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Post by genesis273 on Jul 17, 2024 11:48:47 GMT -5
Daph and I are headed to Torch Lake up in Michigan for vacation next week. If you've been there, do you have any recommendations for restaurants or things to do?
Thanks.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Jul 17, 2024 11:56:24 GMT -5
Should definitely see Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Forecast looks nice.
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Post by genesis273 on Jul 17, 2024 12:40:38 GMT -5
Should definitely see Sleeping Bear Dunes. Forecast looks nice. Ahhh... you're the second person to tell me this! I'll try and talk Daphne into heading that way! Thanks!
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Post by HighCotton on Jul 17, 2024 12:50:33 GMT -5
The last time I was up there fly fishing, We ate at Toonies just east of Torch Lake. A few guys opted for steak but most of us ordered the Whitefish and it was excellent! tooniesfishandsteakhouse.com/
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Post by featherduster on Jul 17, 2024 12:53:16 GMT -5
Spend an afternoon in downtown Traverse City, try the beef brisket fries at BUBBA'S.
A must is a pie from GRAND TRAVERSE PIE CO.
Visit fish town in LeLand Michigan and eat lunch at the COVE which is located right on the dam and watch salmon jumping the dam while you eat, if your lucky one will jump right up on the patio, also you can watch them on the underwater cameras.
A great place to visit is KING'S ORCHARD which is not far from torch lake.
My wife and I spend a week every fall all around that area.
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Post by HighCotton on Jul 17, 2024 13:49:40 GMT -5
I’ll second der duster on Kings Orchard. My wife loves that place for everything cherries, especially the tart ones. As for the fat boy (yeah that’d me), I go for the bakery!
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Post by Woody Williams on Jul 17, 2024 14:09:26 GMT -5
Should definitely see Sleeping Bear Dunes. Forecast looks nice. And take a hike to the top.. I did that once in my much younger days. 😉
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Post by featherduster on Jul 17, 2024 14:45:19 GMT -5
King's Orchard has a nice farm stand with fresh baked goods that is located right on US 31 the main farm is a couple miles away, visit the main farm. They are picking cherries as we speak. They are a family owned farm and really nice folks most of the items they sell are made with their fruits and vegies.
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Post by genesis273 on Jul 17, 2024 20:42:01 GMT -5
Thanks for all the pointers fellas!
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Post by steiny on Jul 18, 2024 8:02:54 GMT -5
We have a place up there, so know the area well.
If you have access to boating, can rent one if you don't: * Check out the big party sandbar at south end of lake * Take a boat ride down the south end, down Torch river, thru lake Skegemog and into Elk lake * Take a boat ride up to where Clam river dumps into Torch about halfway up east side, go up through Clam Lake, up the Grass river and into lake Bellaire.
We pretty much stay out of town (Traverse City) this time of year, traffic is a mess and it's a zoo full of people.
Good places to grab a bite on Torch include; Dockside on the Clam river and the Alden bar. Little town of Elk Rapids is neat, you can drive there or boat there. Several good restaurants, nice beach on Traverse bay, neat area below the hydro dam where elk lake dumps into Traverse bay.
I'd suggest you spend as much "lake time" as possible in and on the water. If you must go out and about, enjoy the little communities around the lake rather than the crowd in TC. Cook out, have camp fires and watch stars. Enjoy the local produce from stands and markets around the lake.
Sleeping bear dunes is neat, but it's a pretty long haul from Torch lake.
