Vacation Ideas

Michigan – Sleeping Bear Dunes & Mackinac Island

Michigan is an incredibly beautiful state! It is a great summer vacation destination that is great for families with kids or teens. 

Best Time to Visit: May – September

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  • Climb and run down a giant sand dune!
  • Canoe or kayak down the Platte river to Lake Michigan
  • Hike to beautiful views of the Sleeping Bear Dunes
  • See lighthouses on Lake Michigan
  • Visit vineyards on the Mission Peninsula
  • Explore old forts around Mackinaw
  • Take a boat to Mackinac Island where there are no cars, only horses and bikes!
  • Bike around Mackinac Island
Rent a home near the Sleeping Bear Dunes: Pick a hotel, rental, or Bed & Breakfast on Mackinac Island:
  • The Inn at Stonecliff – we love this historic hotel and it’s beautiful and quiet location at the top of the hill. It has a gorgeous back lawn with a restaurant, fire pits and lawn toys for kids.
  • The Grand Hotel – this historic hotel is an experience unto itself! It has a nice pool area with a water slide, multiple restaurants, daily tea time, and so much more.  Check for specials >
  • Mission Point Resort – a beautiful, family-friendly resort near downtown on the East side of the island.
  • Sunset Condominiums – rent a whole condo, some with multiple bedrooms! These are located at Stonecliff which is a quiet area away from downtown. You can easily walk to the Inn at Stonecliff for dinner. You will need to rent bikes or take horse-drawn carriages from The Inn to get downtown.
  • Cloghaun Bed & Breakfast – this is my favorite B&B on the island – it’s charming, quiet, and a good location. But admittedly, we’ve only stayed here on adult-only trips. I did see some kids when we stayed, but I would not want to stay here with very young children.
  • Flights:
    • Flying into Traverse City (TVC) will get you closest to the area. It’s a small airport, but not as small as others in the area.
    • Manistee National Airport (MBL) is also close but small. It does have cheap flights from Chicago and a few other places.
    • Flying into Grand Rapids may be cheaper since it’s a larger airport, but then it’s about a 2.5-hour drive up to the Sleeping Bear Dunes area.
  • Lodging is the biggest expense in this area. Rentals will often be the most affordable, but do some comparisons with some of the places we recommend above.
  • Once you’re to the area and have a place to stay, the best activities are free or cheap and mostly involve enjoying the beauty of the area.
Frankfort:
  • Dinghy’s Restaurant  – ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken, wings
  • The Manitou – Finer dining, but still kid-friendly. Menu includes Great Lakes yellow perch, fresh whitefish, rainbow trout, duck, ribs, steaks, and lobster.
Empire:
  • Joe’s Friendly Tavern located at 11015 W Front St, Empire, MI 49630. They have great burgers and sandwiches, plus they make a good chili.
Glen Arbor:
  • Cherry Public House has classic American favorites and great desserts! They have fresh cherry pies and ice cream made with Michigan cherries. The casual outdoor seating is great for kids!
Mackinac Island:
  • Northern area:The Backyard at The Inn at Stonecliff – Our personal favorite! Because this is at the top of the hill it is much less crowded and a favorite of locals. They have a casual restaurant with a lovely patio overlooking a huge lawn with lawn toys for kids and beautiful views!
  • Mission Point: Round Island Kitchen –family-friendly restaurant at the Mission Point resort.
  • Grand Hotel: The Jockey Club or The Gate House – these are the most family-friendly dinner options in the Grand Hotel family of restaurants.
  • Downtown: The Yankee Rebel Tavern or Pink Pony – similar classic menus with steak and seafood, both have kid menus, but different ambiances.
  • Water temperatures are always cool, even in summer, but many kids will still get right in that cool water so come prepared with bathing suits, towels, and changes of cothes when visiting any shoreline.
  • Sometimes Lake Michigan can have pretty decent size waves so keep an eye of kids in the water. Sometimes people are more slack about this on the Lake since it doesn’t have the larger tides and undercurrent like the ocean, but it’s not a typical lake – it’s a freshwater sea!
  • Biking around Mackinac island is a lot of fun, but make sure your kids are old enough to bike a long way on their own. Even if they know how to ride a bike on their own, they may not be ready for the 8 mile round trip. You can choose to not do the full loop with kids, or rent tandem bikes, tag-a-longs, wehoos, or bike carriages so kids don’t have to do all the pedaling themselves. Check out the rental options at Mackinac Island Bike Shop.

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