Charlevoix, Michigan Vacation Guide

Bridge Park
This is one of the many places that can be enjoyed while visiting Charlevoix, and it can be found downtown. The wonderful location of this building allows you a great view of the drawbridge, which makes it one of the best places to get wonderful shots of the drawbridge but also the area around the lake but also a great place for biking.

Elements Art and Gifts
While you are in the downtown area of Charlevoix, you should not pass up on the chance to enjoy some shopping at Elements. This shopping place sits right on the shore of Lake Michigan and features 150 Canadian and American artists. Over 20 of these artists can be found right there in and around Charlevoix. All of these artists have made wonderful pieces of art that are meant to be sold in a store and can be bought at this store.

Charlevoix Fountain of Youth
This is another one of the features that can be found in downtown Charlevoix, and it is a great thing to enjoy for families. It is great for children because after 10 in the morning, it is open for children to run around and play in the water. People know it is time to enjoy playing in the fountain when the center nozzle, which is 30 feet, is shut down and all of the ropes are removed, allowing people into the fountain area. It is always advised that you are careful while using the fountain and that children are monitored at all times.

Once it hits 9:30 in the evening, the fountain is closed off and starts being used as a display piece until 11 when it is shut off for the night. During this display period, the water is choreographed along with lights to move to music, and this show starts over every 30 minutes. You have to enjoy this show while out of the fountain, which will have its ropes back in place. This is done because the center nozzle will be operational again, and could be dangerous. While the area is not supervised to keep people out, it would always be appreciated if you stay out during this time.

Fisherman’s Island State Park and Beach
This park is often mistaken for being just an island, but it is not by any means. The park sits on a strip of land that encompasses 2,678 acres with 5 miles of shores that lead into Lake Michigan. The road of the park will allow you to meander through a section of campgrounds. At the end of the road, several different areas are set up for you to use for a picnic. It also leads to the beaches and some trails that are perfect for hiking a few miles. People are permitted to use their bikes on these trails as long as they are careful of hikers.

Several different beaches can be found in Charlevoix and some of them line the area that faces out into Lake Michigan. An example of this is the one that has been discussed above, but there is also Michigan Beach Park, Depot Beach, and Ferry Beach.

Michigan Beach Park
This is one of the most popular beaches that people love to enjoy for many different reasons, such as its white sand and Petoskey stones. It also has a playground for the children to enjoy, and walking trails for people who want to enjoy a great walk by the water. There is also a basketball court, a volleyball net, a pavilion, concessions stands, and restrooms that can all be used while at the beach. In the background of the beach, people will get to take in the site of the iconic Charlevoix Lighthouse.

Depot Beach
This beach is located on Lake Charlevoix and has many different things for you to enjoy when you are not enjoying the water at this historic beach. These things include a pavilion, a picnic area, some restrooms, and a playground. You can enjoy kayaking or using a paddleboard while at this beach for a little more fun. There is also the chance to take in the historic train depot that is located near this beach, and this depot just recently celebrated its 100th birthday.

Ferry Beach
This beautiful beach is located along Lake Charlevoix and has a boat launch for people to use while at the beach. There is also a playground, some volleyball nets, some basketball courts, and an area set up for horseshoes. For some of the more basic comforts, you can enjoy the pavilion, the concessions, and the restrooms all located at this beach. If you wish to go stand up paddleboarding and do not have your own, you can easily rent one right there at the beach.

Charles Ransom Nature Preserve
This is a preserve that consists of 80 acres of land, and all of the lands are downhill. Even the trails that you can use for hiking and biking are downhill. There is an open area that is nice and grassy, and you should check this area out as you can pick fresh blackberries and strawberries here. Now, with the terrain of this location, it is not a great choice for everyone as everything is very uneven and sloped downward. From the parking area, there is a trail system that is 1 ½ mile in length. The preserve was created in honor of Charles Ransom and was dedicated as a preserve by his parents.

Charlevoix Country Club
All of the fairways that can be found at this club are kept maintained and looking beautiful. The landscape that makes up this club is water though, and the holes make you wander through areas that are open with some of them being tree-lined. This all makes it a great choice for going and enjoying a few rounds of golf. That is not the only thing that can be enjoyed at this location though. It also has a state of the art fitness center and a pub for great drinks after playing golf. If you are looking for a beautiful place to throw an event or even a wedding, then this is a great place to look into its beautiful backgrounds.

