Michigander here. The Homestead in Glen Arbor is nice, as a PP suggested. I would probably stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Frankfort is a good suggestion too.

I live in Traverse City and I am only partially kidding when I say when moved here renting in the summer was such a pain. I would also recommend Frankfort - it's a super cute town and close to TC, Sleeping Bear, etc. I would try Airbnb.

Anonymous wrote:We are going for the first time this summer but if you are into the performing arts, check out the calendar for Interlochen, it's about 30 minutes from Traverse City.

Ann Patchett's newest novel, "Tom Lake", is set in this area and involves a summer stock set of actors at a place pretty clearly modeled on Interlochen.

We are going for the first time this summer but if you are into the performing arts, check out the calendar for Interlochen, it's about 30 minutes from Traverse City.

We rented a house on vrbo. It doesn't matter where, because you have to drive everywhere anyway.

We stayed at the Homestead and at the Inn at Bay Harbor. Very happy with both.

This hotel:
https://www.innatbayharbor.com/

We stayed at Homestead for Glen Arbor/Sleeping Bear Dunes and the Inn at Bay Harbor (Marriott Autograph Collection) for Charlevoix/Petoskey/Mackinac.

We like Crooked River Lodge -- it's not fancy but it's a good base for day trips and is on a little river where you can use the hotel's kayaks. A bit of a hike if you want to go to Sleeping Bear/Leelanau though.

Anonymous wrote:The Homestead in Glen Arbor is a nice place and has several accommodation options

+1
We have family with a condo in the Homestead - I haven't been there in a million years but I have the absolute best memories of going to that area as a kid.

Crystal Mountain is nice and has family-friendly resort activities and golf. You can also easily drive to the lake from there.

The Homestead in Glen Arbor is a nice place and has several accommodation options

First, you are literally in paradise if you are there in Summer. You shouldn't be inside that much. You are meant to be AT A LAKE. There are a variety of airbnb/vrbo options all over Northern Michigan/UP, there are bare minimum cabins and fancier digs (Harbor Springs, for example). When people say "resort" in the UP, they mean a community of cabins or motels. These are mostly for no-frills travelers (hunters, fishers, leaf peepers, etc.). I would rent a cottage in Petoskey/Charlevoix/St. Ignace. Mackinac Island also has some great hotels, obvi. Sault Ste. Marie, Houghton, and Marquette are college towns, so they have more lodgings if you want places in and around Lake Superior.

Airbnb or VRBO.

There are also private rental companies. There are lots of condos in Glen Arbor, but we've always rented a house on Big Glen Lake.

Piggybacking off another post:

What are your recommended lodgings for this area? I know Traverse City and see people mentioning Glen Arbor, Charlevoix, Sleeping Bear. Where are you all sleeping? Are there hidden hotels I don’t know about, because the stuff I’m seeing on TripAdvisor leaves much to be desired.