Bay View, Michigan
Since 1875, the beauty of summer blended with the tradition of Chautauqua.
Bay View was built in 1875 as an American Chautauqua summer community to enrich the lives of those escaping the cities. The tradition has been continued to this day.
On the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Bay View is between the towns of Petoskey and Harbor Springs — both beautiful little spots that have preserved their historic downtowns and nestled into the coast surrounding Little Traverse Bay.
There are 4 “pillars” or programs to Chautauqua: Recreation, Education, Worship and the Arts. This means the summer is filled with activities, learned speakers, guest ministers and musical performances of all types.
Bay View has a core summer community of over 440 beautiful Victorian cottages that range from grand to humble, but almost all well preserved and with big porches to visit with family and neighbors. There are many multi-generation families here, including my own.
You might miss Bay View entirely if you are just driving through on your way to Mackinac Island, but look up to the right after you head east and north out of Petoskey. Pause to see a few of the Victorians overlooking the water or plan on spending a quiet half day wandering the leafy streets and labyrinthine layout. Go for lunch or dinner at the Terrace Inn or Sunday brunch at the Bay View Inn. If you have more time, rent a room or a cottage and stay a week or two. Go to the cooking and yoga classes, listen to the classical and pops concerts or attend Sunday ecumenical service on the peaceful and historic campus in the 1000 seat Hall Auditorium.
Petoskey has a well preserved “Gaslight District” without too many of the t-shirt and fudge shops that are out of control on Mackinac Island. The tourists are known to the locals as “Fudgies”, for obvious reasons. So you are being fudge judged and your intake of unhealthy and delicious temptations will be encouraged. Eat like nobody is watching since the insulin insurrection will not be televised. You might as well go for the full on candy tour at Kilwins.
There is an excellent local bookstore, Mclean and Eakin, which deserves support and plenty of higher end restaurants, many with gorgeous views of the bay. Seek out the beer emporiums like Beards Brewery with a range of local and unusual choices. The City Park Grill looks pretty much like when Ernest Hemingway drank there and features a menu of high quality comfort food. After having said all that, despite my infamous San Francisco snobbery, my favorite dinners (for over 30 years) are the Side Door Saloon’s olive burger (get it with cheese and thank me later) or, a bit further into the countryside, the all-you-can-eat fried chicken or perch at the lost-in-time Dam Site Inn. You. Must. Eat. There.
All of this makes Petoskey a step above the other tourist towns in Michigan. But don’t expect to fit into your bathing suit after the damage is done!
Harbor Springs is smaller and more focussed on catering to the local, rich summer folk, but with a great bookshop, Between the Covers, and an outside terrace for lunch at Stafford’s Pier where you can stare at the obscenely large boats. Discuss better uses for all that money over cold cherry soup and whitefish sandwiches.
Drive straight north out of Harbor Springs on M119 through the Tunnel of Trees to the quirky Polish restaurant from another dimension, Legs Inn. It is technically the “second most iconic restaurant” in Michigan, but you won’t remember the first after a plate of pirogies with sour cream and and the Hunter’s Stew full of sausages and sauerkraut.
Just outside the towns, the countryside quickly turns into rolling hills and farmland. Stop at Bill’s Farm Market for blueberries, strawberries, black cherries and a wide range of local vegetables and flowers. Or stop at any of the roadside stands to get the local, sweet black cherries while they are still in season (only from July 10-July 31 so don’t dawdle!).
Or step into American Spoon in Petoskey for dried fruit, jams and spices. Get on their mailing list and you will never lack for holiday gifts. Try an exotic flavored gelato while you are there.
Petoskey State Park Beach is right in the middle of the coast between Petoskey and Harbor Springs. This beach is great for a short hike through the sand dunes and playing in the (generally) gentle waves that are perfect for small children. Look for the color of the weather conditions flag to make sure it is green — the dark storms that can roll in during the afternoon are impressive to watch from a safe distance.
Leave the car and rent bikes for the day to use the dedicated bike path around the bay. And even in the rain, you can still enjoy the Pirates Cove mini golf with a unique layout the kids won’t soon forget.
My family has owned a cottage here since the 1950’s when my great-grandfather first started coming up from the heat and smoke of Chicago on the overnight train. My nephews still enjoy coming so they can hang out with their grandmother just like I did until plunging into college and first career. That makes a total of 5 generations hanging out on our wide, gracious porch. This is not unusual for a place that evokes a simpler time.
In fact, my mother and father met in Bay View as they lived across the street from each other. My brother and I would visit the two cottages and two sets of family until that generation passed away and sold one of the cottages.
But we still do our best to come up for as long as we can. It is always the goal to overcome wintertime tribulations and return. The last vespers concert of the year always ends with “God Be With You Until We Meet Again”. There’s never a dry eye in the house.
