Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was a 45-minute drive west of Traverse City. We made a quick stop at the visitor center to pick up our day pass and a map so we could decide what to explore within a four-hour time window. The sky was overcast at first, but the clouds gradually lifted, and enough sunshine broke through to make for a beautiful day.

Our first stop was the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, a 7.4-mile loop through forests, towering dunes, and spectacular overlooks of Lake Michigan. Around every bend, there seemed to be another postcard-worthy view.

Next came the famous Dune Climb. Rising 284 feet above the parking area, it looked easy enough from below, but climbing it was another story. Every step sank into the soft sand, making the steep ascent surprisingly exhausting. The most frustrating part was the series of false summits. Each time we thought we had reached the top, another dune hill appeared in front of us! After about 45 minutes of climbing, we had covered roughly three-quarters of the distance and could already see a glimpse of Lake Michigan shimmering in the distance. At that point, we decided we had earned our reward and headed back down, perfectly satisfied with what we considered an age-appropriate achievement.

Our next stop was Glen Haven Historic Village. Back in the 1850s, it was a busy port where steamships stopped to load firewood for their boilers. Over the years, it evolved into a lumbering, farming, and cherry-canning community before eventually becoming part of the National Park. There wasn’t a great deal to see, although we did enjoy watching a blacksmith demonstrate his craft in the old forge.

From there, we drove to Fishtown in the village of Leland. This charming waterfront is one of the last authentic working commercial fishing villages on the Great Lakes. Fishing boats still head out each day, and commercial fishermen continue to unload their catch at the docks. We took a break with an ice cream and a coffee on a terrace overlooking the little waterfall, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

Our final stop was the Grand Traverse Lighthouse at the northern tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. Built in 1858, the lighthouse served as a point of reference for ships until it was automated in 1972 and now operates as a museum. It was smaller than we had expected, and we decided to skip the $12 admission fee. Instead, we wandered around the grounds, took a few nice photos, and enjoyed a brief walk to the beach.

It has been another day filled with beautiful scenery and new experiences. To top it off, we had dinner at a nearby family restaurant, where we ordered fresh Lake Michigan perch. It was absolutely delicious!Læs mere