Around the Area
The Great Outdoors
“The Land of Delight”, beautiful Leelanau County, offers adventurous visitors opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, boating, sailing, hiking, biking and rock hunting to name a few! There are dozens of natural parks and the acclaimed Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to explore. There are over 30 trails in the county to suit any hiker’s ability. One of the most popular is the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. This family friendly multi-use trail spanning 27 miles starts Empire and takes you past the Sleeping Bear Dunes and iconic Dune Climb through Glen Arbor and all the way north to Port Oneida. Be sure to drive the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.
Drive the M-22 loop around the Leelanau Peninsula, passing through our numerous quaint villages, past sandy beaches, pastoral vineyards, orchards and farms. You can take the Manitou Island Transit Ferry from Leland AKA Fishtown and spend the day exploring South Manitou Island!
Year after year more and more great restaurants are popping up in the area. Here are a few suggestions:
- Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse Maple City, Family friendly restaurant serving grass-fed burgers, sicilian pizza, 20 beers on tap and full bar
- Leelanau Coffee Roasters Glen Arbor
- Riverfront Deli Glen Arbor
- Leelanau Cheese Company Suttons Bay
- Wine tasting – All over the Leelanau Penninsula and Grand Traverse County
- Trattoria Funistrada Burdickville, Reservations in advance needed 10 minutes away
- LaBecasse Burdickville, Reservations in advance needed 10 minutes away
- blu Glen Arbor, Reservations in advance needed
- Martha’s Leelanau Table Suttons Bay Reservations in advance needed
- Little Traverse Inn 9 miles north on M22
- Big Cat Brewery Cedar
- Figs Lake Leelanau
- The Tribune Northport
- The Manitou Restaurant south of Empire
- The Bluebird Bar & Restaurant Leland
- Martha’s Leelanau Table Suttons Bay.
- Trattoria Stella Traverse City Reservations in advance needed
- Amical Traverse City Reservations in advance needed
- The Cook’s House Reservations in advance needed
- Leelanau Curling Club Maple City
- Mistwood Lake Ann
- The Leelanau Club Bahle Farms
- Manitou Passage Golf Club Cedar
- Crystal Mountain Thompsonville
- The Homestead Glen Arbor
- Empire Dunes Golf Club
There are many Art Galleries Museums in and about the area.
- Synchronicity Gallery Glen Arbor
- Dickinson Photo Gallery Glen Arbor
- Lake Street Studios Glen Arbor
- Glen Arbor Art Association Classes for kids and adults
- Ruth Conklin GalleryGlen Arbor
- Gwen Frostic Gallery Benzonia
- Michigan Artists’ Gallery Suttons Bay
- Great Lakes Children’s Museum – Traverse City
- Interlochen Center for the Arts Interlochen
- Traverse City Film Festival Traverse City late July
- Michigan Legacy Art Park Thompsonville
- Leelanau Sands Casino Suttons Bay
- Little River CasinoManistee
- Turtle Creek Casino Travese City
- Cherry Fest – Traverse City, early July
- State Theatre and Bijou Theatre Traverse City
- Interlochen Center for the Arts
- Traverse City Film Festival Traverse City late July
- antique stores
- Becky Thatcher
- Wildflowers
- The Totem Shop
- Great Lakes Tea & Spice
- The Cottage Book Shop
In addition there are plenty of neat shops in Leland, Suttons Bay and Northport.