beech-maple forest to a boardwalk high above Lake Michigan, with views toward Point Betsie and South Manitou Island on clear days. It is short but hilly, with some stairs.

Empire Beach. The village beach has restrooms, picnic tables and a playground, and the old ship’s anchor that gave Anchor Days its name. Come back for the sunset.

The Heritage Trail. Ride or walk north on a mostly paved trail toward the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and the Dune Climb.

North Bar Lake. Inside the park just north of town, where a shallow stream runs out to Lake Michigan. Small kids love it. No pets.

Empire Area Museum. A volunteer-run museum on the village’s past, in a main building and several outbuildings. Check its site for seasonal hours.

A half day, or a full day

Half day. Visitor center for your pass, the Empire Bluff Trail, then lunch from Little Finger or Shipwreck Cafe on the beach.

Full day. Add a ride on the Heritage Trail toward the scenic drive in the afternoon, a chocolate stop at Grocer’s Daughter, dinner at Joe’s or the Village Inn, and the sunset at Empire Beach.

With kids, and on a rainy day

North Bar Lake’s shallow outlet and the playground at Empire Beach are the easy wins with kids. On a rainy day, spend time with the exhibits and film at the visitor center, then the museum if it is open.

Best time to go

Summer is the busy season. In mid-July, Anchor Days brings a Saturday parade along Front Street that anyone can join, then a chicken dinner, a bonfire and a street dance. The Empire Asparagus Festival fills downtown for a day in late spring with food, music and a 5K; it has moved between May and June, so check the date.

Fall is a good time for a first visit: the woods around Empire turn color, M-22 makes a color drive, and the visitor center stays open.

Winter

The Heritage Trail is open for cross-country skiing, with groomed stretches between Empire and the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, and the Platte Plains, Old Indian and Shauger Hill trails nearby are usually tracked. Pets are not allowed on those trails from December 1 to March 31. The visitor center stays open year-round except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Check grooming and conditions before you go.

Hours, menus and schedules change, so check with each place before you go.