Northern Michigan
Activities & Things To Do

Vacations and weekend get aways are a great time to take part in a variety of activities. In Northern Michigan, you can fill your day with everything from a picnic on the beach in the summer, to biking in the fall, to downhill skiing in the winter, to hunting for mushrooms in the spring.

Northern Michigan is the place to try new things! Rent a bike or a kayak, go snow tubing, attend a concert or an art fair, or play a round of golf with friends.

From dawn to dusk, it is here for you to enjoy in Northern Michigan.

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Apple Fest
Downtown Charlevoix, Charlevoix, MI 49720, 231-547-2101
Stay tuned for 2021. Held each year on the second weekend of October, Apple Fest turns downtown Charlevoix into a festive and fun place to be. Traditional and heirloom apples along with cider, baked goods, apple butter, and other fall produce like pumpkins and squash and an arts and crafts show.
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Bay Harbor Lake Marina
832 Front St, Bay Harbor, MI 49770, 231-439-2544,
Deep water marina in the waterfront Village at Bay Harbor. Transient, seasonal slips. Shoppers’ docks. A great port of call for Lake Michigan cruise itineraries.
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Big Bear Adventures
4271 S. Straits Hwy., Indian River, MI 49749, 231-238-8181
Mild to Wild! Exciting canoe, kayak, raft and tube trips down the beautiful, crystal-clear Sturgeon River! 18-Hole Adventure Golf, Subway, Youth/Group packages and guided winter rafting trips.
Earl Young Mushroom House Tours
Downtown, Charlevoix, MI 49720, 231-445-0770
Voted #1 "Thing To Do" on TripAdvisor and "Best of Charlevoix 2019," we offer 50 minute GEM car tours of all 28 Mushroom Houses, a.k.a Hobbit Houses/Gnome Homes, located in Charlevoix. Visit our website for booking and information or call. $20 per seat. Facebook/Instagram: Mushroom House Tours.
Great Lakes Center for the Arts
800 Bay Harbor Dr, Bay Harbor, MI 49770, 231-439-2600
Performing arts venue with 525 seats and a mission to inspire, entertain, and educate with year-round, world-class performances, affordable ticket pricing and a robust education program.
Great Lakes Glass Pumpkin Patch
Boyer Glass & Three Pines Studio, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-6359
This annual event is a colorful gathering of hundreds of glass pumpkins by artists Harry Boyer and Lynn Dinning. Harry's pumpkins will be in the patch outside Boyer Glassworks in downtown Harbor Springs and both Lynn's and Harry's pumpkins appear in the garden patch at Three Pines Studios. First Saturday in October.
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Tunnel of Trees M119 Harbor Springs Northern Michigan
Harbor Springs Downtown
Downtown, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-2104
So much to do in downtown Harbor Springs! Shopping, dining, services and more--art, clothing, linens, books, home furnishings, restaurants, coffee shop, movie theatre, waterfront, marina. Off season special activities Sunday-Thursday at restaurants.
Harbor Springs Festival of the Book
160 State St, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-838-2725
September 23-25 in locations throughout downtown Harbor Springs. Includes keynote address, authors in conversation, readings and more. Most sessions are free, but registration is required.
Harbor Springs History Museum
349 E Main St, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-9771
Explore the local history gallery and interactive displays. Also hosting lectures, genealogy nights, Blessing of the Fleet, and special exhibits. Open year-round.
Harbor Springs Ice Fest
Downtown, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-2104
Downtown Harbor Springs will be filled with ice sculptures throughout the downtown area, more than 40 of them, February 11-12, 2022.
Harbor Springs Lyric Theatre
275 E Main St, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-622-6366
The Lyric is a charitable non-profit movie theater offering first run, foreign, classic and family favorite movies on Main Street in downtown Harbor Springs. Three theaters, Dolby Sound, gourmet concessions including wine and beer.
Harbor Springs Performing Arts Center
327 E. Bluff St, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-4887
This spectacular Performing Ars Center is the place to enjoy music, theatre, and special events. For upcoming cultural events go to www.harborps.org, select Performing Arts Center, click on Events Calendar; or call for a recorded message.
Little Traverse Conservancy
3264 Powell Rd., Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-347-0991
The Little Traverse Conservancy owns and manages more than 164 nature preserves within the five-county service area (Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Mackinac, and Chippewa counties). Hike the many Conservancy trails or take part in educational hikes, walks, kayak jaunts, and more.
Mackinac Island Lilac Festival
Downtown, Mackinac Island, MI 49757, 800-454-5227
The Lilac Festival is a ten-day annual festival held in honor of the common lilac at Mackinac Island. The festival, which has been held since 1949, begins on the second Friday of June and concludes, on the third Sunday of June, with the horse-drawn Lilac Parade.
Northern Lights Recreation
8865 Harbor-Petoskey Rd., Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-347-3100
16 automatic scoring, smoke-free lanes of bowling for ages 3 and up. Open bowling daily 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Live music every Friday and Saturday. Also 18 challenging holes of indoor mini golf. Hourly rental rate pool rooms and coin operated arcade.
Nub's Nob
500 Nub's Nob Rd, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-2131, 800-SKI-NUBS
Consistently ranked the #1 ski/snowboard area in the Midwest, the "Can Do Crew" at Nub’s has been delivering "First Class and Friendly Skiing" for over 60 years. Ski/board school, race clinics and leagues, ski/board rentals, childcare, great food, bar, entertainment.
Odawa Casino Resort
1760 Lears Rd, Petoskey, MI 49770, 231-439-6100, 877-442-6464
Full-service casino near Little Traverse Bay featuring 1,000 exciting slot machines, over 20 table games, poker room, night club, gift shop, and three great dining options.
Odawa Casino-Mackinaw City
1080 S Nicolet St, Mackinaw City, MI 49701, 877-442-6464
Outfitter
153 E. Main St., Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-2621
Get out on the water, slopes or trails with hassle-free rentals (2 hour, day, weekly): kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, snowshoes and skis (xc, skate, telemark). Summer Kids's Kayak Camp, Trail Run Series, Monday Night Paddles. Women in the Wild outings.
Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau
401 E Mitchell St, Petoskey, MI 49770, 800-845-2828
The Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau provides information on lodging, events and all things fun in Petoskey, Boyne City, Bay Harbor and Harbor Springs. Come visit!
Petoskey State Park
2475 M-119, Petoskey, MI 49770, 231-347-2311, 800-447-2757
Camping, hiking, beaches, dunes, playgrounds, Petoskey stones--all of it and more can be found at this spectacular Michigan state park. Located at the end of Little Traverse Bay, boaters will often be found anchored off the beach as the boaters swim or search for Petoskey stones.
Pond Hill Farm
5581 S. Lake Shore Dr., Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-3276 (FARM)
Enjoy estate grown, award-winning wines. Offering unique tasting experience. Onsite cafe, brewery, Biergarten & market. Five miles north of Harbor Springs on M119.
Professional Captain John P. Shaw
231-347-6457
Coast Guard licensed captain available hourly, daily, or longer. Power and sail endorsed, knowledge of all local ports. Hire Capt. Shaw to pilot your boat so you can relax and enjoy the beauty of northern Michigan or entertain your guests onboard! Nautical instruction. Available to move your boat by water to any port. Boat evaluation. USCG license #820080.
Taste of Harbor Springs
On the Waterfront, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-7999
Don't miss the 27th annual Taste of Harbor Springs September 17, 2022. The big tent on the waterfront in downtown Harbor Springs will be filled with the foods of more than 25 area restaurants.
Todd and Brad Reed Photography
The "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed" project takes this father and son photography team all over Michigan to document the state's beauty. Follow along with their photographic adventures by watching these short videos, each about three minutes long. A unique Michigan video is posted for every week of the year.
Touring Gear
262 E Main St, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-7152
New Main Street location! Bicycle sales, service, rental, clothing. Taking care of cyclists needs in Harbor Springs for more than 25 years. Located in downtown Harbor Springs just minutes from the Little Traverse Wheelway and M-119 Tunnel of Trees.
Ugotta Regatta
Little Traverse Yacht Club, On Little Traverse Bay, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, 231-526-7919
Every year during the last weekend of July, sailboats from across the Midwest and beyond hoist their sails to race in the Ugotta Regatta. July 29-31, 2022, watch the action from Petoskey’s Sunset Park, Petoskey State Park, or on the water.



