Your Guide to Sleeping Bear Dunes: Hikes, Beaches & Where to Stay

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is routinely named one of the most beautiful places in America—and once you're standing on a 400-foot bluff watching the sun melt into Lake Michigan, you'll understand why. The park stretches 35 miles along the northwest coast of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, and it's one of the biggest reasons people fall in love with this part of the state. We've been hosting guests near the Dunes for over a decade, and this is the guide we wish someone had handed us on day one.

The Must-Do Hikes

Empire Bluff Trail

If you only have time for one hike, make it this one. Empire Bluff is a 1.5-mile round trip through a hardwood forest that opens up to one of the most jaw-dropping overlooks in the Midwest: a panoramic view of South Bar Lake, the Dunes, and the Manitou Islands floating on the horizon. It's manageable for most fitness levels and takes about an hour. Get there early in the morning or late afternoon for the best light (and fewer people on the trail).

The Dune Climb

This is the iconic one—the 150-foot sandy climb you've seen on every Michigan tourism brochure. It's steep, it's sandy, and kids absolutely love it. Most people climb to the top, take in the view, and head back down (about 30 minutes). But if you're feeling ambitious, keep going: the trail continues 3.5 miles across open dunes to the shore of Lake Michigan. Bring water—there's no shade. The payoff is a secluded beach that feels like it belongs to you.

Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive

Not a hike, but it belongs in this section. This 7.4-mile one-way loop road winds through the park with a dozen numbered stops along the way. The most famous is Stop #9—a 450-foot bluff overlooking Glen Lake and the open water of Lake Michigan. It's the kind of view that makes you pull over and sit in silence for a minute. The drive is open from mid-April through mid-November and costs $25 per vehicle (or free with your National Park pass).

Pyramid Point

A 2.7-mile loop on the northern end of the park, with a steep climb to a bluff that gives you views of the Manitou Islands and the entire Sleeping Bear coastline. It's quieter than Empire Bluff and has a wild, rugged feel. The trail passes through a beech-maple forest before the big reveal at the top. If you're staying at the A-Frame, Pyramid Point is about a 30-minute drive.

The Beaches

Empire Beach

This is our family's favorite beach, hands down. Right in the village of Empire, it's the easiest beach to access in the park area—soft sand, a protected swimming area, and the Empire Bluff rising behind you. Parking is paid (there's a machine by the restrooms), but it's worth every quarter. The village is a two-minute walk away, and you absolutely need to stop at Grocer's Daughter Chocolate for handmade truffles and ice cream before you settle in. Fires are allowed on the beach, so if you're here in the evening, bring some wood and stay for sunset.

Platte River Point

Where the Platte River empties into Lake Michigan, you get the best of both worlds: a gentle, shallow river for floating and tubing, and a wide-open Lake Michigan beach. Families love it here because the river is warm and calm—perfect for little ones. Rent tubes in Honor and float the river downstream to the lake. It's a Northern Michigan rite of passage.

Good Harbor Bay

If you want space and solitude, head to Good Harbor. A mile-long crescent of sand stretching out to a sandbar you can walk to at low water. It's a bit of a drive from Traverse City (about 40 minutes), but that's exactly why it stays uncrowded. Pack a cooler, set up camp, and spend the day.

The Villages

The Sleeping Bear Dunes region is anchored by a handful of small villages, each with its own personality. Part of the magic here is how close everything feels—you can hike the Dunes in the morning, grab lunch in a fishing village, and be back in your rental by late afternoon.

Glen Arbor

The unofficial gateway to the Dunes. A walkable stretch of shops, galleries, and restaurants sitting right at the edge of the park. Cherry Republic is the big draw (free cherry wine and product tastings), but don't miss Art's Tavern for a burger or Crystal River Outfitters for kayak rentals on the Crystal River. Glen Arbor is a 45-minute drive from Traverse City, or about 25 minutes from the A-Frame.

Leland & Fishtown

Fifteen minutes north of Glen Arbor, Leland is home to Fishtown—a collection of weathered fishing shanties along the Leland River that have been converted into shops and smokehouses. Carlson's Fisheries has been smoking whitefish here since 1904. Pick up whitefish dip and crackers, a bottle of wine from the Leland Mercantile, and walk down to Van's Beach for a sunset picnic. From Leland, you can also catch the ferry to the Manitou Islands for a day of hiking and exploring.

Suttons Bay

On the east side of the Leelanau Peninsula, Suttons Bay is a postcard-perfect waterfront town on Grand Traverse Bay. Browse the shops on St. Joseph Street, grab coffee at Anchor Coffee, or rent bikes and ride the Leelanau Trail north toward wineries. For dinner, Martha's Leelanau Table is a beloved local institution. Suttons Bay is about 25 minutes from downtown TC, making it an easy day trip from any of our properties.

Where to Stay

Here's the thing about the Sleeping Bear region: there aren't a lot of places to stay inside the park, and the closest hotels are basic. The best way to experience the Dunes is to have a real home base—somewhere you can spread out, cook a meal with local produce, and decompress after a day of hiking.

The Roost A-Frame

The A-Frame is our closest property to Sleeping Bear, tucked into the woods outside Lake Ann—about 20 minutes from the Dune Climb and Pierce Stocking Drive. It sleeps four, with a full kitchen, a hot tub on the private back deck, and a fire pit surrounded by forest. It's the kind of place where you wake up to birdsong and end the day watching steam rise from the hot tub into the pines. In the village of Lake Ann, grab a pizza from Stone Oven and a beer next door at Lake Ann Brewing.

The Holiday House

Bringing a group? The Holiday House sleeps six across three bedrooms and sits in a wooded neighborhood on Traverse City's east side. It's a 35-minute drive to the Dunes, but you're also five minutes from downtown TC—so your evenings open up to the full restaurant and nightlife scene. The house has a chef's kitchen, a popcorn machine, and enough space that nobody feels on top of each other.

Downtown Traverse City

Want to walk to restaurants and coffee shops? Our Grand Traverse Commons properties—Historic Hearth and Spiral Sanctuary—put you in the heart of the action, surrounded by restaurants, shops, and the beautiful grounds of the former State Hospital. The Dunes are about 40 minutes away, making it easy to split your days between the beach and the city.

The Dunes are waiting. All you have to do is show up.