Bier’s Inwood Brewery
This is one of the many different breweries that can be found in Charlevoix. The people who work at this brewery are extremely skilled and use their ingenuity to mix their ingredients to create brand new flavors. There are only 12 taps at this brewery, but they regularly alternate between the different flavors of beers and ciders that are brewed at this site in tiny batches. Many other breweries can be found in the area besides this one.

Venetian Festival
For the last 89 years, the Venetian Festival has been the unofficial homecoming for the town of Charlevoix. This event used to only last for a weekend when it was first started, but by this point, the people of Charlevoix have extended it to last for a week long. It was after WWII ended that the people started to extend the length of the activities for this festival as well as add new ones to it. This was done slowly year by year.

Dining

There is a wide variety of places that can be found in Charlevoix for dining, and each of these places is unique and different from each other. Below is a breakdown of just a few of the places that can be picked from to enjoy some great food.

Esperance Cafe
This is a great place if you want to try locally harvested food as everything used at this place is all grown locally. It also features fresh fish that is caught by the local fishermen. This place was created by a couple that loved paring great food with wonderful wine. You can have some of the best wine while eating here, but you can also purchase wine to take home from this place.

The French Place

This is a great place if you love sweets as it has homemade ice cream as well as many wonderful french pastries. It also has crepes and wonderful dinner specials that are seasonal. The couple who created this place has done a lot of traveling over the years and fell in love with French food. That is why they decided to bring it back with them and open this place. They have a lot of wonderful food that can be enjoyed that is all inspired by French cuisine.

Cafe Sante
This is a small little bistro that has a casual atmosphere and serves all of the classics in a simple yet masterly manner. People can enjoy some great cuisine that has been inspired by the classics found in Europe. There are wood-fired pizzas to be chosen from, but many other things as well. There are unique and wonderful Belgian beers, mussels, frites, pasta, panini, and one of a kind breakfast options to be chosen from.

Smoke on the Water

This place has a one of a kind breakfast selection for you to choose from and everything that is served here is made completely from scratch. The BBQ that this place has for you to try will make your mouth water with its wonderful and delightful taste. Some of the wonderful food that can be gotten at this place is slow-smoked, and the chefs have honed their skills through a lot of trial and error to get the best result. The food that comes out of the smoker all have unique flavors as the wood used is from various fruit trees but also maple wood.

Accommodations

When you are visiting Charlevoix, there is a wide selection of places that you can choose from to stay at. For example, some places allow you to have a waterfront view, meaning you get to wake up to the sight of Lake Charlevoix or the other lakes that can be found in the area. No matter where you choose to stay, you can rest assured that you will have a stay that will outshine what you were expecting when you first get there.

There are even the options of choosing unique bed and breakfast places. If you are wanting something very personal, then you can choose a motel or one of the many rental homes. Now, it is advised that reservations are made early if you plan to visit for the Fourth of July. 

Pointes North Inn is a great vacation rental option and these condominiums are available for sale. in addition, Northern Michigan Escapes has a wide variety of vacation rentals in Charlevoix, on Lake Michigan, and on Lake Charlevoix.

The Inn at Grey Gables

This is a luxurious retreat that is still very casual, and it is a bread and breakfast, making it a great pick for staying at. The house that the bread and breakfast are occupying was built in 1887, meaning it is a historically beautiful home.

Sunflower Inn Bed and Breakfast

This is one of the newest bed and breakfast places that can be found in Charlevoix. It has four rooms that are freshly renovated and located in a scenic location, making it a beautiful place to stay.

Charlevoix Inn and Suites

This place will give you some wonderful views of one of the beautiful lakes, and it sits right across from the Charlevoix Golf Club. This is an entirely smoke-free property, which makes it great if you have children or health issues.

Bridge Street Inn

This inn is set up in a beautiful three-story home that is done in a historic colonial revival style. If you want to enjoy some breathtaking sunsets from the same place you will be laying your head for the night, then this is the place for you as it is just stepping away from one of the lakes that Michigan faces.

Hotel Earl

If you want to be staying right in the heart of the city, then this is the place for you to pick. It is a modern and boutique hotel that is right in downtown Charlevoix. Besides the location, the thing that makes this a great pick is it will offer you wonderful panoramic views of the city and surrounding area.