The White Gable Cottage is perfectly situated 7 miles to Petoskey, MI & 7 miles to Charlevoix, MI, two of the most beautiful towns of Northern Michigan &, arguably, in the country. Both towns situated on the shores of Lake Michigan. The cottage is only 0.1 miles to Lake Michigan & is located within a 15 min drive to 7+ golf courses, 3 renowned ski resorts, wineries, distilleries, & endless inland lakes and waterways including Walloon Lake & Lake Charlevoix.

 

Here are a few of our favorite things to do “Up North”:

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Walk or Ride from the White Gable Cottage:

The clear, aqua waters of Lake Michigan are just 0.1 miles from the cottage to our private, neighborhood beach & 0.3 miles to a preserve beach. Lake Michigan offers endless beauty & adventures from boating, kayaking, fishing, scuba diving, rock hunting, star gazing, & more.

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• Neighborhood Beach – Beach and covered picnic area with tables. Walk out of our screened porch go left and follow until Michigan Shores Drive dead ends into the neighborhood beach.- 0.1miles from the cottage

• 56 Acre Preserve & Beach – Larger beach and hiking paths (hiking in summer, trillium blooms in Spring, & snow shoeing in the winter). To get there walk out of our screened porch, go right, then right on 9 Mile Point Drive. Unmarked path to right of drive way in cul-de-sac. - 0.3 miles from the cottage

• Bike Path – Little Traverse Wheel Way– Follows Lake Michigan to Charlevoix (go right out of neighborhood) or Bay Harbor & Harbor Springs (left out of neighborhood) – Find the path by going left out of our screened porch and left a 9 Mile Point Drive – 0.2 mile from the cottage

 

Our Towns:

The White Gable Cottage is nestled in the perfect location amid 3 of the most picturesque & quaint towns in America. Petoskey, Charlevoix, and Harbor Springs have been a destination for vacationers for the last 170+ years because of their charm, relaxed feel, great shopping, restaurants, beautiful water views, & harbors. Bay Harbor is another wonderful community just down the road.

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• Petoskey – 10 minutes from the cottage

• Charlevoix – 10 minutes from the cottage

• Bay Harbor – 3 minutes from the cottage

• Harbor Springs – Is across the bay – 25 minutes from the cottage

 

Area Beaches:

As I mentioned there are 2 beaches on Lake Michigan walking distance from the cottage but we also love…

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• Our favorite area beach is Charlevoix Beach at Charlevoix’s light house.

• In Petoskey, the Petoskey State Park has a great beach.

• If you want to just jump in you can jump off the light house break wall in Petoskey. It is tradition.

• The closest inland lakes to the cottage are Lake Charlevoix and Walloon Lake both are only a few minute’s drive and offer boat rentals and have several public beaches for swimming or launching kayaks/paddle boards.

 

Other Water Fun Stuff:

 

• Pop your kayak or paddle board in the water about anywhere. There is water everywhere around us.

 

• Fishing can also be done anywhere but one of our favorite pass times in the evenings is to fish at the Pine River which connects Lake Michigan to Round Lake in Charlevoix.

 

• The Little Traverse Bay Ferry Company has ferries that run between Bay Harbor, Harbor Springs and Petoskey. You can ride the whole time to see the harbors or get off to explore the towns. (You can bring your bikes on board and kids often can captain the boat.) They also have a sunset cruise that leave from Petoskey Harbor.

 

• Learn to sail or just go sailing with several companies out of Round Lake Harbor in Charlevoix.

 

• For the adventure kayaker Bear River in Petoskey (across from Bay Front Park & fire station) has a white-water section. If you aren’t that adventurous you can also go for a nice walk on the paths along the river there. During the fall you can watch the salmon run there as well. 

 

 

Golfing:

 

Within just a few minute’s drive we have 7+ majestic golf courses & we are only 3 minutes to Bay Harbor Golf Course which was named #13 on the ‘Top 50 Most Beautiful Courses in the World’ by Golf Advisor.

 

Our Favorite Playgrounds for the Kids:

 

• East Park: Overlooks Lake Michigan – Go towards Petoskey, after Bay Harbor look for East Park sign.

• Charlevoix Beach Playground at the beach and lighthouse. Right a first light after you cross the draw bridge in Charlevoix.

• Bayfront Park Playground Petoskey – In Bayfront Park in Petoskey walk towards the clock tower. 

 

Visit the Area Wineries, Distilleries, and Farms:

 

Northern Michigan’s soil, climate, & picturesque rolling hills have become the perfect home for endless wineries and distilleries in our area. They host tasting tours & distillery hops from one breathtaking setting to another. Some overlook the blue waters of Lake Michigan, inland waterways & lakes, & some country vistas.

