A Fall Weekend in Northern Michigan

Each fall we make a habit of escaping the stress of work with a getaway to Northern Michigan. Outside of the hustle and bustle of summer tourist season, the Little Traverse Bay has oodles of options for getting outdoors and enjoying mild temps. Whether you're able to travel during peak leaf colors in mid-October or any other autumn weekend, here are my favorite fall activities to partake in:

Stock up on pumpkins, gourds, apples, and fall produce at Bill's Farm Market. For real. I leave extra truck space while packing so I can bring back our haul. Bring your camera so you can snap photos with the picturesque pumpkins, too. Do remember that they're closed on Sunday.

Grab a to-go lunch (again, Gurney's is closed on Sunday, so buy ahead if needed), and take your picnic to new heights. Literally.

Take the $5 scenic chair lift ride at Boyne Highlands to the top of the mountain for hiking, expansive vistas, and the prettiest spot around to spread out a bright blanket and have your picnic lunch. If your kids are old enough, swap the picnic for a mountain bike and hit the slopes in a decidedly different way.

Explore the beach for fossils, beach glass, and any other treasures. The state park between Harbor Springs and Petoskey is a good spot, but my favorite will always be Good Hart (with details here about how to find Church Beach).

Hike at Thorne Swift and have the place to yourself. This is a leave no trace park, so be sure to enjoy the leaves and beach rocks but not take them home with you.

Explore the off the beaten path springs of Harbor Springs. This post and comments helped us find a new one for our growing list.

This is the unmarked trailhead to find the spring off Beach Drive. Look for a small foot bridge to the left of the nature preserve sign and a wide shoulder for parking on the opposite side of the road. 

Do you have any other accessible spots with springs? How about favorite fall spots that I didn't mention?

Finally, a word to the wise. Due to off-season drops in tourists, some of your favorite summer restaurants might be closed for the season or closed on Sunday. I recommend calling ahead to see if they're open because webpages aren't always updated. But fear not! There are always new places popping up including this fun spot in Cross Village that opened the first weekend of October and a new restaurant that opened next door to it this summer!


P.S. Here are more travel ideas for the Little Traverse Bay area.

P.P.S Like the photos? Find them and more at Our Moveable Feast on Instagram.