Discover More Things To Do...


Things to Do in Harbor Springs, Michigan -- Harbor Springs is the place to try new things! Rent a bike or a kayak, go snow tubing, attend a concert or an art fair, or play a round of golf with friends.
Things to Do in Petoskey, Michigan -- There's so much to do in Petoskey from the Bear River Valley Recreation Area, to Petoskey State Park, to biking, golfing, hiking, and more.
Charlevoix, Michigan -- Visiting Charlevoix in Northern Michigan is a fun-filled vacation with great beaches, boating, skiing, fishing and year 'round family fun.
Things to Do in Boyne City, Michigan -- Nothing is quite like Boyne City in Northern Michigan with camping, boating, skiing, year 'round outdoor activities, and of course, the morel mushroom!
Lots of Activities in Mackinaw City, Michigan -- Explore Mackinaw City in Northern Michigan for history, the International Dark Sky Park, and outdoor activities.
Things to Do on Mackinac Island, Michigan -- Take a step back in time and find lots of things to do when you visit Mackinac Island by horseback or bike--no cars allowed!
Northwest Michigan Activities & Things to Do> -- While in Northwest Michigan, visit beaches and lighthouses, antiques, art galleries, casinos and wineries and breweries, and more.
West Michigan Things to Do -- Check this site out for our largest list of West Michigan Activities.
Eastern Wisconsin Things to Do -- There are a variety of activities in Eastern Wisconsin. Visit an amusement park, take a train or trolley tour, go kayaking, go for a cruise, visit a lighthouse, check out a garden, visit Lambeau Field, home to the Green Bay Packers, and much more.