Looking for a family-friendly fall color tour? Head towards Petoskey and Charlevoix for fun fall adventures and beautiful autumn colors. This Northern Michigan fall color tour encircling Lake Charlevoix is perfect for an adult getaway or a family outing.
For beautiful fall colors and exciting seasonal adventures, look no further than the Lake Charlevoix area in Northern Michigan for lovely views, quaint towns and unique fall adventures. This area has all the beautiful colors and views that adults want and just enough fun and adventure to keep the children happy.
SPECIAL NOTE: A condensed version of this fall color tour was previously featured as a family-friendly fall getaway on GoFamGo’s website.
Lake Charlevoix Fall Color Tour
The Lake Charlevoix Fall Color Tour is the perfect mix of beauty and adventure. It includes stops in Petoskey, Boyne Mountain, Ironton, and Charlevoix. These areas will provide you with plenty of opportunity for fun experiences and a variety of lovely views – beautiful lake views, stunning forest views, and mountaintop views.
Late September through mid-October is a great time for a Lake Charlevoix Fall Color Tour.
The best time to plan your northern Michigan fall color tour is late September through mid-October when the colors peak in that area.
Fun for the Entire Family
This fall color tour through Northern Michigan is fun for the entire family! It combines a variety of beautiful views with fall-themed adventures. Plus it offers other fun activities – from fossil hunts and candy factory tours to ziplines and ski chairlifts. It even offers wine tasting at a distinctive one-of-a-kind local winery.
Starting in Charlevoix, we like to drive a big 60-mile circle that meanders along the Traverse Bay, through interesting small towns, into back country roads, and tours along much of the Lake Charlevoix southern shorelines (including a ride across the Ironton Straits on a small car ferry).
SIDE NOTE: See the end of this post for specific driving instructions.
Even though the route only takes a couple of hours to drive, there are lots of places to stop along the way for picturesque views and fun adventures. You should plan on it taking more time than that.
Depending on how many side adventures you want to embark on, I would plan to spend a full day on this color tour. At the very least, plan on half of a day.
Where to Stop and What to Do
The Lake Charlevoix Fall Color Tour encircles the Boyne City/Charlevoix/Petoskey area. It treats you to beautiful shoreline views, back country roads, quaint small towns, and lush wooded areas. Along the route, you can view the lovely fall colors from a variety of viewpoints including treetop views, mountaintop views, lakeshore views, countryside views, and picturesque park views. In addition to the lovely views, there are a variety of fall adventures to enjoy along the way including ziplining, searching for fossils, touring hobbit houses, and more.
Charlevoix
Charlevoix is my favorite small town in northern Michigan so we start and end our color tours there.
In Charlevoix, you have the opportunity to see one-of-a-kind nature-inspired architecture amidst a backdrop of fall colors and a chance to find fossilized treasures unique to this area of the state.
Michigan Beach Park
While in Charlevoix, I suggest that you make a quick stop over to Michigan Beach Park. It’s a great place to search for Petoskey Stones. (Fall is a fantastic time to look for these fossils as the beaches are not crowded with other beachcombers!)
From Michigan Beach Park, you can walk out to the channel’s small lighthouse. (This is a lovely place to catch a sunset, by the way.) Keep your eyes open for a ferry boat returning to the channel from Beaver Island. If you see a ferry, you might want to make the short walk beside the channel towards downtown in order to see them raise and lower the drawbridge. This is a fun sight for adults and children alike.
Unique Architecture
As you leave the beach park, drive just a block or so over to the corner of Park Avenue and Grant Street. There you will see the iconic mushroom house built in 1954 by a homegrown, self-taught architect named Earl Young. Charlevoix is home to more than 25 of these earthy structures frequently referred to as mushroom houses or hobbit houses. A self-guided tour is a fun adventure during any season of the year but it seems extra special amidst the fall leaves.
Petoskey
On the drive to Petoskey, be sure to enjoy the lovely Traverse Bay views. While in Petoskey, visit Bayfront Park, stroll the Little Traverse Wheelway, and enjoy a small sculpture park.
Bayfront Park
At Bayfront Park, you can bask in the gorgeous fall colors. The tree-lined walkway entrance is a particularly great place to snag a picture of the children amidst the fall colors. And, the tall red clock tour is striking against a backdrop of colorful trees.
Little Traverse Wheelway
Take a stroll along the Little Traverse Wheelway (a 26-mile pedestrian trail that passes right through Bayfront Park). It’s a great place to stretch your legs, admire some unique views of Petoskey, and see some local history.
