Winter: It’s practically a Hallmark movie around here. Downtown Harbor Springs was, after all, featured on Hallmark’s Christmas Cam. Our towns are dressed in their winter whites, and people flock to the area for skiing and sightseeing. There’s an undeniable romance-movie vibe in the air.
Sadly, some visitors and would-be visitors aren’t sure what to do in the Petoskey area during the winter months. Sure, the frozen bay is gorgeous, and you can see ice fishers out in droves. Yes, local restaurants are offering hearty meals, and the local breweries overflow with delicious dark beers. But how do locals spend their time as the snow piles up and sunlight is scarcer?
Friends, there’s so much to do in northern Michigan during the winter. We have fun all year round, and we’re here to help you find your place in our winter wonderland. Whether we’re skiing, surfing (really), bowling, making art, catching a flick, or curled up on the couch with an amazing book, we’ve found all sorts of ways to entertain ourselves as the temps drop and the snow drifts.
Tip #1: Enjoy the great outdoors.
Getting outside during the colder months can get your blood pumping and raise your spirits. The Outfitter of Harbor Springs is ready to help you select the gear and clothing to enjoy snowy winters in the Petoskey area. Photo credit: The Outfitter of Harbor Springs
Emily Keen of The Outfitter at Harbor Springs has one message to share about enjoying winter: Get outdoors.
“Staying inside, you see the same old things every day,” Keen said. “It kind of makes you stir crazy. By getting outside you get fresh air and a change of scenery. Moving my body always seems to boost my mood and help me get through winter.”
During the snowy months, Keen takes the time to ski, hike, and walk her dog. She does a lot of downhill skiing, and her family alternates between Nub’s Nob and The Highlands at Harbor Springs. When she’s out on cross-country skis, you can find her at Little Traverse Conservancy properties, like the Consuelo Diane and Charles L. Wilson Reserve.
The Outfitter provides a ton of great options to rent or buy snowshoes and skis of all types, including skate, telemark, alpine touring, and backcountry cross-country skis. They also stock outdoor clothing and gear to support winter adventures.
For hikers, or people like me who refuse to put on their perfectly functional snowshoes for no good reason, cleats that slip on over shoes can be helpful to navigate icy trails, or even sidewalks. The Outfitter sells YakTrax for just those occasions.
Wintry vistas await those who brave the elements. The Offield Family Viewlands offer spectacular views, as advertised, and, along with Tanton Family Reserve, great opportunities for fat-tire biking. Staff and volunteers groom trails at Goodhart Farms Nature Preserve and The Hill Nature Preserve. Elmer Johnston Nature Preserve is a fun one to snowshoe. In Boyne City, Avalanche Preserve is always a wonderful place to hike up and see wintry Lake Charlevoix in all its glory.
Ice fishing and even surfing are popular in the Petoskey area during winter. However, Keen suggested that newcomers approach these activities with experienced guides and proper equipment to get the most out of the experience.
“My number one advice is invest in the right gear,” Keen finished. “There’s really no bad weather, just weather you’re unprepared for. And if you didn’t grow up doing winter sports it can be kind of intimidating, so finding a community to help you get out there is a great idea.”
Tip #2: Make stuff
Michigan Fibershed’s Nadine Basile stands in front of hundreds of skeins of yarn at her Boyne City store. She finds her customers are drawn to bright colors in the winter, when the view outside can be kind of drab. Photo credit: Jen DeMoss
On a long winter’s night in front of a roaring fireplace, you could stare contemplatively into the leaping flames and ponder life. But, if you’re like me, you can’t stand having idle hands.
Neither can Nadine Basile, owner of Boyne City’s Michigan Fibershed. Her store is a splash of color in an otherwise drab winter landscape. As soon as you enter the bright space, you’re drawn to the squishy, ethereal yarns that line the walls.
Michigan Fibershed recently moved to its new location at 211 Front Street in downtown Boyne City, and folks have had no problem finding this purveyor of fine yarns, weaving materials, and other craft and gift items. She’s intentionally cultivated a community space to welcome people and help them learn and practice fiber arts. When I walked in, about 10 knitters were sitting around a table working on their projects. Plentiful class offerings and open stitch times keep visitors and locals coming through the door.
