The Best Small Town In The Northern United States For A 3-Day Weekend
The Northern United States is dotted with cities that regularly draw in tourists for a three-day weekend. There is the culturally diverse New York City, the historic Boston, Massachusetts, and the birthplace of America, Philadelphia. However, the best place to spend a relaxing and enriching three-day weekend in the Northern United States isn't in a big city; it is in a tiny lakeside village tucked away in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Leland.
This beautiful village boasts a rich lakeside culture that will transport you back in time. Leland, Michigan, sits on an isthmus between the massive Lake Michigan and the smaller Lake Leelanau. Learn more about this magical town and then prepare to book your next vacation to Michigan.
Fishtown and More
Fishtown is one of the most popular destinations in Leland. Fishermen first built this area with wooden shacks in the 1880s, right on the harbor, so they could go out and fish for trout and whitefish. Today, many of these old buildings have been converted into cute shops and restaurants. They are also largely within walking distance, so it is easy to explore them all!
You can purchase a nice hat or cap to remember your trip by at Diversions, or you can enjoy locally sourced smoked fish, fish sausage, and more at Carlson's Fishery. Take home a beaded necklace or bracelet from The Bead Hut, or grab yourself a polo shirt with a picture of a tug boat on it from Tug Stuff. Artist Malcolm Chatfield designed this logo to resemble the tug boats that were a common sight during the heyday of Fishtown. If you have a sweet tooth, pick up a piece of candy from the Dam Candy Store.
Leland also has a rich wine scene, especially white wines. You can sample the best dry white wine in Michigan at the Verterra Vineyards.
Beautiful Beaches
No visit to Leland, Michigan, would be complete without spending time in nature, especially on the lakes.
There are three beaches in town to go to. The first is Van's Beach on Lake Michigan, which is accessible from the downtown area. The other two are Bartholomew Park and Schneider's Beach & Park on Lake Leelanau. Bartholomew Park features a lifeguard on staff, as well as a boat launch area and a dock for those who wish to take a boat out onto the water.
If you don't have a boat yourself, check out the Manitou Island Transit, which will take you on a journey outside of Leland to intriguing places in Lake Michigan, such as the Manitou Islands and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. These majestic dunes are more than 450 feet tall and contain diverse ecosystems from forests to island lakes and beautiful flora and fauna ranging from the Jack-in-the-Pulpit wildflower to the Black-eyed Susan.
Hikers will find plenty of places to explore in Leland, such as at the Leland Village Green, located on Main Street with bountiful gardens. Stroll along the Whaleback Natural Area, a 40-acre park, with a challenging bluff hike that will offer a majestic view of Lake Michigan.
Just a few miles outside of Leland is another dunes park called the Houdek Dunes Natural Area. This 337-acre park has trails going around dunes and slopes, including one that passes by an ancient maple tree. During the winter, you can go snowshoeing or cross-country skiing on the dunes.
Historic Sites
The Leland Historic District, which includes Fishtown itself, will make you feel as if you have stepped back in time, with its charming turn-of-the-century style fishing shacks.
The Leland Harbor House was built in 1880 as one of the largest general stores in Northern Michigan. It would serve many purposes over the years, such as a newspaper business, a grocery store, and a community hall. Today, it has been transformed into an ice cream shop. It is noteworthy for its Italianate window hoods on the second floor.
Much of the history of Leland is preserved by the Leelanau Historical Society, which was founded in 1957 to catalog the fishing culture of the region. Today, the society operates a museum, which houses more than 20,000 artifacts, including items from the original inhabitants of the land: the Anishinaabek Native Americans. One of its current exhibits is on the Shipwrecks of the Manitou Passage, a treacherous pathway through the Great Lakes that claimed many ships over the years.
Accommodations
There are multiple comfortable lodging options available for your three-day weekend trip, both within and just outside of Leland, which are housed within historic buildings.
There is the Riverside Inn, which has been in operation since 1902 on the Leland River. It has four guest rooms on the second floor, making it a small and intimate place that provides fine dining as well!
The Falling Waters Lodge is another great place to stay, with its kitchens, penthouse, and views of the Leland River, Lake Michigan, and Fishtown.
For accommodations just outside of Leland, try the Jolli-Lodge nestled in the woods of Lake Michigan or the Whaleback Inn on the Whaleback Sand Dune.
As far as lovely vacations go, you can't go wrong with a journey to a lakeside town, and there are few lakeside destinations as delightful as Leland, Michigan. History buffs and shoppers alike will love strolling through the historic Fishtown and browsing local wares from beads to hats to polo shirts. Nature lovers can discover many different lake activities, from hiking sand dunes to relaxing at the beach or taking a boat out onto the Great Lakes or the smaller Lake Leelanau. The next time you are planning a 3 day weekend trip in the Northern United States, give Leland, Michigan a try.
