3 days · Spring, Summer, Fall
An Arcadia Bluffs golf trip
Three days of golf on the Manistee County shore, built around Arcadia Bluffs, with Manistee courses, a Lake Michigan beach and a sunset overlook.
Ludington & Manistee, Benzie & Sleeping Bear
Trip ideas
Trip ideas
Itineraries that string together places in this guide. Drive times on this site are rough estimates, so use your map app for current routes and road conditions.
3 days · Summer, Fall
Harbor towns of the lakeshore: Grand Haven to Manistee
Three days up the Lake Michigan shore through Grand Haven, Ludington and Manistee, with a state park beach, a pier walk and a lighthouse every day.
Southern Gateway, Ludington & Manistee
2 days · Fall
Fall color around Little Traverse Bay
Two autumn days around Little Traverse Bay, with the M-119 Tunnel of Trees, Petoskey's bay shore and the Wheelway, and Charlevoix's stone houses.
Charlevoix & Petoskey
3 days · Summer, Fall
A Ludington and Manistee beach weekend
Three summer days on the Lake Michigan shore, from Ludington State Park and Big Sable Point to Manistee's pier and riverwalk and the Arcadia Overlook.
Ludington & Manistee
3 days · Summer, Fall
A Sleeping Bear long weekend
Three days from Frankfort to Glen Arbor, with two lighthouses, a Crystal Lake swim, the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and the Dune Climb.
Benzie & Sleeping Bear
2 days · Spring, Summer, Fall
The Straits and Mackinac Island in two days
A day in Mackinaw City for the bridge and Colonial Michilimackinac, then a day on car-free Mackinac Island by bike and on foot.
Mackinac & Straits
3 days · Summer, Fall
A Traverse City long weekend
Three days based in Traverse City, with Front Street, Clinch Park and the TART, Old Mission Peninsula to Mission Point Lighthouse, and a Sleeping Bear day.
Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes, Benzie & Sleeping Bear
Scenic drives and day trips
Day trip
Charlevoix around Lake Charlevoix to East Jordan and Boyne CityA loop from Charlevoix down the South Arm on M-66 to East Jordan, across on the Ironton Ferry to Boyne City, and back along the north shore.
Day trip
Ludington to Ludington State Park and Big Sable PointOut and back on M-116 along the Lake Michigan dunes to Ludington State Park, with a walk to Big Sable Point Lighthouse.
Scenic drive
M-119 Tunnel of Trees from Harbor Springs to Cross VillageThe narrow, winding shoreline stretch of M-119 north of Harbor Springs through Good Hart to Cross Village, a designated scenic byway.
Scenic drive
M-22 around the Leelanau PeninsulaThe designated byway loop from Traverse City up the bay side to Northport, then down the Lake Michigan side through Leland, Glen Arbor and Empire.
Scenic drive
M-37 up the Old Mission PeninsulaAn out-and-back drive on Center Road along the ridge of the Old Mission Peninsula, ending at Mission Point Lighthouse near the tip.
Day trip
Manistee to Arcadia, Frankfort and Point BetsieNorth on the M-22 byway from Manistee past Portage Lake and Arcadia Dunes to Frankfort, Elberta and the Point Betsie Lighthouse.
Scenic drive
Muskegon County fall color drive on the West Michigan PikeVisit Muskegon's self-guided fall color route along the historic West Michigan Pike, linking lakeshore parks, dunes and lighthouses north to White Lake.
Day trip
Petoskey to Mackinaw City and the StraitsNorth on US-31 from Petoskey through Alanson and Pellston to Mackinaw City, with the Mackinac Bridge, Colonial Michilimackinac and ferries to Mackinac Island.
Day trip
Traverse City to Sleeping Bear Dunes and Glen ArborWest on M-72 to the national lakeshore at Empire, then the M-109 loop past the dunes and Glen Haven to Glen Arbor before heading back.
Scenic drive
US-31 from Traverse City to PetoskeyA shoreline run on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour past Elk Rapids and Charlevoix to Petoskey on Little Traverse Bay.
Scenic drive
The West Michigan Pike from Grand Haven to LudingtonThe northern stretch of the West Michigan Pike byway, following US-31 and its business loops past Muskegon, White Lake and Pentwater to Ludington.
Planning guides
- Active Trips Up North
Where to ski, ride, run, hike and paddle from Grand Haven to the Straits, with groomed trails, ski hills, rail trails, rivers and the races built around them.
- Licenses and Passes for Visitors
What out-of-state visitors need to fish, park, boat, ride and dock in West and Northwest Michigan, from fishing licenses to Sleeping Bear Dunes entrance passes.