My wife and I visited this historic lighthouse for the first time yesterday and really enjoyed our…read moreexperience. It is conveniently located, adequate parking on the side of the beach road, we were welcomed by lighthouse staff, paid just $5 each for this visit!, safely walked up the winding stairs up to the lighthouse top area (watch your head tall friends!), a friendly staff member gave us some very interesting historic information related to the lighthouse and took several pics of us!, the self-guided tour was very interesting (you can take your time reading any and all of the nicely framed historic documents, lighthouse stories, etc.), there was nice, clean men's and women's restrooms in the main bldg, and the grounds and buildings were all nicely maintained. You gotta check this 2nd most important lighthouse in the USA!

This was an adorable place to stop and visit. So pretty especial during the fall time. We had fun…read moregoing here and enjoying the scenery.

The volunteer that greeted us at the building interest was full of information. We learned quite a…read morebit about how the rescue boats worked with the staff members did each day how little they were paid and how victims of shipwrecks were rescued. She also shared photos of some birds that were nesting behind the building, which we later got to see Live. The house on the same property had exhibits full of memorabilia and facts about how this building operated. We especially appreciated the volunteers, knowledge and enthusiasm. As we're leaving the property walking back to our car a porcupine waddled across the path, causing us to pause. Nature at its finest.

This was so fun!! The worker who was so kind and gave us really good information! I loved visiting…read morewith my family!

The Mercato is a collection of shops in the now repurposed Traverse City State Hospital. I wouldn't…read morereally call it a mall, but I guess by definition it fits? Anyway, the shops are teeny tiny but pack a wallop by being beautifully curated and uniquely configured. I think I purchased more here than I have at any other shopping excursion I've had all year. They've got a shop dedicated to alpaca wool goods, a more gentleman focused shop called the Haberdashery, a pet boutique, a used bookstore, a toy store, and many others including my favorite of them all, Moonstruck Gardens, which is packed full of delightful art, stickers, home decor, and more. They also have dining options and a coffee shop if you're thirsty or a little peckish. The layout can be a little confusing but there's plenty of signage to help you along the way. But the beauty of it is just exploring and finding the fun around every corner.

What a fascinating place. The building and grounds are lovely. First of all the building is a…read morerefurbishment asylum. Some say haunted. They did a lovely job restoring this property. There are lovely specialty shops and a few restaurants. One of the restaurants is one of the most highly rated in town. The shops have some interesting handy craft work .. wood, pottery. Jewelry. Decorative glass. .

Stopped here on a whim to checkout lighthouses during our mini getaway. This beach did not…read moredisappoint! It was so calm and peaceful. Beautiful water. Hardly any people. The people who did visit didn't stay for long so we had the whole beach to ourselves. We had camping chairs in the car so we just put them in the water and sat right in the water and enjoyed the view. They have a gift shop and the only restrooms I noticed were portajohns. We built some rock towers but put the rocks back when we were done because some of the rocks had snail eggs on them.

Gorgeous park at the tip of the Mitten's pinkie finger. I got there shortly before a spectacular…read moresunset where the sky was all lit up with pinks and oranges and purples. I took a short walk where my friends who had camped there the previous night as well showed my the historic lighthouse and some message in a bottle painted sign that was very reminiscent of Steve "ESPO" Powers. I set up my trusty old dome tent and camped on the same site as my friends and nobody said peep about doubling up like that. I left out around 10:30 or so and didn't hit any trails as I had packed some snacks for late but no breakfast. Not much in the way of restaurants or groceries around here so I hit the road. Can't speak to the trails or day use part of the park but the campground and adjacent beach was beautiful.

Visiting the historic Norwegian church (church of Staves) on Washington Island is a quick but…read moreworthwhile stop. It's only a 2-3 minute drive from the lavender field, and we noticed many visitors doing both back-to-back. There's free parking nearby, and it's just a short walk to the wooden church. The interior is simple and charming, and if you take your time, the visit won't take more than a few minutes. They also hold services on certain days, which would be a unique experience to witness. A nice, quick stop while exploring the island.

Very cool old Viking church. Recommended to visit by island adventure company! We only went inside…read morechurch and around it for photos. So cool. We signed guest book. They have weekly sermons here still. Lots of history in the place. It's worth checking out while in area!

We arrived just as volunteer Chuck was opening the doors. Groups of kiddos quickly gravitated…read moretowards the activities they had with markers and pencils and crayons and little people tables. We enjoyed reading the exhibits and learning about the beach mobiles and the variety of different vehicles they had and were used prior to it being a national park. You don't need a ton of time to visit this building, but the exhibits were all interesting to people like us.

A historic blacksmith shop, a coast guard history display, and a beach pus one or two other old…read morebuildings. The blacksmith shop is a neat display of how it was done a hundred years ago or more. There is a coast guard history display in the old canary building. This is neat, but kinda small and limited! The beach is the real stunner! It seems to go on forever in both directions. The view is truly great. You can see Leelanau in the distance and the view if Lake Michigan can take your breath away. The sand is pristine even with the crowds. They need more benches, more parking and a much bigger restroom. Overall though 5 stars. I highly recommend visiting if in the area. So obviously I would return!

