A Long Weekend Up North, Done Right
Three nights. Four days. A mountain to climb, a waterpark to explore, and local towns that will make your kids ask if you can move here. Here's how to make the most of it.
Northern Michigan has always been a family place, where the lake house story starts, and your kids eventually bring their own kids.
Boyne Mountain sits right in the middle of all of it. You've got enough on the property to fill a week, and enough within an hour's drive to never run out of new places. This itinerary gives you both.
Settle In, Then Explore
You pulled off the drive. Check in, drop the bags, and resist the urge to try to do everything immediately. Day one is about landing softly and getting your bearings.
Check in and walk the Village
Get the lay of the land before anything else. The Village loop from your room to Deer Lake takes about 20 minutes at kid pace — long enough to scope out the waterpark entrance and decide who's doing the zipline.
Deer Lake boat cruise
The Miss Donna fits eight passengers, with a captain included. One hour on Deer Lake is the perfect first-night slow-down. Book in advance; spots fill fast on summer weekends.
Dinner at the resort, early night
You're here for three more days. Don't blow everyone out on night one. Eat on property, get the little ones to bed, and let the big kids decompress with a walk around the resort.
All Mountain, All Day
This is the day you came for. Full send on everything Boyne Mountain has to offer. It's a lot, so let the kids pick the order.
SkyBridge Michigan
Ride the scenic chairlift to the summit and walk the world's longest timber-towered suspension bridge. The glass-panel floor section earns a reaction from every age group. All-day access with one ticket, so you can go back at golden hour if you want a different vibe.
Zipline or scenic cart
Our zipline tour is an all-thrill, no-skill activity for anyone between 60-250 lbs. For families with younger kids or grandparents in tow, a 6-person scenic electric cart covers the whole property without anyone running out of steam.
Avalanche Bay Waterpark
Give the afternoon to the waterpark. Michigan's favorite indoor waterpark is right here on property. The lazy river is genuinely lazy, but the big slides satisfy the thrill-seekers. Budget two to three hours minimum.
Beach at Deer Lake
After the waterpark, the Deer Lake beach is a natural cooldown. Quieter, open air, and there's a beach house restaurant right there if anyone's running low on fuel.
Explore the Area
Northern Michigan earns its reputation mostly outside the resort. Day three is for getting outside Boyne Mountain. Pick one or two of these and take your time.
Charlevoix
Walk the bridge, catch some sun at Depot Beach, and grab lunch on Bridge Street. If you have younger kids, the Mushroom Houses are always a hit — Earl Young's boulder homes along Clinton Street look like something out of a storybook.
Petoskey
Hit the Gaslight District for lunch and shopping, or Petoskey State Park for Petoskey stone hunting on the beach. Kids who find a Petoskey stone feel as if they have discovered something. Technically, they did — they're Michigan's state stone.
Boyne Valley Trail
If the family runs on two wheels, the paved Boyne Valley Trail runs from the resort all the way into downtown Boyne City. Rent bikes at the Adventure Center and make it a round trip, or grab lunch in town and ride back.
Mackinac Island
Worth it for a full day if you have older kiddos. Ferry from Mackinaw City or St. Ignace, no cars on the island, bikes everywhere, fudge mandatory. Plan to leave by 8am and you'll get a full day without the worst of the crowds.
Slow Exit, No Regrets
Checkout doesn't have to be the end of the trip. Most properties have a late checkout option, and the resort keeps moving whether you're checked in or not.
One more activity
Horseback riding runs in the morning and is an easy, low-key way to spend the last few hours on property. Or hit the disc golf course.
Checkout, lunch in Boyne City
Boyne City is five minutes down the road and a perfect last stop before the drive home. Good lunch options, a waterfront park on Lake Charlevoix, and a farmers market on Saturday mornings if your timing works out.
Three nights go fast up north. The secret is not trying to cram it all in. There's always a reason to come back, and northern Michigan tends to make sure you find one.
Ready to plan your trip? Browse summer packages and availability at Boyne Mountain — including the Splash & Stay package for families, making Avalanche Bay a centerpiece of the trip.
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