Glen Arbor
A pine-scented crossroads wedged between frozen Glen Lake and the towering snow bluffs of Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Remembering to bring physical twenty-dollar bills to Art's Tavern is a badge of local competence.
Gristmill to Granite Stones
Start at 8 a.m. with a cardamom bun and pour-over at The Mill Glen Arbor, snowshoe three miles up Alligator Hill to see the Manitou Passage, then drive around Glen Lake to Broomstack Kitchen to watch a curling match over Sicilian pizza.
Ghost Town & Corner Tavern
Rent XC skis at Crystal River Outfitters and glide out the Heritage Trail to the snow-buried 19th-century maritime village of Glen Haven, then thaw out under the college pennants at Art's Tavern with a basket of fried whitefish.
Book a room above the waterwheel at The Mill Glen Arbor, spend Saturday skiing the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail and eating supper downstairs, then hit Art's Tavern for Sunday morning eggs and a drive around the frozen Narrows.
Morning coffee at The Mill, snowshoe Alligator Hill, lunch and a cherry beer at Cherry Public House, and sunset over the ice at Glen Haven beach.
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Art's Tavern
Open 360 days a year from 7 a.m. until late. University pennants stapled to the ceiling, shuffleboard, whitefish baskets, and Burger Mondays that pull every year-round resident out of the woods. Cash or check only (ATM inside).
6487 W Western Ave, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 334-3754 · Website ↗
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The Mill Glen Arbor (Supper at The Mill)
A meticulously restored 1879 watermill on the Crystal River serving daytime cafe fare (Mon–Sat 8 a.m.–4 p.m.) and elevated Nordic-Midwestern suppers (Thu–Sat & Mon 4:30–9:30 p.m.).
5440 W Harbor Hwy, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 242-3224 · Website ↗
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Cherry Public House
Cherry Republic's year-round beer hall serving cherry-wood smoked meats, Ruby Red sour ales, and a legendary Thursday burger-and-beverage deal.
5109 S Lake St, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 226-3033 · Website ↗
Dried-Cherry & Venison Winter Chili
Sear ground venison and diced bacon with ancho chili powder and cumin; simmer with black beans, crushed tomatoes, a splash of dark porter, and a handful of tart Montmorency dried cherries.
Three things most people walk past.
- Snowdrifts piled halfway up the crimson clapboards of the 1920s Canning Company building.
- The historic U.S. Life-Saving Service station standing alone against crashing Lake Michigan pancake ice.
- Wind-sculpted sastrugi (snow dunes) ripples on the beach looking toward South Manitou Island.
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Art's Tavern Bar
Cold Labatt Blue on draft, hotchili, and the truest cross-section of park rangers, carpenters, and ski bums in Leelanau County.
6487 W Western Ave, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 334-3754 · Website ↗
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M22 Glen Arbor Wine Patio & Tasting Room
Pouring crisp Leelanau whites and draft ciders right next to the outfitters shop; grab a glass after returning your snowshoes.
6298 W Western Ave, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 334-4425 · Website ↗
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Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse
Ten minutes inland at the Leelanau Curling Club—drink craft beer while watching locals sweep 42-pound granite stones down sheets of pebbled ice through a massive glass wall.
172 W Burdickville Rd, Maple City, MI 49664 · (231) 228-8869 · Website ↗
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The Mill Glen Arbor Cafe
House-baked fika pastries, pour-overs, and Scandinavian minimalism inside a timber-beamed historic mill.
5440 W Harbor Hwy, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 242-3224 · Website ↗
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Leelanau Coffee Roasting Co.
Roasting beans right on the corner of M-22 and M-109 since the 1990s; check winter retail counter hours or grab fresh bags next door.
6443 W Western Ave, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (800) 424-5282 · Website ↗
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Inn and Trail Gourmet
Open Thursday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for hot soup, paninis, and trail-ready coffee.
6453 W Western Ave, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 835-2535 · Website ↗
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Cross-Country Skiing the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail
Volunteers from Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes groom miles of rolling wooded path for both classic tracks and skate skiing.
Glen Haven & Dune Climb Trailheads, M-109, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · Website ↗
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Sledding & Climbing the Frozen Dune Climb
When buried under a foot of snow, the famous 150-foot sand wall turns into the grandest toboggan bowl in the Midwest.
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Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District
Cross-country skis and snowshoes
- Ordering a BOGO burger on Monday night at Art's Tavern to cure the mid-winter blues.
- Every winter conversation begins with the ice thickness on Little Glen vs. Big Glen Lake.
- Sunday night trivia at Cherry Public House is the winter social Olympics.
Local customTapping your brakes at the M-22 bridge over the Narrows just to admire the open water channel steaming between the two frozen halves of Glen Lake.
Usually mid-February (Presidents' Day Weekend Saturday, confirm)
Glen Arbor Winterfest (Chili Cook-Off & Perch Fishing)
Ice anglers haul jumbo yellow perch off Glen Lake while town cooks battle over cast-iron pots of venison and cherry chili.
Usually Thanksgiving Weekend (Friday–Saturday after Thanksgiving, confirm)
Glen Arbor Holiday Marketplace & Tree Lighting
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The Homestead
Sprawling wooded resort on the Lake Michigan ridge with its own downhill ski slopes (Bay Mountain), snowshoe trails, and condo fireplaces.
1 Woodridge Rd, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 334-5000 · Website ↗
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The Mill Glen Arbor Guest Rooms
Threemagazine-worthy guest suites tucked into the upper floors of the 1879 gristmill over the rushing Crystal River.
5440 W Harbor Hwy, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 242-3224 · Website ↗
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Sylvan Inn
Classic white clapboard inn built in 1885, steps from Art's Tavern and the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.
6680 W Western Ave, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 · (231) 631-6781 · Website ↗
Bring a little Glen Arbor homeThe cabin-issue throwFor the couch, the car, and the second half of the hockey game.Have a look ↗