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    North Bar Lake

    4.4 (5 reviews)

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    13 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Sleeping Bear Surf

    Sleeping Bear Surf

    4.2(10 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    I really hate posting bad reviews, but based on this experience with the owner, I wanted to let…read moreothers know, and hopefully she'll change policies to prevent future scenarios like this. Had 2 SUP full day rentals scheduled for one of our vacation days in the area. At about 10:00 am we got a call asking when we would be there. Our full day was from 9:30am-5:30pm. Since we wouldnt be on the boards all day, we were having a leisurely morning walking our dog and eating breakfast. She informed us that she would charge us 20$ per board for not being there at our pickup time. Nowhere in any communication that she had sent via email or during the order process was this stated. This was the first I heard of it. Upon getting there, I stated I was there for my rental, the woman, the owner stood up to check us in. I asked if she could wave the $40 fee and she laughed at me, saying she is too busy and showing up late messes them up. I was the only person in the store at this point. She also did not further explain what what she meant when she said it "messed them up". She seemed uninterested in explaining the policy and uninterested in my viewpoint. Rental pick up times should be clearly stated on emails if they are so important. And you would think the owner would clearly explain this rather than laugh at us. Again, I literally had no idea. She had already charged the fee prior to us arriving which I thought was weird. The rest of the interaction was very awkward and forced. She went on to make sure we knew if literally any scratches were on the boards we would fit the bill, instilling a level of fear in us that almost ruined the trip alone. To get the boards to lake Michigan they provide hand carts with a wheel to roll. They are very awkward, and she said if they touch the cement at all they would "charge us." Literally everything down at the beach is cement, so were were pretty terrified down at the beach. In addition, you are given a paddle, life jacket and ankle cord. When I asked how to carry the rest of the equipment down she shrugged, and offered no information. At this point I've given this business $130 and she's presented us with the snarkiest demeanor the entire time, and we have no idea why. If she's really that concerned about people not showing up outside the "pickup window " she should clearly put that in the communications with customers. As someone who interacts with customers for a living, I was baffled by the interaction. I gave her an opportunity to make it right, but I have not heard back and she has not removed any fees. When we got back the owner did not interact with us and an employee kindly helped us, missing any opportunity to make it right again. And honestly the fees aren't really the issue, its how we were treated. Had she nicely explained why their policies are in place, rather than laugh and fail to acknowledge our viewpoint, we probably would have been fine. I hate to write a bad review, but I also hate being treated poorly while on vacation.

    Family owned business that has been my lifeline to surfing when away from California. I love that…read morethere is a local shop for surf, stand up paddle, and skateboarding in this neck of the woods. I bought my stand up paddle board here a few years ago as well as a trailer to carry it behind my bicycle. The carrier needed some customizing to make it fit my board, which they happily helped me with. A great part of the Empire/Sleeping Bear Dunes community!

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    Sleeping Bear Surf
    Sleeping Bear Surf
    Sleeping Bear Surf

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    Empire Bluff Trail

    Empire Bluff Trail

    4.5(15 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    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

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    Empire Bluff Trail
    Empire Bluff Trail
    Empire Bluff Trail

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    Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District - Shop inside at Crystal River Outfitters for great merchandise!

    Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District

    4.2(72 reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $$

    Came to kayak the Crystal River…read more We rented a tandem kayak and a single sit on top kayak. It was roughly 109. They do military discount so it was cheaper to come in store than book online. It was very easy coming in and renting. Minimal paperwork and then you go wait for the van to take you to the start. The van was a 5-8 min ride to the start of the river. You go in the van with the other groups who are going. Heads up there is poison ivy where they park the van. But they tell you where and to avoid it. All the staff were very good at telling us things we needed to do and look for on our trip. But incase you got curious little ones, maybe keep them close til they get on the kayak to avoid any poison ivy. We started at 1040 and ended at 1310. So roughly 2.5 hours it took us. They do let 12 and up rent their own kayak I believe or it's 13 and up. I'm glad we did a tandem kayak for my 12 year old daughter. She would have got her self stuck alot with the trees in the river haha. If your child isn't experienced in kayaking I'd do a tandem so you can help them navigate around the trees. There's a lot of fallen trees in the river. But nothing you can't navigate around. I won't lie I did get stuck twice haha. We brought a cooler and a dry bag and they fit on my kayak. It was very fun. We had great weather it was a little cloudy but we preferred that then get beat down with the sun for 2.5 hours. We would definitely come back again!

