Visiting Our Region

Northern Michigan Dune View
Lake Michigan

Bicycling, Boating, Golfing, Gourmet Food Festivals, Hiking, Hunting, National Cherry Festival, Natural Areas, Sailing, Shopping, Skiing, Traverse City Film Festival, Wildlife Viewing and so much more ...

National Geographic Rated! Our region is a favorite for tourists, vacationers and us locals (of course)! A slice of paradise not to be missed!

Visiting Friske Orchards brings you to an area of world-class vacationing and tourism, so plan to take advantage of the many opportunities to taste, shop & play while in northern Michigan. You may also shop Friske's Online Market while away from us here in northern Michigan!

Some Regional Attractions Include:

A-Ga-Ming & Antrim Dells Golf Courses www.a-ga-ming.com

Michigan's home for "Stay & Play" packages! 54 holes of beautiful golf alongside stunning Torch Lake for groups, membership & daily fee play. Dreamlike weddings, legendary family reunions and celebrations. Featuring: The Torch (Golf Digest: 4 Stars); the Sundance (Golf Digest: 4.5 stars & Best New Course In USA, 2009); and Antrim Dells (Championship Course with Lake Michigan views).
Antrim Creek Natural Area www.antrimcounty.org/acna/
"The Antrim Creek Natural Area is located in Banks Township, Antrim County, Michigan. It is comprised of 156 acres of land containing nearly one mile of shoreline on Grand Traverse Bay. This is the largest stretch of contiguous, undeveloped shoreline remaining within the entire 132 miles of bay coastline between Norwood and Northport. It supports an incredible array of natural diversity including hardwood forest, forested wetland, conifer swamp, shrub thicket, meadow, wet meadow and coastal dune. It supports a wide range of flora and fauna including federal and state listed threatened plant species. This is a rare and unique coastal ecosystem without equal." - Antrim County

This area is known for the ghost town of Antrim, the famous writer Rex Beach, Old Dixie Highway, the novel about the Guyer boys called Whistle Up The Bay, Norwood, and the old Antrim City Cemetery. Hiking trails, cross country skiing trails, swimming, sunning, beach walking & playing, hunting, fishing and more.
Boyne USA www.boyne.com
"Experience BOYNE resorts in northern Michigan. Three separate vacation destinations and a wide variety of activities to choose from. Some of the best skiing in the Midwest, enjoy a few relaxing days being pampered at the spa, or play a few rounds of golf on our scenic Michigan golf courses, we offer activities for all seasons and all ages. Book your vacation to Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands, or The Inn at Bay Harbor today, and enjoy all that BOYNE resorts in Michigan have to offer." - Boyne USA
Beaver Island / Beaver Island Boat Company www.beaverislandboatcompany.com
"Feel yourself start to relax the moment you board one of our ferry vessels. Become hypnotized by the passing water as it dances around the boat. Soak in the sun and cool lake breeze from one of our open air decks or curl up with a good book and a loved one in one of our comfortable passenger cabins. We encourage you to forget your watch and begin to get acquainted with 'Island time.' Beaver Island offers - nature lovers and sportsmen alike - pristine woods, isolated beaches, hiking and biking trails, and uncrowded campsites. Fine dining, hotel, motels, and bed and breakfasts await those looking for an extended get away. Those searching for a truly removed up-north destination will find it on Beaver Island." - Beaver Island Boat Company
Castle Farms www.castlefarms.com
Built 1918 by Albert Loeb, acting President of Sears, Roebuck, and Company. Designed by architect Arthur Heun, the buildings were designed based upon the stone barns found in Normandy, France and local field stone was used in the construction. The farm was originally used as a model farm where prize-winning livestock were raised and the newest farm equipment sold by Sears could be showcased. In nearly 100 years of history, Castle Farms has been the following: a model livestock farm, baseball game venue, art gallery & studio, center for the arts, medieval tavern, rock concert venue and more. Today, Castle Farms is open year 'round for weddings & receptions, festivals & shows, corporate & social events, and castle & garden tours.
Elk River Chain Of Lakes Watershed
w ww.michigan.gov/deq/
www.watershedcouncil.org
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk_River_Chain_of_Lakes_Watershed
"The Elk River Chain of Lakes drains a 321,000-acre watershed, beginning at its serene headwaters near East Jordan and emptying into the majestic deep blue waters of East Grand Traverse Bay at Elk Rapids. The sinuous chain first flows north from Beals to Scotts, through Sixmile and on to St. Clair Lake. Near the town of Ellsworth, the chain turns 180 degrees and heads south through Ellsworth, Wilson, Ben-way, Hanley and Intermediate Lakes. South of the town of Bellaire, the chain begins to open up, jogging south, west, south and west again through typically larger lakes, from Lake Bellaire to Clam and Torch Lakes, then to Lake Skegemog and Elk Lake before emptying into Lake Michigan. The combined surface area of all fourteen lakes is 34,420 acres – a veritable wealth of water resources!" - Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
National Cherry Festival - Traverse City visit.cherryfestival.org
"The Grand Traverse region, known for its world-record tart cherry harvest, bursts with visitors eager to savor the flavor of cherries tucked into everything imaginable. Each day Festival goers find cherry delights along with parades, family and kids events and entertainment. In all, there are more than 150 events along the shores of Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay. The Festival has been named in USA Today's top ten festivals for several years running." - National Cherry Festival
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore www.nps.gov/slbe/ www.sleepingbeardunes.com

