Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan
The Great Lakes golf corridor from Traverse City to Petoskey, where summer conditions rival anything in the country and the architecture ranges from Doak reversible routing to Jones Sr. championship design.
State
Michigan
Courses
10
Green Fees
$40–$440
The golf season in Northern Michigan runs five months. That constraint is the destination's defining characteristic, and, counterintuitively, its greatest asset. From late May through early October, the region between Traverse City and Petoskey delivers playing conditions that stand alongside any warm-weather destination in the country: firm turf, cool mornings in the mid-50s giving way to afternoons in the upper 70s, low humidity, and daylight that stretches past nine o'clock in midsummer. The courses are maintained with the intensity of...
Read our full editorial guide →Where to Stay
10 options near the courses
Resort
Inn at Bay Harbor (Autograph Collection)
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Lakefront Autograph Collection property adjacent to Bay Harbor Golf Club, with spa, marina, and the most refined lodging in the Petoskey corridor.
From $250/nightAdjacent (Bay Harbor Golf Club)
ExpediaCheck availability
Hotel
Hampton Inn Traverse City
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Reliable chain hotel with free breakfast and pool, positioned eight miles from Grand Traverse Resort and within driving range of all Traverse City-area courses.
From $120/night8 mi to Grand Traverse Resort
ExpediaCheck availability
Hotel
Park Place Hotel
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Downtown Traverse City hotel with bay views, rooftop dining, and a central position between the region's golf courses and restaurant corridor.
From $130/night6 mi to Grand Traverse Resort
ExpediaCheck availability
Hotel
Sleep Inn Traverse City
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Budget-friendly chain hotel with free breakfast and pool, positioned for golfers prioritizing green fees over accommodation.
From $80/night10 mi to Grand Traverse Resort
ExpediaCheck availability
Treetops Resort
Resort
Treetops Resort
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Eighty-one holes of golf including the Jones Sr. Masterpiece, with recently renovated rooms and stay-and-play packages that represent the best value in the Gaylord corridor.
From $100/nightOn-site (Masterpiece by Robert Trent Jones Sr)
PartnerCheck availability
The Perry Hotel
Hotel
The Perry Hotel
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Historic 75-room boutique hotel on the Petoskey waterfront with serious dining and a rooftop that overlooks Little Traverse Bay.
From $180/night20 mi to Boyne Highlands
PartnerCheck availability
Shanty Creek Resorts
Resort
Shanty Creek Resorts
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Five-course resort in Bellaire with Arnold Palmer's Legend layout, ski infrastructure, beach club, and the most accessible stay-and-play pricing in the corridor.
From $120/nightOn-site (The Legend by Arnold Palmer)
PartnerCheck availability
Boyne Highlands Resort
Resort
Boyne Highlands Resort
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Four-course resort property near Harbor Springs with the Heather and Donald Ross Memorial layouts, ski infrastructure, spa, and stay-and-play packaging.
From $150/nightOn-site (Heather, Donald Ross Memorial)
PartnerCheck availability
Grand Traverse Resort & Spa
Resort
Grand Traverse Resort & Spa
Northern Michigan, Michigan
The largest full-service resort in Northern Michigan, with three on-site courses, bay views from the 17-story Tower, and spa facilities that anchor a complete destination property.
From $200/nightOn-site (The Bear by Jack Nicklaus); 35 mi to Arcadia Bluffs
PartnerCheck availability
Budget Inn Grayling
Hotel
Budget Inn Grayling
Northern Michigan, Michigan
No-frills budget anchor near I-75 for golfers routing through Grayling to reach Forest Dunes in Roscommon.
From $55/night45 mi to Forest Dunes
PartnerCheck availability
Off the Fairway
Non-golf activities and companion experiences
Dining
2-4 hours
Craft Brewery Trail
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Fifteen-plus craft breweries spanning Traverse City to Bellaire to Petoskey, anchored by Short's Brewing, Right Brain, and Petoskey Brewing.
$5-$15 per stop
ViatorBook activity
Water
2 hours
Tall Ship Manitou Sailing
Northern Michigan, Michigan
A 114-foot, two-masted schooner sailing on Grand Traverse Bay with afternoon and sunset departures from the Traverse City waterfront.