Harris Sculpture Park
Another great place to stretch your legs in Petoskey is the small sculpture park located on the campus of North Central Michigan College. Harris Sculpture Park contains several interesting pieces of art that the entire family is sure to enjoy including a tribute to Peter Pan, a turtle named George, a large horse, and some kinetic sculptures. The trees changing colors throughout the small park add to the delight of these exhibits.
More Fun Activities in Petoskey
In addition to these lovely fall views, there are a lot of fun and affordable activities for families in Petoskey. If you want a break from scenery, you may want to stop into Kilwin’s for a free chocolate factory tour (including free samples).
A Countryside Drive
After stretching your legs in Petoskey, I recommend steering away from the main roads for a while in order to enjoy the countryside views.
Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery
In the countryside near Petoskey, you can find Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery. If you stop by, you can pick up some homemade maple syrup and try some maple wine. (Yep, you heard that right – maple wine. This is the first and ONLY maple winery in the country.) In the fall, they offer free tours on Saturdays. Check the Maple Moon website for tour times before you go.
Walloon Village
Continue along the country roads and head towards the quaint Walloon Village along the shores of Walloon Lake. Soak in a little history in this old summer haunt of Ernest Hemingway, check out the boutique shops, and grab a bite to eat.
On a warm fall day, you might want to grab an ice cream cone from Sweet Tooth. For a full meal, consider dining at the Barrel Back restaurant with its gorgeous lake views. While strolling through the charming little businesses, be on the lookout for some good old-fashioned fun. Some of the area businesses set out games like shuffleboard and cornhole for visitors to play.
The Boyne Area
Next up, head over to Boyne City/Boyne Falls area for some adventurous fall fun. There, you will discover gorgeous mountaintop views, opportunities for ziplining and more.
Wildwood Rush
Located near Boyne City, Wildwood Rush offers a unique guided tour that takes you ziplining through the treetops of a hardwood forest. Along the way, tour guides tell you about the forest’s ecosystem and the area’s history. What an adventurous way to experience the season. The full canopy tour is the ultimate fall color tour for thrillseekers.
Boyne Mountain
Boyne Mountain is one of my favorite places to enjoy fall colors! We love to take the ski chairlift up to the top of the mountain and enjoy the views from all the angles. In addition to the scenic chairlift rides, Boyne Mountain offers a zipline adventure through the trees, several trails for hiking and biking, a disc golf course, shopping, and dining. It even has an indoor water park.
TIP: The top of Boyne Mountain is also a great place to watch a sunrise!
Plus, Boyne Mountain Resort holds its annual Skitoberfest every year in October. If you coordinate your visit with this annual event, be prepared for lots of extra fun activities including bounce houses, bonfires and a crazy activity called the Pond Pedal!
Deer Lake
While in the area, we always like to stop by the beach at Deer Lake (next to the Beach House Restaurant). We love the lakeside views, the many trees and the picturesque ivy-covered walls of the restaurant. It’s right on the way and a lovely sight to behold.
TIP: If staying overnight in the Boyne area, Deer Lake is a great place to view a sunset!
Lake Charlevoix
To finish our Lake Charlevoix fall color tour, we like to follow the coastline of Lake Charlevoix itself. This allows us to enjoy fall colors and beautiful lake views. Additionally, it leads us to the Ironton Straits – a small arm of Lake Charlevoix that can only be crossed by car ferry.
Ironton Ferry
A ride on the historic Ironton Ferry is always a delight! This small four-car ferry will take you and your vehicle across the Ironton Straits (a narrow arm of Lake Charlevoix) for just a few dollars. The ride cost only a few dollars, and this unique experience truly makes your fall color tour more memorable.
As you float across the narrow arm of Lake Charlevoix known as the Ironton Straits, admire the ingenuity of this small four-vehicle ferry that has been in operation for over 100 years.
HINT: Be sure to check out the sign indicating prices next to the loading dock. The bottom of the sign shows original prices from 1884.
Please note the ferry shuts down for the season in mid-November.
If you’re hungry at this point in the color tour, The Landing Restaurant is located on the west side of the straits. You can see it from the ferry. This dining establishment offers views of the ferry crossing and is known for their lobster rolls and sweet potato fries.
More Lake Views
Enjoy the lovely roadside views of Lake Charlevoix while you make the drive back to our starting point.
Once you have returned to our starting point, you might want to visit Michigan Beach Park again. This lovely park is a great place to catch a sunset over the Traverse Bay… and a sunset is a spectacular way to end such a lovely day!
The Driving Route
Starting in Charlevoix, the driving route is a 60-mile circle that meanders along the Traverse Bay, through interesting small towns, into back country roads, and tours along much of the Lake Charlevoix southern shorelines (including a ride across the Ironton Straits on a small car ferry).
