Add a visit to Lavender Hill Farm to your Michigan Summer Bucket List. Take the tour, wander its labyrinth, snag some great pictures, play on the rope swing, and treat yourself to a lavender soda while you are there. This is a “Pure Michigan” adventure you won’t want to miss.
During our most recent Up North Michigan vacation, we visited Lavender Hill Farm. What a beautiful setting and an interesting experience! We can’t recommend this place enough.
Arriving at Lavender Hill Farm
Lavender Hill Farm is located at 7354 Horton Bay Rd N in Boyne City, Michigan.
Immediately upon our arrival at the farm, we were completely awed by our surroundings. The fields are lovely with their varied shades of lavender sprawled up and down the hillsides. A centrally-located large red barn completes the rural-chic feel of the location.
There are two parking lots at Lavender Hill Farm – one small set of parking spaces along a circle drive near the gift shop and a larger lot with additional parking spaces about 100 feet further up the road.
I am so glad that the small parking area near the gift shop was full. If we hadn’t parked in the additional parking lot, we might have missed the wonderful long-distance view of the lavender fields, and THAT would have been a real shame. Besides, it was a very short walk from the additional lot. (Well worth it for that view!)
Guided Farm Tour
Upon arrival, you will want to wander over to the gift shop to sign up for a golf cart tour. At the time of our visit, the Lavender Hill Farm golf cart tour cost only $4 per person, and it was money well spent. The young knowledgeable guides work on the farm and obviously enjoy what they do.
Each golf cart holds up to 5 passengers. Since there were 7 of us in our own group, we were paired up with another small group. Two golf carts promptly pulled up, and off we went.
As the two young men drove us through the fields and various farm structures, they talked about the history of the farm itself, the various processes used at the farm, fun facts about the plants, the many uses of lavender, and other interesting information.
Here are a few interesting facts I learned during our tour.
- It all started with bees. The former owners kept bees and heard that lavender is a great food source for bees. They experimented with growing a few lavender plants. It worked out well so they expanded to more fields. Soon, others began to show interest in the lavender plants and even more lavender fields were added to the farm.
- The bees working in the lavender fields are friendly and docile. They typically don’t sting even if you grab them as you are picking the lavender. (My 6yo is very scared of bees but hearing this seemed to put her at ease for the remainder of our visit there.)
- There are more than 20 varieties of lavender on the farm, and some varieties have white blooms. If you spy a sprig of white blooms on an otherwise purple plant, that is caused by cross-pollination by the bees. Our guide pointed out an example of this in the labyrinth.
- If you crush a few blooms on a lavender stalk, your fingers will smell divinely like lavender.
- Lavender plants grow well in full sun with very little water. Thus, the sandy hills of Northern Michigan are ideal for growing lavender. When it rains, water is quickly drained through the sandy soil and the rest simply rolls downhill.
- Lavender deters animals like deer and rabbits. (Hmmm. Maybe I should plant some near my garden at home.)
- The large red barn on the property is used for summer concerts, corporate events, weddings and receptions. It features a couple of slanted support beams (which was common barn architecture when it was originally built nearly 100 years ago).
RELATED: Check out this Michigan Farmer Barn Spotlight about Lavender Hill Farm.
More Lavender Hill Farm Fun
There is more to do at Lavender Hill Farm than just the guided golf cart tour.
Check out the lavender labyrinth. This is what originally attracted me to Lavender Hill Farm. I love labyrinths! (I have been a little obsessed with them since we visited the two labyrinths in New Harmony, Indiana a couple years ago.) The labyrinth at the farm is small but lovely, and it smells divine.
RELATED: Where to Find Labyrinths in Michigan
Enjoy some old-fashioned rural fun on the rope swing. Nothing says summer in the country like an old-fashioned rope swing. My children were delighted to give the swing near the gift shop a whirl. We have a rope swing on our backyard playset at home but I guess there is something special about a swing attached to an actual tree.
Consider attending one of their special events. Lavender Hill Farm hosts several special events throughout the summer including concerts, lunches, yoga, barn dances and movies.
Snag a selfie amidst the rows of lavender plants. The many fields of lavender make a lovely background for some great pictures. Snap a family photo, get a few instagram-worthy shots of yourself (or others) wandering through the purple fields, or simply take a selfie.
Peruse the gift shop. The gift shop itself is adorable. And, of course, you can find all the lavender souvenirs you want in there from satchels and décor to oils and culinary delights.
Enjoy a lavender snack. Did I mention that the gift shop sells lavender cookies and lavender soda? Both are pretty good. My daughter especially loved the lavender soda.
Sneak a peek at their newest garden. Look up at the top of the hill for a large rectangular garden. This newest garden will look like the American Flag once it is in full bloom. As the plants mature, it will look more impressive with each upcoming year.
Helpful Tips to Remember
Before your visit to Lavender Hill Farm, here are a few helpful tips that will make the experience better.
Splurge on a guided tour. While you are welcome to tour the grounds by foot on your own, you will miss out on the interesting facts and fun anecdotes shared during the guided golf cart tour. And at such an affordable price, it is completely worth it.
Remember that the bees are friendly. There are bees EVERYWHERE within the fields but don’t let that frighten you (or your small children) off. They are docile, and it is highly unlikely that they would sting you.
Be photo ready. With all this beautiful scenery, you are going to want to snap some pictures. You might want to consider wearing something special for this prime photo opportunity. Big floppy hat, long flowing dress, a lavender-colored jumper… the possibilities are endless.
What Are You Waiting For?
Lavender Hill Farm is a delight for your senses! It looks lovely, it smells divine, the steady hum of honeybees is relaxing, and the goodies from the gift shop taste delicious.
If you are visiting Northern Michigan (Boyne Mountain/Charlevoix/Petoskey area) this summer, we highly recommend a golf cart tour at Lavender Hill Farm. Be sure to swing into the gift shop for some lavender souvenirs as well — some sprigs of cut lavender, lavender oils, lavender cookies, or even, a lavender soda.
Seriously. What are you waiting for?
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We have a few lavender farms up here in the PNW as well and my grandmother LOVES lavender so I’ve bought her some lovely lotions as presents in the past 🙂 Didn’t realize bees loved lavender so much!
I didn’t realize that either. Our tour guides emphasized a few different times that lavender is an excellent food source for bees though, and they would know better than I would. 🙂 I didn’t realize that lavender deters rabbits and deer either. I am going to try planting some lavender in my yard and see if that helps deter the rabbits from eating my garden and flowerbeds. *fingers crossed*
I would love to go to a lavender farm! This one looks like so much fun. I would definitely try the lavender cookies and soda. The golf cart tour sounds really fun, too. I’ll have to keep this on my radar for future trips!
The golf cart tour was definitely the highlight of our visit… and the edible lavender treats!
It looks beautiful and sounds like a fun visit. I’d love to give lavender soda a try… I can’t even magine the flavor!
The lavender farm was all sorts of lovely! And so interesting! The lavender soda has a pretty subtle taste – just right for a refreshing beverage on a hot summer afternoon.
I’ll have to remember this whenever we are way “up north” again! I went to a lavender festival near my mom’s house a few years ago. It’s fascinating how many products can be made with lavender. We tried lavender cookies, jelly, and ice cream when we went. I love lavender labyrinths, too.
I’m noticing so many things with lavender lately. Just recently tried lavender tea. Wish I lived closer to visit the farm! Sounds like a lovely day.