$40-$65 per person
ViatorBook activity
Dining
Half day
Wine Tasting on Old Mission Peninsula
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Ten-plus wineries along an 18-mile peninsula in Grand Traverse Bay, producing Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and ice wines at the 45th parallel.
$60-$100 (guided tour); $10-$15 per tasting room
ViatorBook activity
Crystal River Kayak Tour
Water
2-3 hours
Crystal River Kayak Tour
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Crystal-clear river through northern Michigan forest on a gentle current suitable for beginners, with guided and self-guided options from Glen Arbor outfitters.
$45-$65 per person
PartnerBook activity
Fishing Charter on Grand Traverse Bay
Water
4-6 hours
Fishing Charter on Grand Traverse Bay
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Salmon, lake trout, and steelhead charters on Grand Traverse Bay and nearby Lake Michigan waters, with shared and private options from Traverse City, Leland, and Frankfort.
$75-$150 per person (shared); $400-$700 private
PartnerBook activity
Mackinac Island Day Trip
Cultural
Full day
Mackinac Island Day Trip
Northern Michigan, Michigan
No-cars-allowed island with horse-drawn carriages, Victorian architecture, the Grand Hotel, and famous fudge shops, accessible by ferry from Mackinaw City.
$40-$60 (ferry + bike rental)
PartnerBook activity
Petoskey Stone Hunting
Nature
1-2 hours
Petoskey Stone Hunting
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Search for Michigan's state stone on Lake Michigan beaches near Petoskey and Charlevoix. Fossilized coral, 350 million years old, free for the finding.
Free
PartnerBook activity
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Nature
Half to full day
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Massive sand dunes rising 450 feet above Lake Michigan, with the Dune Climb, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, and Empire Bluffs Trail across a National Lakeshore voted America's most beautiful place.
$25 vehicle entry (7-day pass)
PartnerBook activity
Traverse City Cherry Farm Tour
Dining
1-2 hours
Traverse City Cherry Farm Tour
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Farm tours and cherry picking in the Cherry Capital of the World, with the National Cherry Festival in early July drawing visitors from across the Midwest.
$15-$30
PartnerBook activity
Tunnel of Trees Scenic Drive (M-119)
Scenic
1-2 hours
Tunnel of Trees Scenic Drive (M-119)
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Twenty miles of narrow road through dense hardwood forest canopy along Lake Michigan bluffs from Harbor Springs to Cross Village, with peak color in October.
Free
PartnerBook activity
Plan Your Trip
Pre-planned itineraries for Northern Michigan
Best Value: Three Nights in the Resort Corridor
Bucket List Trip
Best Value: Three Nights in the Resort Corridor
Three nights, four rounds across three resort properties, and stay-and-play packaging that delivers the most golf per dollar in Northern Michigan.
3 daysUSD 800–1500/person
Bucket List Trip
The Bucket List: Four Nights Across Northern Michigan's Best
Four nights, four courses, and a road trip across the two properties that have placed Northern Michigan on the national golf map.
5 daysUSD 2500–4000/person
Bucket List Trip
The Long Weekend: Two Nights on the Lake Michigan Coast
Two nights, two premier courses, and an afternoon on Old Mission Peninsula. The concentrated Northern Michigan experience for golfers with limited time.
3 daysUSD 1500–2800/person
Planning Your Trip
Airports, rental cars, seasonal pricing, and local knowledge for Northern Michigan.
From the Editorial
Articles covering Northern Michigan
Opinion
Arcadia Bluffs vs Forest Dunes: Northern Michigan's Best
Comparing Northern Michigan's two premier public golf facilities: Arcadia Bluffs' Lake Michigan perch against Forest Dunes' reversible loop and inland routing.
Opinion
Lake Tahoe vs Northern Michigan: Mountain Golf
Comparing Lake Tahoe's alpine golf at 6,000 feet with Northern Michigan's lake-and-dune corridor for summer mountain golf trips.
Opinion
Northern Michigan vs Kohler: Great Lakes Golf
Comparing Michigan's scenic resort golf corridor with Wisconsin's championship Kohler complex for summer Midwest golf trips.
Trip Planning
Trip Planning
Course Guide
Course Guide
Destination Guide
Destination Guide
Destination Guide