FULL DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS: Click here to see the route on Google Maps
Charlevoix to Petoskey
Start in Charlevoix, Michigan. Enjoy a few local activities, and then follow US-31 north to Petoskey.
Enjoy some local activities in Petoskey, then head to the countryside.
Countryside Roads to Walloon Village
Our favorite countryside route is to take Mitchell Road east out of Petoskey.
Turn right on Maplewood Drive.
At Atkins Drive, you can turn left to visit the Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery.
After your visit (or if you are not visiting Maple Moon) , head west on Atkins Drive.
Turn left on Cedar Valley Road and drive about 6 miles to Evergreen Trail. (Be careful. Cedar Valley Road jogs a little. At one point, Cedar Valley Road joins Click Road for a moment. Then, Cedar Valley Road turns off to the right. Follow that turn. Click here to see this tricky intersection on Google Maps.)
Turn right onto Evergreen Trail.
Turn left on River Road. Follow River Road for about 5 miles. (Be careful. River Road jogs slightly. When you get to Bear River Drive, you will turn left. Then, quickly turn right again to return to River Drive.)
Turn Right onto a road that may be labeled as C-B1 or M-75 or Shore Drive. This road takes you into Walloon Village.
Walloon Village to Boyne Mountain Resort
After enjoying the Walloon Village area, hop onto US-131 South for about 7 miles.
Turn right on M-75 North.
Make a left on Mountain Pass Road and drive into the resort area.
Boyne Mountain Resort back to Charlevoix
After enjoying the mountaintop views and other fun activities at Boyne Mountain Resort, take M-75 towards Boyne City.
After enjoying the small town of Boyne City, you can head North to Wildwood Rush for ziplining and canopy tours. (Click here for Google Map Instructions to Wildwood Rush.)
From Boyne City, head south on Front Street which will eventually become Lake Shore Drive.
Circle around Lake Charlevoix on Lake Shore Drive. Lake Shore Drive will eventually change names to Ferry Road. And, Ferry Road leads you right to the Ironton Ferry dock.
There, you and your vehicle can enjoy a brief-but-memorable ride on the historic Ironton Ferry.
On the other side, catch M-66 and head North into Charlevoix.
Enjoy Your Fall Color Tour!
We hope your family enjoys this fall color tour through Northern Michigan. We think it is the perfect tour for families because it combines beauty with adventure and include lots of opportunities for side excursions.
Would your family enjoy a fall color tour like this? Let us know in the comments!
REMINDER: Don’t forget to pin this post for future reference.
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Amazing article! You covered so much material! Fall in Michigan sounds (and looks) beautiful! I’d love the walk at Little Traverse Wheelway!
The Little Traverse Wheelway is so neat!!! The small portion that we walked featured great views and this wonderful small historic church building. And, we barely walked any of it! Next time we go, I want to bring our bicycles so we can ride the entire stretch.
So much amazing info! I want to visit these places, even if I can’t make it in the fall. Beautiful photos!
Yes! Beautiful (and fun) places to visit year round! I have visited all of these places in the summer and the fall, and they were wonderful during both seasons. Also, Boyne Mountain is a ski resort so you know that would be a ton of fun in the winter season.
I wish I could drop everything and go up there right now! Such a beautiful area, and I really haven’t experienced it in the fall. I’ve heard of the Maple Moon Sugarbush and really want to visit there since it blends two of my favorite foods into one—maple syrup and wine!
I cant believe how changed your leaves are already! Thanks for including a map, I wasnt sure exactly how far north this all was!
The leaves in your pictures are gorgeous! Our leaves are just now starting to change. I’m wondering if ours will be as pretty as they were last year. I like all the information you’ve provided for people to find the fall foliage and activities. Great guide!
I do want to see the color but those little houses fascinate me!
We drive by the Charlevoix Mushroom Houses every single time we visit Northern Michigan. They are absolutely enchanting!
Northern Michigan sounds like a beautiful and fun place to visit! Thank you for sharing so much information. 😀 It’s very helpful for traveling to unknown places.
Northern Michigan sounds like a beautiful and fun place to visit! Thank you for sharing so much information. 😀 It’s very helpful for traveling to unknown places.
I am so glad you found the information helpful! Thank you for reading and commenting!
It looks so beautiful there! I definitely want to go see some of those mushroom houses!
Aren’t the Charlevoix Mushroom Houses adorable? They are worth a visit during any season!
I LOVE this area! I’ve never been during the Fall but I want to! The pictures are amazing!
Thanks, Kerri! We love this area, too… especially in summer and fall!
Getting ready to go to Petoskey tomorrow for a week. This information is wonderful. Looking forward to it. Thank you
Enjoy your visit! The Petoskey/Charlevoix area is my favorite Michigan vacation destination.