Twinning!

Have you ever gone to Northern Michigan? If not, it’s a great road trip that’s adventurous and family-friendly! Here are some of the best tourist attractions for families on your trip!

1. Mackinac Island is a great place for family fun, from biking to fudge and kayaking, oh my! If that’s not your jam then there are plenty of scenic outlooks and trails. If you’re thinking about a longer trip the Grand Hotel will have plenty of room on their front porch. (the world’s longest). If you are looking for a workout the 8 mile bike ride will suit you well, it is  a fun but challenging ride and at the end it is totally worth it. To reward yourself, treat yourself to some fudge from Original Murdick’s Fudge, Joann’s Fudge, or kilwins Fudge. Plus those are just some of many fudge companies in Mackinac Island. And those are just some of the reasons Mackinac Island is one of the best tourist attractions in Northern Michigan.

2. Old Mission Peninsula is a great place to visit with petoskey stones and beautiful sights there and plenty of beaches for fun in the sun. Kids and adults can play and enjoy the wide open sand. Not to mention the beautiful waters for kids and pets to swim in! While adults savor the sunlight, kids can walk all the way down the beach, which stretches a long way down. Old Mission Peninsula Beach is a great place for families to visit!

3. The Sleeping Bear Dunes is an amazing sight. Mountains of sand formed solely by degraded rock. There are several spots to explore the dunes including a popular 3 mile hike of ongoing dunes, but my favorite is Pyramid Point, a slope that goes straight down. If you’re really brave, you can go down and climb back up, a rough climb that takes about half an hour to maybe fifty minutes. Reaching the bottom is a beautiful, calm sight when you see the water (Lake Michigan) stretching out in front of you. Though the climb up is tough, it is really worth it when you reach the top! For spectators or family who isn’t climbing, I recommend coming in time to watch the sunset and bringing a blanket or towel to  sit on. Also, this area includes a wooden Lookout for tourists to watch, making the Sleeping Bear Dunes one of the best places to explore!

4. The Omelette Shoppe has the most heavenly, most delectable omelettes in Northern Michigan. Their great customer service makes it a very fun place to visit. It has a variety of rich, enticing omelettes and intricate toast treats like iced raisin bread, strawberry shortcakes, pancakes, and more that’ll get your stomach growling to come back!

5. Buchan’s Blueberry Farm is home to the most delicious blueberry ice cream in the state.  It has rows and rows of blueberries for tourists to come and pick. A great family activity, it gives tourists a fun, engaging experience and a little exercise! The best part is enjoying the homemade blueberry ice cream after hard work picking. There are many flavors, ranging from peach to caramel, all are great and can come in pre-made pints or quarts, and some brave tourists are gutsy enough to drive the ice cream home in a cooler! Just be sure not to spill the blueberries-and be ready for some serious snacking!

6. Milk & Honey Ice Cream Shop is on Front Street in Traverse City. It is home to the most delectable ice cream. It has pure, icy delicious ice cream with classic flavors like mint chocolate chip or their version of vanilla, called sweet cream. They also make enticing homemade mixes like German Chocolate or Mint Oreo. For example, with one mix they take their signature sweet cream ice cream and add crushed oreo and chocolate fudge sauce, which they mix on the cool counter and scoop into a cup or cone for you to enjoy.

7. Cherry Republic is a great store with all types of candy, including chocolates, treats, and more. Everything they have, from chocolate to barbecue sauce to beer, all has at least a little cherry in it. So be sure to pop by and visit Cherry Republic for all your cherry-themed goods!

8. Art’s Tavern is a restaurant bar with amazing food, especially their cheesy, warm burger. The restaurant has a upbeat family bar vibe with indoor and outdoor seating, and outside the restaurant near the outdoor seating is a tent where they grill the food and nearby that is a modern store with Art’s Tavern merchandise, including t-shirts, mugs, and sweatshirts.

9. Kilwins Chocolate, Ice Cream, and Fudge Shop is a delicious stop for any tourist who loves sweets. Specializing in confectionaries including chocolates, fudge, and ice cream, there are 19 locations throughout the state of Michigan, including Kilwins Headquarters in Petoskey. I recommend visiting Kilwins Headquarters on the way to or from your destination for anyone who lives in South Michigan. Kilwins Headquarters is a much bigger location, and it, in fact, is where all of their chocolates are made. It even displays a glass wall for tourists to see into the chocolate manufacturing area. So if you’re in need of a sweet treat, head to Kilwins Chocolate, Ice Cream, and Fudge Shop!

10. Pirate’s Cove has fun but challenging putt putt courses for all ages. If golf isn’t your thing then you can play many fun games such as thrilling go karts (some seating 2 people others single carts), fun, splashing bumper boats, and interesting arcade games. (but everyone knows mini golf is the best). Some holes are under caves, over water, and some even have tubes that send your ball somewhere else on the course.

All in all, Traverse City is a great place for families to visit-whether you like intriguing adventure or find your specialty in shopping and landmarks, Traverse City is the place to go.