During our family vacation trip to Grand Traverse Bay, I set out on an adventure to explore the Leelanau peninsula, even if I had to go at it alone.  I was intrigued by the thought of visiting an authentic fishing village, so I took a day to stroll Leland’s historic district of Fishtown in search of a seaside restaurant to spend the afternoon.

The early morning fog had settled over the harbor and an eerie atmosphere surrounded the shops and restaurants of Leland.  Although they had not yet opened, I window shopped this charming village, while following along the wooden boardwalk admiring the interesting boutiques and boats.

The wooden shanties built along the Leland River reminded me of an old Western town on a waterfront.  Once home to Native Americans who fished and hunted near Lake Michigan, Leland became a profitable fishing district when European settlers made Fishtown their home in the mid 1800s.  In addition to the number of inns, shops and restaurants in the area, longtime business, Carlson’s Fishery has been selling some of the best smoked fish in the state since 1906.   One could spend at least a couple of hours exploring the wineries, galleries and attractions before hopping the ferry to nearby Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.

Diversions is one of the older establishments that has been here over 40 years.  With prime location on the docks, this hat shop also sells t-shirts, gifts, clothing, jewelry and sweatshirts.

A popular fishing town with over five generations of fishermen, Fishtown provides charters that will take visitors out to Lake Michigan for the day.  The Fish Hook and Reelin’ Leland Fishing Charters are available for a half day or full day of fishing.

For exploring Sleeping Bear Dune’s Manitou Islands, Leland is the starting point to hop aboard the Manitou Island Transit making daily trips from mid-June through Labor Day.  They also host shoreline cruises which take place in the evening, providing a great way to explore the Leelanau Peninsula coastline from a different point of view.

There are quite a few activities and attractions to visit in Leland and Fishtown.  These towns host several events throughout the year, including the popular Leland Wine and Food Festival in June.

I found the Leelanau Peninsula a beautiful escape from the touristy areas near Traverse City and enjoyed the opportunity to explore some of the most picturesque coastline that Michigan has to offer.

Have you visited Leland and Fishtown?  Do you have a favorite place to visit on the Leelanau Peninsula?  I would love to hear from you if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below!  Many thanks for reading about my morning in Leland and Fishtown!  Wishing you many Happy Travels!!

What to See and What to Do:

Leland and Fishtown are perfect coastal towns for exploring on foot.

Where to Stay:

Leland Lodge
565 Pearl Street
Leland, MI  49654
Telephone: 231 256 9848

On my first visit we rented a house in Traverse City, but I loved Leland so much that I planned a second long weekend trip and stayed at The Leland Lodge, which was absolutely spectacular!

Where to Eat:

The Riverside Inn
302 East River Street
Leland, MI  49654
Telephone:  231 256 9971

On a separate trip from my family vacation, David and I were excited to find a riverside view to have dinner and booked a reservation at the Riverside Inn.  There were several unique options, so I started out with the Octopus Carpaccio, while David selected the Socca.  Socca is a popular dish in Nice, France that includes chickpea flour crisps topped with caramelized onion, blistered tomatoes, arugula and fresh thyme.  It was finished with a creme fraiche and saba (a grape must reduction which was popular in ancient Rome.)

We decided on the Sea Bass which was served over heirloom tomato barley orzoto, lemon beurre blanc, and salsa verde and the Diver Scallops which were seared and served over sauteed spinach with crispy bacon lardons, shallot coconut cream and crispy fried shallots.

We celebrated with a glass of Prosecco and agreed on a bottle of Pinot Blanc from local wine producer, Verterra Winery.

What to Eat: 

• The Coney Dog from Detroit, Jackson or Flint.
• Vernor’s Ginger Ale
• Founded in the Upper Peninsula, the pasty is a pastry pocket with fruit filling
• Mackinac Island Fudge
• Apples
• Cherries
• Detroit Style Pizza shaped in a rectangle and baked until the edges are crispy.
• Better Made Chips from Detroit
• Germack Pistachios 
• Walleye Fish from the Great Lakes
• Faygo beverages

What to Read: 

• Leelanau Trek: One Shoreline/Two Visions, by Ken Scott and Kaye Krapohl
• Painting the Magic of Sleeping Bear Country, by Hank Feeley
• Edward Beebes’ Historic Leelanau Photographs, by Jack Hobey

Photo Guide to the Leelanau Peninsula and Surrounding Area: 

• Empire Bluffs Trail, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
• Pyramid Point, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
• M22 road signs
• Lake Michigan Lighthouses
• Lake Michigan Sunsets