Leelanau Peninsula Summer Vacation Travel Guide – Part two

Catch up and visit Part One of our Leelanau Peninsula Family Travel Guide – if you haven’t already! Now, on to #6 in our top picks for Leelanau County!

6. Historic Fishtown, Leland

Fishtown, Leland remains one of the only operational fishing villages in the state of Michigan. Take a day and explore the fishing shanties, shops, and smokehouses maintained by the Fishtown Preservation Society, there are many cool items and treats to find!

Fishtown is also home port to the Manitou Island Transit Ferry, where passengers can hop aboard and travel to the North and South Manitou Islands! The Shoreline Cruise departs from the Leland Harbor for a sunset cruise along the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore – reserve your Tickets here.

If you need a bite to eat we always recommend The Village Cheese Shanty (the Orchard on Pretzel Bread is our favorite) for epic sandwiches – Cash only! If you’re like us you’ll probably find yourself wandering into the Dam Candy Store at some point…no shame there. The Leland Dam is a historic landmark and a beautiful place to take in the sunset over Lake Michigan.

7. Explore this uniquely beautiful scenic hiking trail in Leelanau County!

This 1.5 mile trail has beautiful panoramic views of Lake Michigan and Lake Leelanau, forested slopes and views of the fragile clay bluffs with over 1,700 feet of shoreline. If you time it right, lucky hikers can see the Clay Cliffs’ hardwood forests bursting with wildflowers – the slopes are at their best when the trillium is in bloom!

Don’t forget to only look at trillium and refrain from picking this protected Michigan wildflower as it is very fragile. Picking Trillium can damage the plant or even kill it, and none will grow in its place. Visit the trail map for details to the Clay Cliffs before you go.

8. The Best Michigan Rock Hunting!

We absolutely recommend exploring Van’s Beach, located right in Leland, for the best place to find Leland Blue Stones in Leelanau County. Christmas Corner is another excellent beach just a few hundred feet south and also perfect for rock hunting.

Rise early for the best selection of what the waves washed up the night before, or arrive later for the candy colored sunsets of Van’s Beach. Arrive to Van’s early and on a good day you won’t need to walk far to find a Leland Blue stone, Petoskey stone, Charlevoix stone, beach glass, or other coral fossil.

Our Guide to Rock Hunting on Michigan beaches is a good place to read up on tips and tricks to finding Petoskey Stones and Leland Blue Stones in Leelanau County! Once you start, it’s hard to stop!

9. Play all day on a post card of a lake!

Known for its beautiful shades of blue and crystal clear waters, we absolutely love spending the day on Glen Lake! Glen Lake is the first lake to warm up every summer and it’s actually comprised of two lakes – Little Glen Lake and Big Glen Lake, connected by a small river. The lake has several public access points, but no public beaches – you’re going to want a boat to experience this freshwater oasis. 

Spending the day on this lake framed by the dramatic rise of the Sleeping Bear Dunes will be a favorite day you’ll look back on from your summer vacation to Glen Arbor.

10. Take a Trip a Farmers Market!

Kick-off your summer morning or begin your afternoon with a trip to one of several farmers markets along the Leelanau Peninsula! The outdoor markets offer farm-fresh eggs, produce, locally made goods, meat honey, baked goods, wildflowers, and more. Visit one of the Leelanau County Farmers’ Markets Listed below!

There are so many things to do and so many lakes to explore – we love them all! The Leelanau Peninsula is truly a land of delight, especially if you love being on the water. Enjoy your Michigan summer to the fullest, and give us a call for all of your boat rental needs in Leelanau County! We look forward to serving you and your families this summer!