Things to Do in Northern Michigan This Weekend (Local's Guide)

May 4

We’re headed Up North this weekend what should we actually do?

If a friend texted, you "we're heading up to Northern Michigan this weekend what should we actually do?" This is the guide you'd send them. Concise, no outdated suggestions, just what's worth your time in early May when the crowds are low and the lakes are still waking up.

Here's how to make the most of a Northern Michigan weekend without wasting half your day driving in circles.

🌄 Saturday Morning: Sleeping Bear Without the Summer Crowds

Start your weekend west of Traverse City at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore one of the most beautiful stretches of shoreline in the Midwest.

Local heads-up: In early May, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is often still closed to vehicles, so don't plan your whole morning around that loop. Instead:

Head straight to Empire Beach and walk the shoreline
Hike the Empire Bluff Trail for one of the best views in all of Northern Michigan
Continue north to Good Harbor Bay Beach quieter, more natural, less touristy

💡 Local tip: Bring coffee and layers. The wind off Lake Michigan in May is no joke.

🍷 Midday: Wine Tasting Done Right

This is where most visitors waste the most time driving back and forth between wineries without a plan. Don't do that.

Before you go, map your route using the Northern Michigan Winery Map. It helps you choose between Old Mission Peninsula, Leelanau Peninsula, & Tip of The Mitt plot an efficient route, and discover wineries you wouldn't find with a quick Google search.

Old Mission Peninsula → easier, quicker loop, great for first-timers
Leelanau Peninsula → more scenic, more adventurous, more stops

Local strategy: Pick 3–4 wineries max, stay on one peninsula, and build in a food stop. Early May is ideal shorter lines, staff who actually have time to talk to you, and a much more relaxed vibe than peak summer.

👉 Plan your winery route here before you go.

🍄 Optional: The Most "Only in May" Experience

If you want something truly unique to this time of year, check out the Mesick Mushroom Festival. It's peak morel mushroom season, and this festival is exactly what you'd expect local vendors, carnival energy, food, crafts, and serious mushroom hunters everywhere.

It's not polished. That's exactly why it's fun. Best as a half-day stop, not your entire weekend.

🍕 Late Afternoon: Reset and Refuel

After wineries or hiking, head back toward Traverse City. This is the time to slow down casual pizza and a local beer, or waterfront dining along Grand Traverse Bay. Don't rush this part. You've earned it.

🌅 Evening: A Sunset Worth Stopping For

Skip the random roadside pulloffs. Go somewhere intentional:

Empire Beach → best west-facing sunset in the area
Traverse City shoreline → easier access, still beautiful

💡 May sunsets hit different cool air, fewer people, and a quieter energy than summer ever gets.

🏖️ Sunday: Petoskey or Mackinac Island (Pick One)

Don't try to do both. Pick your vibe and commit.

Option 1: Relaxed + Food-Focused → Petoskey

Walk the Gaslight District downtown, then head to the waterfront. This weekend lines up with Petoskey Restaurant Week, which means better meals at lower prices a great excuse to try somewhere you'd normally skip. After lunch, walk the shoreline and look for Petoskey stones (wet rocks are easier to spot).

Option 2: Iconic Northern Michigan → Mackinac Island

Take the ferry over and rent bikes to ride the island loop. Going in May means fewer crowds, cooler temps that are actually perfect for biking, and a pace that lets you actually enjoy it rather than dodging tourist traffic.

🏝️ Beaches Worth the Drive (Early May Reality Check)

Let's be honest you're not swimming. You're walking, exploring, and taking it all in. The best picks for this time of year:

Empire Beach — easy to get to, stunning scenery
Good Harbor Bay — quiet, natural, wild Michigan energy
Petoskey waterfront — best for stone hunting

Torch Lake is beautiful, but unless you're staying nearby, it's not the best use of a weekend trip.

🗓️ The Perfect Weekend Flow (Copy This)

Friday Night
Arrive in Traverse City, grab a casual dinner, walk downtown.

Saturday
Morning at Sleeping Bear Dunes → Midday wine tasting → Evening sunset and dinner

Sunday
Petoskey or Mackinac Island → Head home

Before you head out Saturday — seriously, take 5 minutes and map your winery stops here. It'll save you an hour of backtracking and make the whole day flow better.

Have a great weekend up north. 🌲

Lisa Knox

Lisa Knox was born in Petoskey and raised in Boyne Falls. Northern Michigan isn’t just where she works, it’s where she’s from.

She’s the founder of Northern Michigan Travel Guide and Guidepost Collective, LLC, a premium concierge service built on one simple idea: knowing the right people makes all the difference. Lisa doesn’t just point visitors and newcomers in the right direction she connects them with the trusted local professionals who make life here seamless.

When it comes to the region itself, she knows it season by season. Spring belongs to the morels, tucked under elm and ash trees along paths most people walk right past. Summer is for the inland lakes and Great Lakes beaches, the kind of days that remind you why people fall in love with this place. Fall means the M-119 Tunnel of Trees, one of the most beautiful drives in the country. And winter here is world-class Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands, and Nub’s Nob for the locals who know.

If you want to experience Northern Michigan the way people who actually live here do, you’ve found the right guide.

https://northernmichigantravelguide.tips