Time Traveling

Harbor Springs
Anchoring the end of our twenty-six–mile lakeside traipse is Harbor Springs (pop. 1,500), a collage of more Victorian cottages. The community makes life easy for visitors—instead of parking meters, stoplights, and chain establishments, there are art galleries, antiques shops, unique boutiques, and coffeehouses. Grab gourmet chocolate from Kilwin’s or head to the century-old Juilleret’s family restaurant for a meal of planked whitefish followed by the “Thundercloud,” a marshmallow-topped sundae. Or venture to The Pier, anchoring the marina, for a drop-dead view when dining deckside, or spring for a more elite menu in the Pointer Room. Kilwin’s, 231-526-9871; Juilleret’s, 231-526-2821; The Pier, 231-526-6201

It’s the end of the line, but far from the end of leisure opportunities. Little Traverse Bay has kept at bay the braying billboards, tacky mugs, and T-shirt shops known to many tourist traps. Instead, it offers inviting natural vistas of land and lake to explore as the moment moves you, punctuated by villages of almost Norman Rockwell purity—a chance to return to a slower pace and rediscovered pleasures. Count the clouds, count the seagulls, and count your blessings here.