 

A couple of favorites, Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs (find it on the Tunnel of Trees Drive) and Lavender Hill Farm on Horton Bay Road not far from the cottage. Gypsy Distillery is 2 minutes from the cottage as well.

 

Casinos:

 

There are several casinos in Northern Michigan that offer all the fun that casinos do. Odawa Casino is the closest to White Gable Cottage is only 15 minutes away in Petoskey.

 

Fall Wonder and Winter Wonderland:

 

USA Today has voted Northern Michigan one of the best places in the country to experience fall color and it will not disappoint. Harbor Spring’s, Tunnel of Trees drive (M-119) is a memorable and mesmerizing experience in the fall. White Gable Cottage is also only a few minutes to some of Northern Michigan’s highest rated ski slopes & cross-country trails such as Boyne Mountain, Highlands, Nub’s Knob, & more.

 

• You can snowshoe at the 56 Acre Preserve that borders our neighborhood. To get there walk out of our screened porch, go right, then right on 9 Mile Point Drive. Unmarked path to right of drive way in cul-de-sac. - 0.3 miles from the cottage

 

• You can also rent snowmobiles in our area and take the miles of snowmobile trails in Northern Michigan

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Day Adventures:

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Harbor Spring’s, Tunnel of Trees drive (M-119) is absolutely beautiful anytime of year. In the summer Legs Inn Restaurant in Good Hart is open and the perfect destination. Just set that as your destination in your GPS or go along the lake shore to get there. We also stop at Pond Hill Farm along the way which is great for adults or kids.

 

Traverse City Area: 1- 2 Hour Drive

• Destinations Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lake Shore – Make sure you don’t miss Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive for the big dunes on the shore.

• Old Mission Peninsula – Best Wineries in the area and fabulous views!

• Leelanau Peninsula – Wineries & cute towns…don’t miss Leeland's Fishtown shanties.

• Traverse City Downtown also has great shopping and is known for the Cherry Festival around July 4h.

 

Mackinaw Bridge and Mackinac Island: 50 Minutes to Bridge

• Mackinaw Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in Western Hemisphere. It connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan across the Straits of Mackinac.

• Mackinac Island: Is a famous island for vacationers and has been for a century and half. It can be reached by ferry boat out of Mackinaw City or Saint Ignace. There are no cars on the island just bikes and horses. It is well known for the Grand Hotel and is worth the walk to sit on its huge front porch, walk the grounds, and/or have lunch or brunch.

 

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan: Remote and Wild! Cross the Mackinaw Bridge and decide which day trip you would like to take. Below are two separate trips we usually do. If you go for longer than a day contact me and I will give you many other ideas as well.

 

1. Upper Peninsula Trip Option 1: Tahquamenon Falls and White Fish Point: Around a 2 Hour Drive from White Gable Cottage

• Tahquamenon Falls – Eat at Tahquamenon Brewery which was an old logging camp and is part of the park. Swim at the Tahquamenon Lower Falls – Rent a row boat for $5 and paddle to the island explore and swim! Don’t forget your water shoes. The upper falls is awesome to look at but you don’t want to swim there as it is one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River.

 

• White Fish Point: A short drive from Tahquamenon Falls you will find White Fish Point on the shores of Lake Superior. Here you can explore the light house and museum or just walk out to the beach to understand the vastness of Lake Superior (the largest fresh water lake in the world).

 

    2. Upper Peninsula Trip Option 2: Pictured Rocks: 2 Hours and 45 Minutes from White Gable Cottage

• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Sandstone cliffs, beaches, waterfalls, sand dunes, inland lakes, deep forest, and wild shoreline. The best way to view the cliffs is to get out on Lake Superior. We take the ferry boat out of Munising after lunch in downtown Munising but there are private pontoon rentals and kayak rentals that allow you to view the caves close up as well.

 

Favorite Local Restaurants: Our area is know for its food. These are a few of our favorites but there are endless restaurants to choose from.

 

Best breakfast:

• Smoke on the Water in Charlevoix

• Maple and Batter in Bay Harbor

• Sam Grace’s Café or Julienne Tomatoes in Petoskey

Petoskey:

• Mitchell Street Pub

• City Park Grill

• The Back Lot – Food Trucks and Bar

Charlevoix:

• The Weathervane Restaurant is a classic because you can watch the boats go down the Pine River to Round Lake and of course watch the draw bridge.

• Terry’s

Harbor Springs:

• Technically in Good Hart, MI Legs Inn is a good destination with unique food and great view.

• The Pier Restaurant in Harbor Springs