    Sooo..where to begin. I'm really disappointed that this adventure didn't work out. Off the bat, we…read morewere late getting started and checked in. There were several things that caused this (a huge group in front of us, our kayaks being taken by someone else, more kayaks being shuttled over), but that wasn't the issue. I've kayaked before and have some experience here. The river is not for beginners. I was looking forward to something relaxing, not too technical, but that's not what I got. I had to paddle and maneuver constantly. About 1/2-3/4 of the river is covered in downed trees and logs. The staff say that this makes the river "interactive" and that this is out of their hands. At some points, it felt ridiculous. It got extremely narrow, and when we'd try and navigate around obstacles, the water was so low we'd get stuck on the sandy bottom. A sign at the beginning referenced that the water was at the "middle" level. I can't imagine how it'd be if the water were any lower. We're taking less than a foot in some places. The other person I went with flipped her kayak twice due to debris. Additionally, we saw several people flip and get stranded, especially when using the tandem kayaks. The water is just too low in A LOT of the river. Four people we just happened to bump into just stood up and dragged their kayak since it was easier at certain points. There should also be information about the kayaks utilized. Specs would be helpful. I think beginners wouldn't know what some of the specs mean in some cases, but at least include a weight limit, type, how heavy it is, etc. If you have kids, in my opinion, it's unlikely that they'd be able to move their kayak alone. We also came across locals (at least it seemed like it) who were kayaking and floating the opposite way. This led to more challenges with navigating and more flipping. The portages are also hard to navigate. There are three, which require people to exit, drag their kayak across a path or road, and then reenter. These portages were hard to use, especially while carrying gear and kayaks. One in particular was across a road, which seemed unsafe. There are no staff posted at these sites to assist if needed. The river was gorgeous. The trees, wildlife, views...I loved that part. I wish more information were provided WITH an accurate description given so I could make a proper informed decision about what I was paying for.

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    Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District
    Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District - My son relaxing on the double

    My son relaxing on the double

    Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District - Our way-finding signs throughout The District will point you in the right direction!

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    Our way-finding signs throughout The District will point you in the right direction!

    Honor Trading Post - Beginning of the lower Platte kayak trip

    Honor Trading Post

    4.3(41 reviews)
    10.4 mi
    $$

    Honor Trading Post was our go-to for kayaking down the lower Platte River! Everyone was so nice &…read morehelpful, it really made the trip down the river a memorable experience. The livery had all the essentials for your trip; water shoes, sandwiches, cold drinks, ice, souvenirs, and so much more! They were stocked with whatever you needed. The team unloaded our kayaks & brought them down to the river with us, along with our paddles & life floats. For the record, they have plenty life jackets for whoever needs them. Any child under the age of 6 is required to wear one. The river flows gently & most of the trip is shallow enough to touch, I never felt in danger without a life vest. My favorite parts of the river were paddling through Loon Lake, the crystal clear water, and the end of the trip where the Platte meets Lake Michigan. The dunes were breathtaking & the kids absolutely loved it! We will definitely be back. Honor Trading Post was my livery of choice!

    I booked a kayaking trip on the Platte River for my (almost) 10-year-old son and I. It was easy to…read morereserve everything on their website (we actually booked the morning of our trip.) The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. My son had only been kayaking one other time, and he loved being in his own kayak. The river was slow and calm, perfect for a child to learn how to kayak. Parts of the river did get quite busy (we went on a beautiful Saturday) - there was one area where we navigated around a group of about 50-60 "innertubers." We packed up a couple of sandwiches and purchased some drinks and a cooler at the Trading Post before parking our car at the end of the river (at Lake Michigan.) I loved how at the end of the trip, we could hop right out of the river and into our car. One of the staff members drove us back to the drop-in spot (they had already prepared our kayaks for us to hop right in!) Note: there is an extra $25 fee involved to park your car in the lot at the end of the river. Would highly recommend booking with The Trading Post for anyone looking to check out the Platte River! We were staying in Glen Arbor, and it was only a 30-minute drive away.

    Photos
    Honor Trading Post - Kayaking on the small lake

    Kayaking on the small lake

    Honor Trading Post - Kayaking the lower Platte

    Kayaking the lower Platte

    Honor Trading Post - Pit stop

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    Pit stop

    North Bar Lake - lakes - Updated May 2026

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