Top 10 things to experience in Northwest Michigan

1. Drive the Mackinac Bridge. Located about a half hour north of Petoskey, the bridge connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. It is the third-longest suspension bridge in the world at 26,372 feet. You can walk it once a year on Labor Day.

2. Visit the Bay View Association in Petoskey, by car, bike or foot. Founded by the United Methodist Church in 1875, it includes 440 cottages, 33 community buildings and two inns. Bay View offers a variety of academic programming and lectures, plus concerts and theatrical performances by renowned talent.

3. Take a ferry ride to Mackinac Island, the storied island stopped in time. There are no motor vehicles allowed and horses rule the roads.

4. Travel the Tunnel of Trees along M-119 to Cross Village, beautiful when it’s plush with summer greenery and breathtaking in autumnal glory. Don’t eat before you go; you need to save room for the authentic Polish fare at Legs Inn (seasonal).

5. Live up to the nickname “fudgie.” Even the locals can’t make it through a season without stopping for homemade fudge, confections and ice cream at famous family-run fudge shops like Kilwin’s, Murdick’s and Joann’s.

6. Stafford's lunch and tea. Well-informed local historians relate the lineage of fine hotel and dining establishments that have been the hallmark of Little Traverse Bay since the mid-1800s, during summertime trolley tours. Lunch and tea at Stafford’s Perry Hotel or Bay View Inn is a must-do. $10 per person, reservations recommended; 347-4000/(800) 737-1899.

7. Try your luck at the Odawa Casino Resort in Petoskey, a high-energy destination with slots, table games, poker room, bingo and five restaurants, nightclub, gift shop and entertainment.

8. Learn about the area’s rich history at local museums, where curators have made considerate efforts to preserve the past: Little Traverse Historical Society Museum in Petoskey; Harbor Springs History Museum; Harsha House Museum in Charlevoix; Bay Harbor History Museum; and Fort Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City. Also, the retired Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw is a museum now, berthed in Mackinaw City.

9. Jump in! The inland lakes and rivers in this region are known as the most clean and clear anywhere, and they provide hours of recreational opportunities. A number of local businesses rent boats, tubes, pontoons and Jet Skis, too.
 
10. Make time to catch a sunset over Little Traverse Bay. In the “Land of the Million-Dollar Sunsets,” it’s not merely a suggestion; it’s a must.

Motorcoach Living » Top Ten Things to Experience