5 Great Stops for a Healthy and Fun Day in Petoskey
Julie Bitely
| 3 min read
Whether your idea of fun is getting active outdoors, curling up with a good book, shopping or dining, Petoskey has it all. Nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, in northwest lower Michigan, the resort town provides a scenic setting for a wonderful Pure Michigan kind of day. Here are our top picks for what to see and do if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Petoskey for the day.
Fuel up Start the day right with a healthy breakfast to go from Eco Smoothie Café, 200
Petoskey Street. Healthy options abound at this tiny little shop, which features a fun display of vintage blenders. Let the nostalgia wash over you and order up a filling smoothie with your choice of protein, fruits and veggies, and additives such as Emergen-C.
Petoskey Street. Healthy options abound at this tiny little shop, which features a fun display of vintage blenders. Let the nostalgia wash over you and order up a filling smoothie with your choice of protein, fruits and veggies, and additives such as Emergen-C.
Photo credit: Julie Bitely
Hit the trail Bring your bike and get ready to ride! The Little Traverse Wheelway bike path runs from Charlevoix to Harbor Springs with Bay Harbor and Petoskey in between. Pick up the trail from Petoskey for beautiful views of Little Traverse Bay. Find a trail map and more info here.
Time for lunch! Petoskey has so many great dining options, it was hard to narrow it down to just one. However, there’s just something special about American Spoon Café, 413 East Lake Street. The casual farm-to-table eatery offers a historic view of Pennsylvania Park and serves 24 flavors of authentic, house-made gelato. Start with tomato gazpacho soup or heirloom tomato and peach salad and split one of the cafe’s sandwiches or featured tacos. A neighboring American Spoon retail store, 411 East Lake Street, carries the company’s naturally delicious fruit preserves. Buy some to share with friends back home.
Photo credit: Julie Bitely
Be a Hemingway history buff As a boy, literary giant Ernest Hemingway spent summers swimming, fishing, and boating just south of Petoskey at his family’s Walloon Lake cottage. His formative years and time spent living in Petoskey as a young man, informed his writing. The Petoskey area was the inspiration and setting for many of his short stories. The Little Traverse History Museum, 100 Depot Court, has a full display about Hemingway’s time in Michigan and you can also tour Hemingway’s Michigan to check out other nearby areas that were haunts of his.
Take a healthy shopping break Now that you’ve taken in some of the scenery, head back to Petoskey’s downtown for tons of boutique shopping opportunities. While you’re close by, check out the Grain Train, 220 E. Mitchell Street, a natural food market cooperative that’s the area’s only USDA certified organic retail grocery store. Seaweed snacks, chocolate covered quinoa, fluorescent pink beet hummus, and a wide variety of kombucha drinks are just a sampling of the unique merchandise you can expect. Grab a healthy snack or a meal at the store’s deli, complete with hot bar and salad bar options.
Love Petoskey? Tell us your favorite things to do in this picturesque Michigan gem of a town.
Photo credit: gbozik photography