The views are great here. The wooded area is nice to walk through. We didnt get a chance to tour…read morethe lighthouse but the whole scenery is so worth it.

This is the cutest lighthouse! Many historical elements and artifacts inside. There is a nice video…read morethat explains the history of the lighthouse as well as plaques with more information. There is also a small Snow Owl exhibit which was a nice added touch! The gift shop has various trinkets for sale. All the staff were friendly and helpful! A nice stop in Traverse City!

Freshwater sea monsters are among the rarest of beasts. The one known simply as "Leelanau" was…read morespotted just above this dam in 1910 by young William "Billy" Gauthier, whilst the latter fished for perch. (I suppose the former may also been fishing for perch, as well as hoping to snag Master Billy in its maw.) I believe I am the latest to encounter this "Lake Monster Leelanau," but she wasn't in the water, although my encounter with her was very near the dam. She was, in all her grisly glory, rather in line for the Leland Wine and Food Festival, sitting on a star-spangled folding camp chair. I looked on in horror at her enormous girth, the flesh cascading over the sides of the camp chair; yet, others of my own species seemed not to notice, let alone flee in terror. (I haven't slept a wink since the sighting.) Oh, the dam is very nice. Built in the late 1800's to supply water power for Leland Mills, the dam created the vast double Lake Leelanau. Water spills out the lake, over the dam, and into the harbor. Basic dam. What appears to be a fish ladder, right next to the main dam. After four inches of rain, she was a gushing torrent. The footbridge connecting to a boarding house is but a minor visual detraction. You can just photoshop that part right out of the picture.

Hard to add more than what Kevin said in 2010. This is a very nice area to visit and the dam is…read morespecial. A must see if you travel to Fishtown.

A lovely little spot to learn about the history of lighthouses in Door County, and to enjoy a view…read moreif you are brave enough to climb up 97 stairs to the top. Deb climbed up and enjoyed the view from the lighthouse. For myself, my $12 admission fee was spent on touring the lighthouse keeper's cottage and enjoying the surrounding area. The grounds are well-maintained, just pretty as a postcard. The beach provided a lovely breeze on such a hot day. It is pretty much entirely made up of sharp seashells, so maybe don't attempt it barefoot. There is a short, rocky and uneven walk from the welcome center to the lighthouse. There is also a tractor with a trailer that can take people across, but to my understanding, it isn't always available. It was on the day we visited, but we opted to walk. The parking lot is pretty small. If you are visiting at a busy time, it might take a little while to find a spot. I think Cana Island Lighthouse is absolutely worth a stop if you are in the area.

To get to this island where the lighthouse is, you have to walk on a rocky unpaved causeway. It is…read morea short walk. I have heard that sometimes water level can be high that this causeway can be submerged. If you don't like walking, a tractor-drawn haywagon shuttle provided by the Door County Maritime Museum to reach the lighthouse is an option. When you get to Cana Island, you have to go first to the visitor center to be able to explore the island and go to the lighthouse. This visitor center also has some gift items here. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors. This lighthouse is cool. It is manned by two lighthouse keepers when we went there. The rooms of the previous keepers are preserved and you can see old items there. The climb to the top is 97 stairs. There is no elevator. The panoramic view from the top is nice but not the most beautiful. On one side, you can see the lake while another side shows the rest of the island. Overall, it's still a good experience to see though I would not say that it is a must-see.

Don't bother. Seriously. Don't come here, no matter what you think might be here. I came here,…read morehoping the tower was open for climbing so I could look out over the countryside. The tower is on the National Register of Historic Places, so I decided to venture forth. Hah! Bad move on my part. (The tower in Mountain, Wisconsin is open for touring. Silly me, I thought this one was, too.) First of all, you have to want to come here. It is at the end of a National Forest Road, after branching off of another National Forest Road. What is a National Forest Road? Basically, it's an unimproved ATV trail and during the winter, a snowmobile trail. If you DO decide to venture back here (and judging from the debris left behind by ne'er do wells, several people do come here) don't follow your GPS. Some of the maps show roads that, when you get there, aren't roads at all. One "road" my GPS sent me to was a line of high power transmission towers. Even the Yelp map shows a road that isn't really there. Eventually, I did get here. When you (don't) arrive, you'll find some interpretive signage. One says you shouldn't climb the tower until it's made safe to do so. The message is dated 1988. The first flight of stairs has been removed and barbed wire lines the base of the tower - clearly, the US Forest Service doesn't want you to climb the tower. Judging from the work of local artisans on the outside of the cab, those artisans have more chutzpah than brains and not much talent. Other interpretive signs describe what these towers were used for and frankly describe the absolute isolation the spotters lived in. These towers are seldom used anymore, as airplanes can cover more territory at less cost than manning several towers. It is an anachronism but a piece of history, and it's a real shame the US Forest Service hasn't restored and opened the tower. Maybe someday, they will. Until then, read about towers rather than trying to find this one. Trust me.