Things to do

Shopping

Walkable downtowns with independent shops, galleries and markets.

Most destinations in this guide have a walkable main street. The destination pages describe each downtown in general terms.

Places for shopping

Each town guide covers its downtown, shops and markets. Pick a town:

Waterfront

Manistee Riverwalk

A boardwalk along the Manistee River behind downtown, with benches, history markers and boats going by, open year-round.

Recommended towns for shopping

Towns an independent source (such as the DNR, the National Park Service or Pure Michigan) singles out for this. Listed by town size, not ranked.

A red pier light at the end of a channel lined with a blue railing and large rocks, under a cloudy sky.

Charlevoix & Petoskey

Charlevoix

For boaters, beachgoers and first-timers: a harbor town where three lakes meet, with a summer drawbridge, a pier lighthouse and Earl Young's stone houses.

A red pierhead lighthouse building at the end of a pier, with a few small figures walking nearby.

Southern Gateway

Grand Haven

A Lake Michigan beach city on the Grand River: a state park beach, a pier walk to two red lights, a riverfront boardwalk and free Musical Fountain shows.

Charlevoix & Petoskey

Petoskey

A walkable bay town for stone hunting, shopping the Gaslight District and riding the Little Traverse Wheelway, with historic Bay View next door.

A weathered wooden pier extending into calm turquoise water at sunset.

Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes

Traverse City

A bayfront city at the head of Grand Traverse Bay, with a walkable Front Street downtown, bay beaches, cherry orchards and two wine peninsulas close by.