Petoskey, Michigan, is a beautiful destination with outdoor adventures offered year-round.
When I moved to Northern Michigan, the city of Petoskey was definitely one of the big selling points.
The moment I saw the gorgeous turquoise water in the Little Traverse Bay near the downtown, I fell in love with Petoskey.
I’m sharing more about the top things to do in Petoskey and the surrounding area.
Our accommodations are in partnership with GoRving, and this article contains affiliate links.
Petoskey is a beautiful destination year-round, but if you visit during the warmer months, you can enjoy all of the outdoor activities on the water, which is a bonus.
Walk to the Petoskey Pierhead Lighthouse
1309 Spring St, Suite 130, Petoskey, MI
You can easily park once at Bayfront Park and explore the area by the water and downtown.
The Petoskey Pierhead is wide, making it a great area to walk or bike.
The Petoskey pier is also a popular spot to jump into Little Traverse Bay when the water is calm on a warm summer day.
Nearby, you can watch the water coming from Bear River into Little Traverse Bay.
Explore the shops in Downtown Petoskey
Petoskey has so many great shops and restaurants to explore downtown.
You can easily walk or bike from the waterfront at Bayfront Park to the downtown area.
A popular store you don’t want to miss is Grandpa Shorter’s for unique Michigan-themed gifts.
Pennsylvania Park is a great green space near the downtown shops, perfect for a picnic.
Explore the Scenic Bike Trails
Petoskey is a VERY bike-friendly city that’s family-friendly if you have younger bikers.
I recommend starting around Bayfront Park and traveling toward Petoskey State Park for gorgeous views of the Little Traverse Bay.
My husband and I enjoyed our morning bike rides exploring the area on our e-bikes while our teenagers slept in.
Be on the lookout for a waterfall area that is tucked away.
A few of the bike paths to check out in the area are:
Bayfront Park
101 E Lake St, Petoskey, MI
Little Traverse Wheelway
For a longer ride, bike the 24 miles from Charlevoix to Petoskey to Harbor Springs.
If you don’t have a bike, there are several bike rental shops in Petoskey.
Search for Petoskey Stones
Did you know that Michigan has a state stone?
What is a Petoskey Stone?
The Petoskey stone is made of fossilized coral with a six-sided pattern.
Petoskey stones are unique to the Great Lakes. If you’re lucky, you may find one along the shore.
Where is the best place to find Petoskey Stones?
Try to look for less populated areas along the shoreline.
Popular spots for finding Petoskey Stones are by the break wall at Magnus City Park Beach or Petoskey State Park.
If you don’t have much patience, you can also “hunt” for Petoskey stones at one of the local gift shops downtown.
*Please note that some areas may have signs prohibiting the removal of stones.
Beaches in Petoskey
Petoskey has several great beaches to enjoy.
If you’re a diver, you may want to check out the Underwater Crucifix in the bay.
The Underwater Crucifix is 11 feet tall and located at a depth of 21+ feet, around 800 feet offshore, near the Petoskey breakwall by the Superior Marine Divers Club at Bayfront Park.
Magnus City Park Beach
901 West Lake Street, Petoskey, MI
Solanus Mission Beach
101 E Lake St, Petoskey, MI
Petoskey State Park
2475 M-119 Highway, Petoskey, MI
A big draw of the area is spending time on the Little Traverse Bay, which is part of Lake Michigan. It’s the perfect playground for fishing, boating, and water sports like kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
There is a campground if you want to stay and camp during your visit. Hike on the Old Baldy Trail, a stable sand dune for a great view.
*Make sure you only climb dunes that are part of the hiking trails.
Petoskey State Park also offers bike, kayak, and paddleboard rentals if you don’t have your own with you.
We spent most of our time on the water on our inflatable stand-up paddleboard and double inflatable kayaks.
The water was absolutely gorgeous and clear. Our family spent the majority of our time swimming in the water. We lucked out, and the water temperature was refreshing and not cold.
Confession: I spent over 3 hours in my inflatable kayak without regrets. It was so comfortable and relaxing.
We also returned to the park for an evening swim after dinner one night.
How to Save on Visiting Michigan State Parks
Consider purchasing the Michigan Recreation Passport annual sticker if you’re from out of state.
It’s the best value if you plan on visiting the park for multiple days, and it works for the whole state.
Take a Ride on the Little Traverse Bay Ferry
A ferry ride is an inexpensive way to visit all three cities on the bay in a day and spend time on the water.
I highly recommend this option if you want some time out of the direct sun and a nice way for families to experience a boat ride during their visit.
The ferry has covered seating for up to 49 people and can even ferry bikes. We purchased our ferry tickets online and were told to arrive 5-10 minutes early.
The transit time is up to 25 minutes, and the best option if you don’t have a tight schedule.
During our visit, the waves in the Little Traverse Bay were higher than normal, which changed the order of the stops and the departure times.
It wasn’t a huge deal for us because our schedule was flexible.
There are three different ports for the ferry stops.
Bay Harbor Ferry Port
Bay Harbor Lake Marina
832 Front St.
Bay Harbor, MI
We started our ferry ride at Bay Harbor. I would have explored the shops more, but we were tight on time and only had a few minutes before our ferry departed.
