FILMGOER
MORGAN TAYLOR
Sleeping Bear Day Trip Just 25 miles west of downtown Traverse City lies one of Michigan’s greatest treasures: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, home to 35 miles of pristine Lake Michigan shoreline, dozens of sugar-sand beaches, hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and preserved historic sites from the region’s farming and lumbering past. We think a half-day jaunt to this Northern oasis is the perfect complement to the excitement of TCFF. Some easy, quick hits: Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, a leisurely seven-mile driving route through the heart of the dunes that includes access to gorgeous overlooks, picnic spots and trailheads; Empire Bluff and Pyramid Point hiking trails for a solid leg-stretch
and great photo-ops; the Platte and Crystal Rivers for an afternoon of slow and easy kayaking, canoeing or tubing; pristine beaches at Good Harbor, Otter Creek and Glen Haven; and, of course, the iconic Dune Climb, which you can hike up and tumble down to your heart’s content. For local history, boutiques, art galleries and dining, stroll through Empire or Glen Arbor—two sweet towns surrounded by the park. Find the park’s visitors center at the corner of M-22 and M-72 in Empire, where you can pick up trail maps, guidebooks and other trip planning essentials. MyNorth.com > Vacation > Sleeping Bear Dunes; nps.gov/slbe.
COURTESY OF TRAVERSE, NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S MAGAZINE
Filmgoer _ 0814.indd 5
F5
8/18/14 2:25 PM