9 Picturesque Towns in Michigan for a Weekend Retreat in 2024
Michigan is a state surrounded by contrasts. During the late summer, fall, and winter, the state transforms into magnificent fall colors from the cities farmlands and to the shorelines of Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior. Yes, shorelines and miles of sandy beaches. Michigan has picturesque small towns worth visiting. Whether you are looking for art, culture, or unique coastline views, you will find it on a weekend retreat to Michigan in 2024.
Beaver Island
Dark skies are required for stargazing or catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights on the US mainland. Beaver Island is exceptional for those wanting to get premier celestial views. Beaver Island is located miles offshore in Lake Michigan and accessible by ferry or plane. The island is not only picturesque, but visitors are surrounded by nature, beaches, sand dunes, and wetlands with diverse ecology.
Historical sites include the Beaver Island Lighthouse, the Beaver Island Historical Society Museum, and the Beaver Island Print Shop Museum. Check out the number of shipwrecks in nearby waters and the island’s Irish history.
Beaver Island provides an array of water activities as well as inland lakes like Lake Geneserath for fishing or paddleboarding. Summer and fall are all about the beach and soaking up the sun with a good book. Winter transforms the area into a quiet place for snowshoeing, skiing, snowmobiling, or simply curling up in a cabin with a fireplace.
Catch a balloon ride or bike the island perimeter on a groomed trail along the water. For 2024, visitors can still catch the Harvest on the Harbor festival. The festival features live music, sidewalk sales downtown, a 5K run/walk, and other fall fun activities. Known as America's Emerald Isle, Beaver Island boasts an active downtown area full of history, gardens, and a wide array of shopping and dining, like Beaver Island’s Whiskey Point Brewing Company and the Livingstone Studio for creative gifts.
Charlevoix
In Charlevoix, visitors walk, hike, or bike through the amazing scenery. Charlevoix sits between Lake Michigan and inland Lake Charlevoix and is bisected by the Pine River. Complete with a historic castle where visitors can tour the building and the gardens. Check out the mushroom houses and then take in a round of golf. If you are interested in the outdoors, get out and swim, kayak, paddleboard, or rent a boat. There are also miles of trails for all sorts of non-motorized options.
Stroll through the Farmer’s market or tour an active orchard. Charlevoix is home to the World’s Largest Cherry Pie! Visit Fisherman’s Island State Park and catch some dinner, search for a Petoskey stone, or simply relax and enjoy the scenery. For bikers, the Little Traverse Wheelway runs along Lake Michigan past the beaches, dunes, and forests lining the route. In late fall 2024, Charlevoix puts on the Together in September celebration on the weekend of September 21 to 22nd or the Charlevoix Apple Fest on Friday, October 11 through Sunday, October 13th, 2024.
Photographers will want to visit the Ransom Nature Preserve for views of Charlevoix, nearby Beaver Island, and the Leelanau Peninsula. In winter, enjoy the local theater after shopping and grab a bite at Terry's of Charlevoix at 101 Antrim Street.
Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth is an inland town, and the Cass River flows through the center of town. Also known as Little Bavaria, Frankenmuth is a bustling community famous for its chicken dinners, Bavarian gift and food shops, and infectious Bavarian charm. The holidays are the perfect time to visit, with miles of decorations in Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the World’s Largest Christmas Store. The Bavarian Inn Castle Shops will take you back to the days of handmade keepsakes and gifts.
Visitors can walk through Frankenmuth or experience a wine and chocolate riverboat cruise. Guests can also rent a kayak, paddleboard, or boat and explore the Cass River and the Frankenmuth Riverwalk. In the fall, find a corn maze and numerous harvest festivals celebrating the local farming community. Even late in the season, visitors can take in Michigan’s Big Country Festival on the first weekend of October 2024 or the Scarecrow Festival on the last two weekends of October.
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is located in Lake Huron near the Straits of Mackinac. Well-known, historic, and full of one-of-a-kind adventures like the Butterfly House. Learn interesting facts about insects and interact personally with thousands of live butterflies.
When planning an adventure on Mackinac Island, remember that motorized vehicles are not allowed except for snowmobiles in the winter. Visitors walk, bike, or ride aboard horse-drawn carriages. History buffs will love visiting Fort Holmes for its scenic overlook. It is a bit of a hike as it sits 325 feet above lake level.
Mackinac Island’s primary tourism season runs from May to October but is open year-round. In December, take in the Mackinac Island Christmas Bazaar from December 7th through December 9th in the Community Hall. Winter visitors can experience the quiet beauty of the island while reading by the fire, skiing, or snowshoeing in a winter wonderland.
Petoskey
Petoskey is located at the top of the lower peninsula and within Little Traverse Bay, which is a bay in Lake Michigan. The area is known for incredible sunsets, the historic Gaslight shopping district, and Petosky stones. People come from around the world to hunt for Petoskey stones. The stones are made of fossilized prehistoric coral that once grew in Lake Michigan.
