Manistee

Give Manistee at least two days: one in town on the pier, the beach and the riverwalk, and one up M-22 for the bluffs and dunes. Add a third if you want a river or a long trail. These are the places we send people to, grouped so you can build a day around each section. Seasons, hours and access change, so check each place before you go.

Our picks around Manistee

Manistee North Pierhead Light Walk about a quarter mile out the north pier from Fifth Avenue Beach to the 1927 light at the river mouth. Tower climbs are seasonal, and the keepers list a May 21, 2027 reopening, so check before you plan around a climb. The pier walk is the point on a calm evening; stay off it when the waves are up.

First Street Beach The family beach day in town: city-kept sand and a free, short family disc golf course where only putters and mid-range discs are allowed. Look at the city’s beach cam before you pack the car on a windy day.

Manistee Riverwalk A boardwalk along the river behind downtown, with stairs up to River Street’s shops and restaurants. Walk it between stops rather than as a destination, and keep an eye out for a freighter heading upriver.

S.S. City of Milwaukee A 1931 rail car ferry and National Historic Landmark you can tour from the car deck up. Tours are listed in summer and involve steep stairs, so check the schedule and wear good shoes. In October it becomes the Ghost Ship, a haunted house that suits teenagers.

Magoon Creek Natural Area A township park just south of town with dune and forest trails, Lake Michigan shoreline and a picnic area. Good for a half day with kids. It closes shortly after sunset.

Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary Michigan Audubon’s sanctuary on the bluff north of town: old arboretum trees, about two miles of trails and a path to the beach. Bring binoculars and leave the dog at home; it is pet-free.

Calvin Lutz Farms A family farm near Kaleva with u-pick in summer and cut-your-own Christmas trees in winter. Not everything is u-pick, so check the farm’s produce calendar for what is ready before you drive out.

Up the shore on M-22

Arcadia Overlook The scenic turnout north of Arcadia. Climb about 120 steps to the upper deck for the long view down the bluff and up the coast toward Frankfort, or use the lower platform by the lot. Go at sunset, and expect to wait for parking on a summer evening.

Arcadia Dunes The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s 3,927-acre preserve of dunes, forest and grassland. Start with the Overlook Trail from the Baldy lot, described as universally accessible; confirm conditions if access matters to you.

Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve A quieter conservancy preserve south of Elberta. The family trail is nearly three miles round trip through forest and meadow to Lake Michigan views. Leashed dogs are welcome, and hunting is allowed in season, so wear something bright in the fall.

Captain John Langland Park The Portage Point beach at Onekama, beside the north pier of the Portage Lake channel. Take the stairs down to the sand, walk the pier with the anglers on a calm day and stay for sunset.

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club Golf on the bluffs south of Arcadia. Golf Digest ranks the Bluffs Course No. 16 among America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses for 2025-26.

On the rivers and trails

Pine River Paddlesports Center An outfitter in Wellston renting canoes, kayaks, rafts and paddleboards on the Pine and Manistee rivers, with a campground near the Pine. It suits a first river trip, since it lists free paddling instruction. Check its current river conditions before you go.

Manistee River Trail A backpacking loop of roughly 20 miles: the Manistee River Trail up one bank and the North Country Trail down the other, joined by a suspension bridge below Hodenpyl Dam. Most people take two days. Go midweek, since campsites fill on weekends, and check Forest Service alerts first.

Big M Trail System Singletrack in the national forest near Wellston, listed for mountain biking from April to September. It is ridden one way, clockwise, with some sandy climbs. In winter it is a ski and fat bike area (see below).

Evenings and rainy days

Ramsdell Theatre Manistee’s 1903 opera house, on the National Register of Historic Places, where James Earl Jones started out. Book a play, a concert or a live Met Opera broadcast, and arrive early to look at the painted curtain and dome.

The Vogue Theatre A downtown cinema from 1938, reopened as the town’s community cinema with two screens. The calendar mixes newer films with classics and family matinees, so check what is on for a rainy night.

Manistee County Historical Museum Town history in the old Lyman drugstore building on River Street, with period rooms, a log cabin replica and a maritime exhibit. A good rainy hour with kids; check the schedule before you go.

Little River Casino Resort The casino resort at US-31 and M-22, with restaurants and an event center that books concerts. Check the event calendar if you want a show with your trip.

Winter

Big M Trail System Groomed cross-country skiing in the national forest near Wellston: about 18 miles of ski trail and about 25 miles of singletrack groomed for fat bikes, with a chalet for skiers. Grooming depends on snow, so check conditions before you drive out.

Crystal Mountain A four-season resort near Thompsonville with downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross-country trails and lessons, plus a spa that runs year-round. It suits families who want lessons and a lodge in one place.

Ludington State Park In winter the park is listed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The Skyline Trail is closed for reconstruction, so ask the park about trail conditions before you go.

Day trips

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore The big dune day: high bluffs, beaches and inland lakes along 65 miles of shoreline. Start with the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive for the overlooks, then pick one beach. You need a park entrance pass once you stop at its sites or trails.

Riverside Canoe Trips On the Lower Platte at the M-22 bridge near Honor, renting tubes, kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and rafts. The Platte is gentle here, and one tubing float ends at a Lake Michigan beach, so it suits families. The season is listed from May to mid-October; reserve ahead for rafts.

Cherry Bowl Drive-In A single-screen drive-in at Honor, running since the 1950s with a 1950s theme. It is seasonal, so check the schedule, and pair it with an afternoon on the Platte.