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.

Big Sable Point Lighthouse was such a fun experience! The walk out to the lighthouse is about 1.8…read moremiles each way, so just under 4 miles round trip. The trail is a wide, sandy path, so it's not difficult, but it is a pretty long walk and definitely sandy. You walk through part of the campground before heading out toward the lighthouse, and the scenery along the way is really pretty. We weren't there during the hours when the lighthouse was open, and we weren't planning on doing the tour anyway, but I believe it was $8 per person to go inside and climb the lighthouse. Even without going inside, it was absolutely worth making the walk out to see it. I also really enjoyed all of the history around the lighthouse. There were informational boards where you could stop and read about the lighthouse, the history of the area, erosion, the sand dunes, and how the landscape has changed over time. I love when places do this because it makes you appreciate what you're looking at so much more. The lighthouse itself is really cute and makes for such a great destination after the long sandy walk. There are also picnic tables around the area, so you can sit and take a break before making the walk back. If you're visiting Ludington State Park, I definitely think the walk to Big Sable Point Lighthouse is worth doing. Just wear comfortable shoes, expect a lot of sand, bring water, and give yourself plenty of time. It's not a quick little stroll, but getting out there and seeing this historic lighthouse surrounded by Lake Michigan was absolutely worth it!

Beautiful place to visit I can't wait to go back in the summer. It's a very serene place to visit.read more

Beautiful stop on our travels! Would love to be here when the sun sets sometime. Future trip will…read moremake it a goal to do so.

Absolutely gorgeous and picturesque area of the lakeshore with a cool lighthouse…read more This visit was made even more special as I saw a Bald Eagle perched on a branch of a tall tree. This majestic bird was staring out over the water and eventually flew away. Such a special sighting!! The sunset here was so gorgeous as you can see allll the way to your left and right. There are a few covered picnic tables, so a picnic lunch would be a great idea on a nice day!

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. .

In this spot lies a monument to a real train that was used in the area for the purposes of forest…read moreclearing and industrial work. The Shay Locomotive was designed to help loggers haul logs year round. This idea was envisioned by Ephriam Shay, who was one of the people to design temporary tracks to help transport materials short distances in the Cadillac area. The train itself is very impressive and big. You can't do much with it except for look at it, though. My children would have been more impressed with the Shay Locomotive if they were able to climb on it and explore it, but alas. The Shay Locomotive is located in City Park.

I saw this locomotive when it had the old shed built over it. Imposible to photograph, I complained…read moreto a gentleman about it as I took photos, imagine my surprise when I returned to see the new shed with minimal posts. Well done folks, Well done. This locomotive is very photogenic now!

I have a phobia of spiral staircases (I know...a bit odd) and I still loved this. We took the…read moretractor to the lighthouse (shout out Steve) and explored all of the historic buildings and things before attempting the climb. Less than 100 stairs so not bad and the hatch at the top made me nervous but again, phobia. The view though...wow. Worth every bit of anxiety on the way up and down. So beautiful up there! Once we slowly made the trek down, we headed to the beach, which offered even more beautiful views. We then decided to walk back (it's a pretty short walk but we wanted to experience the tractor out there). It was cool to walk across the causeway and see the lake on both sides of you. Great experience and so glad we checked it off the list!

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.

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.

Cool lighthouse out on the Peninsula here in Traverse City. Great views of the lake and if you go…read moreinside on the first floor, they have a gift shop as well as a little museum that has a video that tells you about the history of the Traverse City area, he lighthouse and the Peninsula. Beautiful views, you can walk down to the beach and actually walk down into the lake if you want to. You can go up to the top of the lighthouse, there is a small fee of eight dollars for adults. We chose not to do that. Still a cute little house. It also sits on the 45th parallel, which is the halfway point between the North Pole and the equator, there's a sign out front that demonstrates that as well. It is certainly worth a 20 minute drive up the Peninsula, especially if you stop at a winery or two as you are coming or going.

Cute, popular place. Not too expensive if you want to see the museum and go up the lighthouse (the…read moresign says if it's open that day), no cost if all you're doing is walking the lakefront and taking some exterior photos of the lighthouse and its "authentic" log cabin. (Moved and refurbished.) Certainly quite a drive down the peninsula, though you get a couple of good views on the way if you take the main highway up. On the way back, I suggest routing yourself on the west shore of the peninsula - you get a long drive on a separate path with some more good views.