My favorite part of the Bay Harbor stop was viewing the gorgeous houses and boats on the water from two perspectives.
Petoskey Ferry Port
Bayfront Park
101 E Lake St.
Petoskey, MI
We opted to stay on the ferry for the Petoskey stop because we had already explored the city.
Harbor Springs, Michigan Ferry Port
Josephine Ford Park
432-446 E. Bay St.
Harbor Springs, MI
There are lots of shops and restaurants in downtown Harbor Springs.
There are parks by the water if you want to enjoy the view.
Sweet Stops in Harbor Springs
We ate before we arrived at Harbor Springs, but we justified stopping for ice cream in the name of research.
Kilwin’s Chocolates
139 E Main St, Harbor Springs, MI
You may recognize the ice cream chain, but the original is in Petoskey, across from Harbor Springs on the Little Traverse Bay.
Tom’s Mom’s Cookies
This was an impulse stop that was totally worth it! Your hardest decision will be narrowing down all the incredible types of cookies to choose from.
We tried several for research purposes, and you can’t go wrong with whatever you decide. I recommend getting an assortment and sharing it for the best of both worlds.
Great Places to Eat Near and In Petoskey
We love discovering local dining gems when we visit a city. Here are a few places to add to your list.
Johan’s Pastry Shop
565 W Mitchell St, Petoskey, MI
A popular spot for a local sweet treat. You can’t go wrong with a dozen donuts from Johan’s Pastry Shop in Petoskey.
Local Coffee Shops in Petoskey
Roast & Toast
309 E Lake St, Petoskey, MI
North Perk Coffee
308 Howard St., Petoskey, MI
Populace Coffee
207 Howard St, Petoskey, MI
Local Breweries in Petoskey
Petoskey Brewing Company (Located close to Petoskey State Park)
1844 Harbor-Petoskey Rd, Petoskey, MI
Beards Brewery
215 E Lake St, Petoskey, MI
Burnt Marshmallow Brewing
3379 Lake Grove Rd, Petoskey, MI
Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery – Petoskey
3423 US-131, Petoskey, MI
TAP30
422 E Mitchell St, Petoskey, MI
Restaurants That Are Worth the Drive
Legs Inn
6425 N Lake Shore Dr, Cross Village, MI
Authentic Polish food with quirky style inside and an incredible garden and backyard view of Lake Michigan.
This restaurant is only open during the summer/early fall, so you’ll definitely want to make it there during a visit.
Save room for their berry dessert with ice cream because it’s AMAZING!
Barrel Back Restaurant
4069 M-75, Walloon Lake, MI
Sunset is pretty glorious at this popular restaurant on Walloon Lake. The restaurant has glass garage doors open on beautiful days. The doors are closed on cooler days, where guests can enjoy the warmth of their fireplace.
Their full bar has 23+ beers on tap. Popular menu items include their wood-fired pizzas and chicken and brisket on their wood-fired rotisserie smoker.
Red Mesa Grill
117 Water St, Boyne City, MI
Red Mesa Grill was one of my all-time favorite restaurants when I previously lived in Northern Michigan.
The menu is a fusion of Latin American dishes, and you can’t go wrong with whatever you order from their menu.
Walk Across SkyBridge Michigan
While in the area, you may want to check out SkyBridge Michigan.
SkyBridge Michigan is the longest timber-towered suspension bridge in the world, located at Boyne Mountain Resort.
Guests take a skylift chair to the summit of the mountain and can walk across the 1200 foot pedestrian suspension bridge that’s 118 feet high.
There are scenic seating areas at the summit that you can enjoy before or after your walk across SkyBridge Michigan. Or someone in your party can wait for others to cross if they don’t want to walk across the pedestrian bridge.
Where to Stay in Petoskey?
5505 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey, MI.
We LOVED our stay at the Petoskey RV Resort. The inside of the premium cottage really blew us away and went above and beyond our expectations.
This is a great option if you love connecting with the outdoors during the day and want to experience luxury indoors at night.
The premium cottages have one bedroom, plus an overhead loft area to comfortably accommodate up to 6 guests.
Other amenities include a private bathroom, flat-screen cable TV, heat and air conditioning, an electric fireplace, a kitchen with full-sized appliances, cookware, dinnerware, and utensils.
The sliding glass door leads you outside to the covered porch, with two chairs and a table, a picnic table, and a fire ring. You don’t have to worry about bringing bedding because linens and towels are included.
Petoskey RV Resort is conveniently located about 7 minutes from Bay Harbor, 10 minutes from downtown Petoskey, and 20 minutes from the Petoskey State Park.
There is also a pool on-site if you want a break from the lake.
Save on Booking Your Stay at Petoskey RV Resort Here
This whole area is unique. I love it there. They call me donut man and I will say I had some of the best donuts ever at Johans Pastry shop. Loved it there and all over this area.
Really beautiful area! My friends and I enjoy a few rounds of golf here every summer!
How about charter fishing out of Bay Harbor on plumbers helper charter fishing