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Post by genesis273 on Jul 18, 2024 12:34:12 GMT -5
We have a place up there, so know the area well. If you have access to boating, can rent one if you don't: * Check out the big party sandbar at south end of lake * Take a boat ride down the south end, down Torch river, thru lake Skegemog and into Elk lake * Take a boat ride up to where Clam river dumps into Torch about halfway up east side, go up through Clam Lake, up the Grass river and into lake Bellaire. We pretty much stay out of town (Traverse City) this time of year, traffic is a mess and it's a zoo full of people. Good places to grab a bite on Torch include; Dockside on the Clam river and the Alden bar. Little town of Elk Rapids is neat, you can drive there or boat there. Several good restaurants, nice beach on Traverse bay, neat area below the hydro dam where elk lake dumps into Traverse bay. I'd suggest you spend as much "lake time" as possible in and on the water. If you must go out and about, enjoy the little communities around the lake rather than the crowd in TC. Cook out, have camp fires and watch stars. Enjoy the local produce from stands and markets around the lake. Sleeping bear dunes is neat, but it's a pretty long haul from Torch lake. Thank you very much! We were hoping for a little more beach, rather than just the sandbar. Don't get me wrong, that sandbar looks nice but, don't really see anywhere to set up chairs and a cooler. Greatly looking forward to this trip! I appreciate the tips and suggestions!
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Post by steiny on Jul 18, 2024 17:51:48 GMT -5
Yea, that sand bar can be a zoo too. Sometimes 200 boats or more and you either sit on your boat or stand around in the knee to waist deep water. There are a couple small places in torch river just south of where it exits Torch lake where you can pull the boat over and sit in the shallows on lawn chairs.
The beach at Elk Rapids is real nice.
The water up there is beautiful clear blue. Some call those lakes "The Caribbean of the Midwest".
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Post by esshup on Jul 18, 2024 19:23:50 GMT -5
The water up there is beautiful clear blue. Some call those lakes "The Caribbean of the Midwest". But the water temp is nowhere close to the Caribbean. LOL
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Post by genesis273 on Jul 27, 2024 8:20:02 GMT -5
Packed up and headed home. The lakes were beautiful but, the weather wasn't. We made a couple attempts to swim at a couple of the lakes but, it was just too chilly for our likings. The best beach, in our opinion, that we visited was in Elk Rapids. The beer at Shorts Brew was good. We ate at several different spots. Although we enjoyed Dock Side, Bellaire Bar and Restaurant was, by far, the best place we ate at. They make a really good old fashioned as well. Not a ton of wildlife to look at but, saw some neat black squirrels, one with a red tail, and had a 6 pack of jakes at our place every day. They came within 5 yards of the back patio a couple evenings ago. We decided on the way up that we weren't going to spend time taking a ton of photos but, would rather just live in the moments.
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Post by esshup on Jul 27, 2024 10:12:53 GMT -5
Yep, Lake Michigan is too cold to swim in unless it's hotter n heck out and even then, you don't want to spend a lot of time in it.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jul 27, 2024 11:53:07 GMT -5
Yep, Lake Michigan is too cold to swim in unless it's hotter n heck out and even then, you don't want to spend a lot of time in it. Don’t tell my kids that. They’re in it as soon as we get there and don’t get out until we leave except to eat and drink. Matter of fact my son is in it right now up near Indiana dunes. Genesis, too bad about the weather, but hopefully you two had a great time together.
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Post by esshup on Jul 27, 2024 14:02:50 GMT -5
But I bet the kids do a LOT more moving around in the water than the parents do. So, I gotta ask, would you spend as much time in the water as the kids do?
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jul 27, 2024 14:38:08 GMT -5
They’re lucky to even drag me to the beach, but I do spend time in the water with them. Of course not the entire time they are in the water. First time I was in Lake Michigan years ago I told my wife she was crazy for staying in there. Now I tolerate it for a while.
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Post by esshup on Jul 27, 2024 14:49:19 GMT -5
They’re lucky to even drag me to the beach, but I do spend time in the water with them. Of course not the entire time they are in the water. First time I was in Lake Michigan years ago I told my wife she was crazy for staying in there. Now I tolerate it for a while. At least you don't have to worry about sharks, rays, jellyfish or sea urchins! ROFL
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Post by genesis273 on Jul 27, 2024 21:03:53 GMT -5
We are home now and all unpacked. We made a few stops on the way home. We stopped in a small town called Manton, MI. and got lunch at Cast Iron Kitchen. Old little diner with good grube. Not sure we'll ever be able to drive by New Buffalo without stopping at The Stray Dog. We shared some nachos and both had a sandwich. I had my first couple of goes at Round Barn Kolsch. Pretty good beer👍
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