We rolled into this campground fairly late in the day after an extremely long drive from New York…read more The check in process was super quick and we were able to purchase our Michigan recreation pass. All of the sites are super close together, but well kept and clean. We were in site 380 and were close to the restrooms, but not too close that it was a nuisance. The sunrise on the lake was beautiful. Overall, we had a great single night stay here !

Super bummed. According to the entrance attendant - who is very friendly, by the way - the park is…read morecompletely closed except for those with the boat.

Google labels Sleeping Bear Dunes a "mountain peak" - LOL. But it is a pretty cool…read morenaturally-occurring pile of sand (and every form of life that is adapted to it). We hiked Cottonwood Trail, but *might* have strayed off it a bit in order to see Lake Michigan. It is great to know that this area is protected.

My only kind that I have about this place was that parking was really expensive! Overall, if you're…read moreinto scenic views, challenging walks, even going to the beach too or are just a avid adventurer this is the place for you. Me and my wife basically did the Dune Climb which was very extraordinary which I reviewed on a separate page. This place was very well maintained with very minimal trash. The dunes were very scenic and even the people were very friendly too. I have never seen water looks so clean and beautiful before. Getting into the beach can be a bit painful with all those rocks just stabbing your feet. I absolutely had an incredible time here regardless. I highly recommend checking this place out if you ever have to chance!

This is a nice little park with a lovely view and beach space. There are two playground spaces, a…read morelittle lighthouse (possibly just decorative, but it was cute and added to the scenery), basketball and volleyball courts, and a boat launch. Restrooms are available, and there are parking lots (for a fee). Benches and picnic tables are also available. The playground we opted to check out was set right in the sand and was much enjoyed.

We took a trip from traverse city to check out the dunes & this was the closest beach we had found…read more We came in May and there was literally no one there. It was peaceful! Water was clear and we found so many rocks. It had two playgrounds and a shallow side on the opposite side of the lake. Although, the water was shallow enough for my two year old to play in on the actually Lake Michigan side. We loved this beach so much!! Parking is $1 an hour. Bathrooms on site as well

Great spot for hiking, and probably great for skiing in the winter. Very well marked if you stay on…read morethe main trails, with a sign and map at each intersection. If you follow the blazes and the maps, it would be hard to get lost! If you use the All Trails map, you can see where the secondary trails go and plan a few side trips on the less traveled paths. Lots of choices to make a hike as long as you would want. Hikes through the woods, near the stream, near the lake. On this hike at the end of June, it was not too warm (morning hike) and there were few bugs. Trail running and mountain biking apparently allowed here but saw only a couple of each. Lots of birds, a few squirrels and chipmunks, a big beaver house, etc. A lot more for me to explore. Go check it out!

My first single track...loved it. Biked this path while staying at the Holiday Park Campground…read more Beautiful fall views!

Such a cute park at the end of downtown Traverse City and the start/base of Old Mission peninsula!…read moreI wanted to find a park where I could pull up and get a great view just from the parking lot and Bryant Park delivered! They have a small parking lot (I think there's more parking the further up into Old Mission peninsula you go), but the parking lot I pulled up in is relatively small, but also on a Saturday evening, there were plenty of people coming and going and eventually I was able to get one of the spots that faces right up to the beach. I rolled my windows down and just enjoy the sounds of the waves, people running about, and read my book and ate my dinner while I waited for the sunset! It was wonderful and exactly what I wanted! Thanks Bryant Park! It looks like there's also a part of this beach that is dog friendly if you keep to the left side fencing of the beach from this parking lot and once it opens up closer to shore, keep left and there'll be a whole strip where the dogs are allowed to play. I love that!!

The beach was a lot of fun for the family and there was a playground near to the beach as well as…read morerestrooms. We went around 7pm in the evening and loved playing in the sand.

Love this beach. Beautiful and usually uncrowded, also a popular spot to swim and sunbath naked…read more Just cross the creek and look for a remote spot and don't be surprised if you see others relaxing in the nude.

The best secluded beach out there! This was such a refreshing place to go after walking around…read moredowntown Traverse City and seeing SO many people. Great place to go to relax during these times. There is lots of free parking here and a short walk to a beautiful beach. Amazing views, lots of room to spread out, and super soft sand for your feet. Bring some snacks because you will want to stay awhile!

Beautiful park and walk in the water, some people swim too. Although you need to pay $5 parking…read morefee, it's worth it.

This is a gorgeous spot in the Traverse City area! Beautiful clear waters with ample beach space…read moreand shaded areas. The beach was very clean and well kept. The shallow water allows for wading in and just enjoying the surroundings. The water isn't deep enough to swim for quite a ways so if you're looking for a swimming area I would go elsewhere! Parking is somewhat limited depending on what time you arrive. We got to the beach around 1:30pm and parking was a little hard to find. This doubles as a dog beach so there were plenty of dogs here as well! As a first time visitor to the traverse city area, I would definitely return to this spot!

We actually came up this way for the beach but lucked out that we had to pass by the lighthouse…read moreitself on the way down. The historic lighthouse was very cool to see, unfortunately when we went to the museum was already closed for the day, but we were able to read some of the historical plaques. The beach was amazing, warm, and shallow enough we were able to walk out quite a way without the water even making it to our waists. As an aside, make sure to bring water shoes. As cool as it is the rocks and broken shells can make this beautiful spot rougher.

There were no reviews so I felt compelled to add one. This beach is a gem we stumbled upon during…read moreour latest trip to the TC area. Wonderful clean beach, swimming area and shaded picnic area with sand volleyball court. Parking is across the street so be careful with kids. It was pretty full when we arrived during July 4th week but we were able to park. Also a boat launch just to the side of the beach do you can launch your toys while family relaxes.

From the owner: Come check out our Parks & Beachesread more

Empire Bluff Trail is a 1.5 mile roundtrip hike but if you want to be a rebel, you can make this…read moreover a 5 miler by continuing on the well marked trail past the guard rail. The trail can take you all the way to an area called Treat Farmstead which is what we did. The trail starts off in a parking lot and well marked trail map. There's a slight incline up through a wooded area to the bluffs. Off to the right hand side not to far along your journey you will see an old logging saw of some sort that was neat. Once you get through the forest (maybe 0.5-0.75 miles) you end on the sandy bluff over looking Lake Michigan. The views are absolutely stunning. Seeing the shoreline from high above was amazing. After we took it all in, we made our way along the trail to Treat Farmstead. The trail is pretty sandy most of the way as you go up and down the bluff. We actually saw an Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake along the way (see picture). I had no idea they had poisonous snakes this far north. Apparently they are very rare. You end up back into another wooded area before it opens up again with a different but equally beautiful view of the shoreline. In the forest we found wild apple trees that according to Google you can eat. Don't take my word for it though. I'm no expert so if you go all Chris McCandless from 'Into the Wild' eat one and die don't hold me liable. Definitely worth going the extra distance and checking it all out just be prepared to get a lot of sand in your shoes.

We chose this path because we heard it was the easiest of the trails. I am out of shape, so it was…read morea little challenge but overall very enjoyable. Beautiful trail and the views are worth every ounce of sweat. Dress appropriately and pack lightly. It only took us about 70 minutes. I took a few breaks This national park is a true treasure. Even the gift shop/ visitor center was fantastic