Area Attractions
Conveniently located in beautiful northern Michigan, you’ll find that there are so many things to do while visiting Honcho Rest you may not get enough “resting” into your schedule. Or, you might choose to simply enjoy lounging on our local sandy beaches or around a campfire. Hey, time for a camping trip, don’t you think? Honcho Rest Campground is Michigan outdoors at it's best. Among the things you should consider are golf, fishing, whitewater paddling and swimming. So many local attractions and so much outdoor fun are sure to keep you coming back for more.
We’d like to give you some ideas for excitement while vacationing at Honcho Rest Campground.
River Sports
There are innumerable rivers in the area for canoeing, kayaking or just lazily floating on inner tubes. The Boardman River has a moderate to fast current that provides an enjoyable day of canoeing or kayaking opportunities. The Boardman begins in Kalkaska County and flows southwesterly for 49 miles into Traverse City, emptying into Grand Traverse Bay. The Platte River traverses approximately fourteen miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore through Pere Marquette State Forest. There are several canoe, kayak and inner tube rental locations available for your rafting excursion. The Jordan River is a cold clear stream that runs north through the Jordan Valley into Lake Charlevoix at East Jordan for about 12 miles. The Au Sable is a major tributary to Lake Huron. It drains a north-south basin that includes 1,932 square miles in north-central Lower Michigan. The basin is approximately 90 miles long and 10 to 30 miles wide.
canoemichigan.com
Fishing
You may fish right here on beautiful Bass Lake, but if you are looking for other sweet spots, northern Michigan is the right place! The Au Sable River may just be the finest brown trout fly-fishing east of the Rockies. Nearby Elk Lake, Lake Charlevoix, Torch Lake and Lake Bellaire also offer excellent fishing opportunities. Both the East and West Grand Traverse Bays are an obvious fishing choice.
www.fishweb.com
www.michigan.org/travel/outdoors
www.bucsfishingreport.com/hot_spots
www.flyfishingconnection.com/jordan.html
Golf
We are located just across the street from the Elk Rapids Golf Course. Northern Michigan is home to many renowned golf courses. The Michigan Open is played every year at The Bear at the Grand Traverse Resort, which is also home to The Wolverine and Spruce Run. Other nearby courses include Agaming, Bay Meadows, King's Challenge Golf Club, The Crown Golf Club, Elmbrook Golf Course and The Leelanau Club, the Elk Rapids Golf Course is open to the public and directly accross the street from us, just to name a few.
Elk Rapids Golf Club
Hiking
The VASA trails in Grand Traverse County feature miles of hard-packed and/or wood chip trails for your hiking pleasure. The TART trails in Traverse City are paved for an easy outing on your rollerblades or bike. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore National Park should be a required day trip for all visitors. There are miles of secluded, sandy beaches, hiking trails through the woods and historic farmlands, a sand dune climb, not to mention, many surrounding quaint villages for a delicious picnic lunch or hamburger. (There are no bikes allowed off-road in Sleeping Bear Dunes Park.)
www.vasa.org
www.sleepingbeardunes.com
www.nps.gov/slbe
http://www.hikercentral.com/regions/us/michigan.html
Biking
The VASA trail is unpaved and home to some exciting mountain biking opportunities. The jewel of the trail is the singletrack, which at 13 miles long compromises 65% of the trail; it is a wicked fast and winding trail, but there is something for everyone. The trails are very well marked with detailed maps every few kilometers. The VASA cross-country trails are wider and more suited to beginner riders. There are 2 options, either the 11km (6.8 mi.) or 25 km (15.5) loops. The real highlight of VASA is the extensive network of unmarked trails. These trails spider through the property and conservatively offer another 30 miles of trail.
The ten-mile long TART trail is a paved urban transportation corridor that currently runs between Bunker Hill Road in Acme Township and the M-22/M-72 intersection in Traverse City. The trail runs along Grand Traverse Bay, through downtown Traverse City neighborhoods and the Mitchell Creek watershed and is a favorite of families, visitors, bicyclists and in-line skaters. It connects to the Leelanau Trail that stretches over 15 miles through the last of the Leelanau County railway corridors, connecting to Suttons Bay. The trail route features rolling hills, lush forests, picturesque orchards, peaceful meadows, and an aquatic medley of streams, lakes, and ponds.
www.vasa.org
www.traversetrails.org
http://www.traversetrails.org/leelanau-trail.shtml
Beaches and Swimming
Probably the highlight of any summer vacation to northern Michigan, this is one of the world’s best destinations for fresh water beaches. Our lakes are crystal clear with sugar sand beaches. Most beaches along Lake Michigan offer hours of sun, swimming and searching for Petoskey stones. The public beach in downtown Elk Rapids offers tennis, basketball, a playground, marina services, picnic tables and stunning views. Downtown Traverse City has at least five public beaches on the East and West Bays of Lake Michigan. Venture north towards Charlevoix or Petoskey for more spectacular beaches.
Kids’ Attractions
Pirate’s Cove Putt-Putt Golf
Bounce Arena
Wiggler’s Story Hour at Traverse Area District Library
Indoor Climbing Walls
Great Lakes Children’s Museum
Dennos Museum at NMC
Indoor Carousel or Game Room at Grand Traverse Mall
www.dennosmuseum.org
www.greatlakeskids.org
Shopping and Dining
Like our beaches, our area has such a huge variety of shopping and dining experiences available you couldn’t possibly try them all in one vacation. From the quaint villages of Elk Rapids, Charlevoix and Suttons Bay to the larger areas of Traverse City and Petoskey, you’ll find whatever your heart desires.
www.elkrapidschamber.org
www.mytraversecity.com