Bikers and hikers also love the 26-mile-long Little Traverse Wheelway. The wheelway is for anyone on wheels or walking and is fully paved and well-maintained. Experience picturesque shoreline views like nowhere else. Along the wheelway, visitors can stop for a swim or hang out at miles of clean sandy beaches, grab something to eat, and visit Petoskey State Park.
When back in town, visit the Gaslight District in downtown Petoskey. The Gaslight District features green light posts and an eclectic variety of shops like Cheekade Meekade for a bit of everything or Flora Bae Home for a curated collection of decor and jewelry. If you are visiting late fall 2024, be sure to attend Brother Dan’s Handmade Holiday Craft Show at the Emmet County Community Building on Saturday, November 23, 2024. In winter, all the amenities are available except for swimming or boating. Instead, take a sleigh ride, ice skate, or hit the wheelway on skis! Visitors can also attend the Downtown Petoskey’s Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 14, 2024, right in the heart of the downtown shopping district.
Saugatuck
The Saugatuck/Douglas area has a full array of late summer, fall, and winter activities. In the fall, go apple picking or navigate a corn maze. For outdoor enthusiasts, hike along the dunes and experience the fall colors from the surrounding forests amidst the sand. The area also features twelve miles of coastline and six picturesque beaches. Hit the beach year-round.
In September 2024, the Saugatuck Center for the Arts hosts several outdoor concerts. Bands like the Fleetwood Mac and Rumours ATL play on September 28th. Stroll through Wicks Park and attend the Art in the Park event, where local artisans sell homemade crafts. The first week of October is the Blue Coast Artists Annual Studio Tour, where visitors can watch how pottery is made or how wood is carved into bowls.
Saugatuck also gives fall color tours by paddlewheel boat. Alternatively, visitors can go birding, hiking, or biking near Lake Michigan. Check out Mount Baldhead Park near Oval Beach and see the historic Chain Ferry, a hand-cranked ferry that transports visitors across the Kalamazoo River.
Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie is the center of a diverse waterfront community that sits on the St. Mary’s River, which flows from Lake Superior to Lake Huron. The area provides guests with year-round recreation and beach views. Visit historical sites like the Soo Locks.
The beach beckons with fresh water swimming, kayaking, biking, and hiking. Bring your ATV and OHV to access numerous scenic trails near the water or get engulfed in the forests. Watch the massive barges enter Soo Locks to load and unload and get a taste of the complicated history of the lock system. The town hosts specialty shops like The Little Gift Shop for local crafts or Bird's Eye Outfitters for outdoor supplies. Catch dinner at The Wicked Sister on Ashmun Street or the Soo Brewing Company on West Portage Ave.
Fall brings color tours and plenty of opportunities to revel in the beauty of the forest and beach. Late fall visitors in 2024 can attend the 2024 Soo Film Festival at the Soo Theatre or the Fall Fest at Front Porch Gardens and Gifts store downtown. In winter, gear up for snowmobiling, ice skating, or skiing along the snow-filled trails.
St. Joseph
St. Joseph is a beach-lover's dream, with beaches and dunes covering the shoreline of Lake Michigan near the mouth of the St. Joseph River. Rent a boat to explore the river or the lake, fish, or simply enjoy the ride. Serious fishermen can charter a fishing trip and catch freshwater salmon. For nature lovers, head out through the dunes, beaches, or forest trails and experience the beauty of St. Joseph.
Head to Tiscornia Park on Silver Beach and take a spin on the Silver Beach Carousel. Winter in St. Joseph is food festival time, alongside special holiday-themed shops. You can even attend the Reindog parade on Saturday, December 7th, or catch the Fall Festival on September 21, 2024, at Lake Bluff Park.
Suttons Bay
Suttons Bay is a scenic town located 30 miles north of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore near the eastern shoreline of the Leelanau Peninsula. It is a must-see for enjoying 35 miles of open beaches for swimming, relaxing, or hiking. Suttons Bay sits at the inlet of Grand Traverse Bay in Lake Michigan. The heart of the wine district, Suttons Bay, features multiple vineyards and wineries for tastings.
Suttons Bay has a marina and downtown shopping areas. Exciting cafes and restaurants line the streets, offering exceptional food and views. Check out Martha's Leelanau Table for outstanding food and service or the Hop Lot Brewing Company and Beer Garden. Suttons Bay is charming and peacefully quiet, perfect for those who want a lively vacation without crowds. Visitors in late fall can take in the Suttons Bay Fall Artisan & Wine Walk on October 18, 2024.
In winter, take in the beauty of the lake and surrounding areas iced over and laced with snow. Winter activities include ice skating, snowmobiling, and ice fishing. The holiday light parade and Santa himself come to town for a visit on November 29, 2024, right downtown.
Michigan offers an immense variety of historical, artsy, and interesting small towns with impeccable scenery to visit in 2024. Head to an island, visit the mainland or do both. Visitors will find any water activity available in Michigan even into the late fall. The scenery includes sandy beaches and incredible hiking and biking trails by the water and the forests. Discover a vacation you won’t want to return home from in Michigan.
