I’m back from an amazing week in Glen Arbor, Michigan with my family. Believe it our not, this was our 30th year vacationing together in Glen Arbor. Pretty crazy right? My dad spent years going up to Glen Arbor with his family, and the tradition continued with our family. As you can imagine we’ve made so many beautiful memories in this Michigan town. I’ve had a few followers reach out requesting information about Glen Arbor, and where we stay. I thought this blog post would be helpful if you’re planning a trip to this area. Here’s a little recap of our week up north and a guide to Glen Arbor.
A Week in Glen Arbor
Like I mentioned above, this was our 30th year spending a week in Glen Arbor with my family. I was 4 years old and my sister was 2 years old when my parents started taking us up north. What’s crazy is my nephews are now exactly this same age, so it was pretty fun comparing photos to the one above. From this young age until middle school we camped in Glen Arbor. The campsite we stayed at is no longer open, but if camping is something you enjoy I would suggest looking into D.H. Day Campground.
From high school until now we’ve been renting a hotel room or condo at The Homestead. The Homestead is a resort that offers a mix of hotel rooms, condos and home rentals, which is great depending on what your family needs. We’ve stayed in just about every type of property at The Homestead with our family growing and our needs changing. This past week we stayed at a condo in the Great Lakes property, which worked out so well being close to the beach and having this view of Lake Michigan. We have used both The Homestead and Leelanau Vacation Rentals to book our stay at The Homestead. You can also learn more about The Homestead in this blog post.
Guide to Glen Arbor
We were really fortunate to have great weather during our time in Glen Arbor. The weather was hot and sunny most days so we spent a lot of time outdoors. For the first time we decided to rent a pontoon boat on Glen Lake from Glen Craft Marina. This was probably the highlight of the week, and something we would definitely do again. Glen Lake is a crystal clear lake that’s separated into “Big Glen” and “Little Glen” lake. Little Glen Lake’s highest depth is 11 ft so it’s perfect for kids to play in since it’s so shallow. My childhood was spent swimming in Little Glen so this was fun to revisit and swim with my nephews.
If you enjoy hiking you can’t miss Pyramid Point Trail, Empire Bluff Trail and of course a climb up Sleeping Bear Dunes. Both Pyramid Point and Empire Bluff are quick hikes (20ish minutes and suitable for kids) with incredible views. On a nice morning I would suggest doing these hikes with your friends or family. We love climbing Sleeping Bear Dunes at dusk so the sand is not too hot on our feet. Sleeping Bear Dunes also has a few trails that lead to Lake Michigan. I’ve never done these hikes because I’ve heard they are really long (like hours) so be advised before you try this.
I should also note our week in Glen Arbor varies depending on my family’s schedule. We’ve gone up north in June, July, and August and each month has it’s pros and cons depending on the weather. This year we visited Glen Arbor at the end of August, and we loved how warm Lake Michigan. By August the lake has really warmed up, so we spent each day swimming and playing in the sand. If we visit in June, swimming in Lake Michigan just doesn’t happen because the weather hasn’t been warm enough to warm the lake.
The one activity we do every year in Glen Arbor is rent kayaks from Crystal River Outfitters. Kayaking the Crystal River is something we’ve done since I was in middle school, and shooting the tube is our favorite part. This year my nephew joined us which was really special.
More Things To Do
We love walking around Glen Arbor and shopping or grabbing a bite to eat. Here are some of my recommendations:
Cherry Republic – We love shopping at Cherry Republic for all things cherry. The green salsa, boomchunka cookies, and cherry jam are a few of our favorites. Cherry Republic has a restaurant that we love for lunch or grabbing some ice cream.
M22 Glen Arbor – Shop for an M22 t-shirt or try some of the M22 wine at the M22 Glen Arbor store. They also have a fun outdoor bar area to enjoy a glass of wine.
Imagine That – I love shopping at Imagine That for gifts and home items. They also have the cutest cards and stuff for kids.
Cottage Book Shop – A beach vacation wouldn’t be complete without a new book. The Cottage Book Shop is my favorite spot to pick up a new book.
Blu – If you’re doing a date night head over to Blu for a great meal. Cory and I love dining here.
Coastal – Head to Coastal to find some great clothing options from Vineyard Vines to Patagonia.
Art’s Tavern – Arts Tavern is a classic restaurant in Glen Arbor that we’ve enjoyed for lunch.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to Glen Arbor and a recap of our week up there. Leave a comment below if you’ve been to Glen Arbor or if you’re planning a trip up here. I would love to hear some of your favorite spots in this charming town. Also, check out this blog post for more of my favorite things to do in Leelanau County.
The GR Guide is awesome! Congrats! Friends of ours, John and Jeff Heth own Groskopfs luggage! That was the same type of business my wife Kathy and I had for forty years in Birmingham. Look forward to following your site! Week done!
We live there now full time after spending summers there. Another neat feature is the newly remodeled village park with the same tennis courts but also new play equipment, basketball courts, pickleball courts, adult fitness pieces, a small picnic area, and a bathroom. Then there’s the Running Bear Run on the last Tues of July. Sponsored by the women’s club to raise money for high school seniors scholarships. We most enjoy the shoulder seasons of May and June and also Sept and Oct. fall colors are stunning!