"Empire, MI - Good Morning America produced evidence this morning that proved to everyone what most people in northern Michigan already knew - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is the most beautiful place in America! The ABC morning news program conducted a poll on their website last week asking people to vote for one of ten places nominated for the honor by their viewers. On Wednesday, August 17, they announced the winner-and it came as no surprise. The ten most beautiful places were featured in segments aired on Good Morning America all last week. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was featured Tuesday, August 9.

National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis responded to the news by saying 'It's great that a park like Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which is a little off the beaten track in northern Michigan, is being recognized for its exceptional beauty.' The Director went on to note, 'Six of the ten areas nominated are associated with national parks, and they represent some of the variety of special places saved by the American people in our National Park System.' National Lakeshore Superintendent Dusty Shultz was thrilled by Sleeping Bear's selection; 'I am honored and feel privileged to have served at this wonderful place for ten years, and still every day reveals a new aspect of its beauty and the remarkable natural and cultural resources entrusted to our care. We thank the viewers and staff at Good Morning America for this national recognition of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.'

The competition was fierce, as you might imagine, but in the end, it appears those who cherish the towering dunes, sparkling waters, and deep forests of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore mobilized to best the other praiseworthy candidates. 'I think because the beauty of Sleeping Bear Dunes is so accessible to people, it makes it more real to them somehow,' said National Lakeshore Deputy Superintendent Tom Ulrich. 'Those who visit this place develop a very personal connection to it, and those deep feelings lead people to demonstrate how much they care.'

View the video of the results of the Good Morning America Most Beautiful Places competition. For more information on Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, visit the park's website at http://www.nps.gov/slbe/ or call 231-326-5134." - National Park Service Press Release dated August 17, 2011
Traverse City Film Festival w ww.traversecityfilmfest.org www.facebook.com/TCFilmFest
"The Traverse City Film Festival has grown to become one of the largest film festivals in the Midwest, and one of the most respected in the country. This year, there were over 128,000 admissions to 156 screenings, a number of them U.S. or world premieres. A special emphasis is given to foreign films, American independents, documentaries, and films which have been overlooked but deserve the attention of a public starved to see a good movie.

The festival also presents classic movies free of charge on a giant, inflatable outdoor screen overlooking Grand Traverse Bay in the Open Space Park at dusk.

Free panel discussions with directors, writers, actors, and other members of the film industry are offered daily. And an affordable film school runs throughout the festival, offering twice daily classes for film students and film lovers.

Traverse City Film Festival is a charitable, educational, nonprofit organization committed to showing “Just Great Movies” and helping to save one of America’s few indigenous art forms — the cinema. The festival brings films and filmmakers from around the world to northern Michigan for the annual film festival in late July to early August, and also owns and operates a year-round, community-based, mission-driven art house movie theater, the State Theatre. The festival was founded by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore, who runs the festival and serves as the President of the Board of Directors. The other board members are photographer John Robert Williams and New York Times best-selling author Doug Stanton, both Traverse Citians, and filmmakers Larry Charles (director, “Borat”), Terry George (director, “Hotel Rwanda”), Sabina Guzzanti (director, “Viva Zapatero!”), and Christine Lahti (actor, “Running on Empty”)." - Traverse City Film Festival
Other Festivals and Events:
Antrim County Petoskey Stone Festival
Charlevoix Apple Festival
Charlevoix Venetian Festival
Elk Rapids Harbor Days
HapsHub.com
The Iceman Cometh Challenge
National Writers Series
North American Vasa
Petoskey Festival On The Bay
Up North Farmers Markets
Up North Fourth

Open Year-Round with Special Seasonal & Holiday Events!
Questions? Call 231.599.2604