Basile loves to keep her hands moving on a craft project during the winter months. “I think having something to keep you occupied helps with seasonal depression when everything is so grey up north. Knitting, crocheting, and other fiber arts are known to connect both sides of your brain and make you feel calmer.”
She’s noticed her customers are drawn to brighter colored yarn, which she carries in abundance, during winter to contrast with the drabness outdoors.
The Dutch Oven Yarn Shop is another great local business to visit, and best of all, you can squish all their glorious fiber offerings. It’s located in the same building as the Dutch Oven Bakery. Grab yarn for a mid-winter project, a Linzer torte for dessert later, and enjoy your cozy winter afternoon.
There’s more to the Petoskey area maker scene than knitting, crocheting, or weaving gorgeous textiles. Many artisans call northern Michigan home, a fact that’s obvious once you step into Crooked Tree Arts Center in downtown Petoskey. Along with fabulous art exhibitions, live events, and gifts, Crooked Tree offers art classes for all ages.
Learn to cook, sew, paint, draw, print, or collage. Just in town for the weekend? Try a free Open Studio drop-in class on a Saturday, with family-friendly activities that have included shadow puppets, wax-resist art, collage, pastels, and watercolors. Or hit Elder Piper Beer & Cider the first Thursday of every month for Art Club.
Boyne Arts Center is another great spot for one-day and ongoing art classes. Learn to paint with wool or other materials, bring your kids to special craft days, and explore Boyne City’s art scene.
Tip #3: Spend time in another world
When it snows, McLean & Eakin looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale. Once you get hooked by the revolving displays in their front windows, you won’t be able to resist heading inside and finding that perfect winter read. Photo credit: Jen DeMoss
Sure, you may not be able to take a break from snow in real life. But you can escape it in your mind. When you pick up a book or catch a great film, you can pretend that intimidating mountain of snow outside your door doesn’t exist for a while.
Kelsie King-Duff, McLean & Eakin Booksellers’ event coordinator, said winter is the time of year when patrons are clamoring for cozy reads.
“A lot of visitors ask us how we get through winter,” she said. “I always tell them you have to have an activity, and reading is a great activity. Go outside, burn off some energy skiing or snowshoeing, then settle down with a good book.”
She noted that a lot of New Year’s Resolutions involve reading goals, and many of McLean & Eakin’s staff have them. Some avid readers set goals to get through a book per week, to start a monthly book club, or to get into a new genre.
“Winter is a good time for those really thick books,” King-Duff said. “When you get something that’s 700 pages, you can get totally absorbed in the world and forget the snow. It’s different than summertime, when you want a beach read you can finish in a weekend.”
She suggested setting up a nice, cozy spot in your vacation rental to get immersed in book world and let winter fade away. Grab a nice cup of herbal tea from the huge selection at the Grain Train, or a pastry from Gilda’s Lake Street Bakery to nibble on, and cozy up in an armchair to read the dark winter evening away. Our handy guide to local bookshops will help you find great reads no matter where in the Petoskey area you’re visiting.
Jodi Haven, the Petoskey District Library’s assistant director, loves to put together 3D puzzles during the winter. She mentioned the library is starting a vinyl record collection, which vinyl enthusiasts will be thrilled to peruse. For families looking for something to do during the winter, she suggested checking out the Events Page for Music Monday, Evening Playground, Storytime, tween craft afternoons, and teen hangouts. Adults can find classes, film series, music, clubs, and games. Make local friends and memories while you’re in town!
Reading isn’t the only escape available to you. Lyric Theatre in Harbor Springs is a great way to spend a winter’s evening, watching a flick with snacks in a cozy setting. Petoskey Cinema is another great venue for the newest films. Great Lakes Center for the Arts hosts movies, bands, and plays throughout the colder months.
While winter in the Petoskey area can seem daunting, there are still so many activities to enjoy, plenty of events to attend, and lots of businesses and community members who can help you find your niche. Forget the snow or embrace it, and come visit!
About the Author: Jen DeMoss is a newcomer to the Petoskey area, and she loves all things northern Michigan. You can catch her paddling a canoe, hiking a trail, or swimming in Lake Michigan as often as the weather cooperates. She’d love to help you make the most of your time in this paradise she now calls home.