This blog post may contain affiliate links, which may reward me in the event of a sale. I use these funds to reinvest in my blog and to create more great content like this article to share with you! My visit to Charlevoix was sponsored by Visit Charlevoix, however all thoughts & opinions are my own. Disclaimer here.
Every winter, we love to plan a family friendly winter getaway in Northern Michigan. Last winter, it was to the UP where we spent time in Ironwood. The year before, we started the new year out in Detroit (not Northern Michigan but we needed to switch things up that year), and before that, we rang in the new year with friends in Traverse City.
Now, as much as I’d like to say we embrace winter… well… we actually just tolerate it. Every year I think it’s going to be easier and I’ll be used to it – especially as a native Michigander. But it’s hard without investing in snowmobiles or expensive skills like skiing. And, some winters are tricky with little snow.
In searching for the best destination to travel to this winter, we came across a destination that offered winter fun my whole family would love!
- Winter water rafting?! Yes! This is something I always wanted to do!
- A candlelit hike to Lake Michigan? Sounds both fun & beautiful!
- Sledding right in town thanks to a free sled library? That’s awesome we can save space in the car not pulling a sled around!
- A spacious outdoor hot tub at the hotel we eyed that’s open year round? Oh yeah!!!!
This winter getaway takes us back to beautiful Charlevoix. While it’s a small town and one known for all there is to do in summer, it’s actually a great destination to enjoy in winter as well with lots of winter activities!
Come along with us and see how you can also plan a family friendly winter getaway to Charlevoix!
Summary of our Family Friendly Winter Getaway to Northern Michigan
When: Weekend during Winter
Why: In our quest to embrace winter as much as we can, we chose to spend a weekend in Charlevoix. Here we took advantage of several easy to do winter activities that didn’t require skill or tons of money.
Time Traveled (one way): 1 hour from Traverse City, 2.5 hours from Grand Rapids, 3 hours from Lansing, 3.5 hours from Kalamazoo, 4 hours from Detroit, 4.5 hours from Toledo, 5.5 hours from Chicago
Time Spent at Destination: 3 days, 2 nights
Budget: $$$ (Hotel, gas, dining out, winter rafting, wine tasting)
Family Friendly Winter Getaway to Northern Michigan Details
With over average 120 inches of snowfall in Charlevoix each winter, we knew what we were getting into. And we traveled up north shortly after a big snowstorm swept through much of Michigan. So embracing winter is something we absolutely had in store! And you will find many ways to embrace this season within my article. Plus some great places to eat while in the area – places that are both historic or new within the past year!
First Day – Arrival, Getting Active, Then Settling Down
The Argonne House
The first stop of our getaway after dropping off our luggage at The Earl was dinner at The Argonne House. We chose to dine at The Argonne House during this trip for many reasons. First, it’s conveniently located within minutes to Mt McSauba making it a nice stop to fill up before our candlelit hike. Second, I’ve heard great reviews about this place and their famous shrimp dinners. So I knew I needed to try it during this visit. And third, the history behind this restaurant!
While the current Argonne House was rebuilt in 2018, it was brought back to look as the building originally did back in 1925. Back then, the building was a dance hall that existed for many years.
It gets its name from World War One, where the business owner named it after his brother who passed away during a battle in France’s Argonne Forest.
Then, in 1948, the new owners started the restaurants shrimp dinners and created a Cole slaw recipe that is used to this day! While the ownership has changed over, it’s amazing to dine at a restaurant that sees success in keeping some things constant over the decades – allowing generations to enjoy the same taste and style of food their earlier relatives enjoyed!
So, yes- I definitely got the shrimp dinner! The dinner was served with potatoes and a vegetable, which was broccoli at this time. To start, all meals also come with bread and that famous Cole slaw!
If you aren’t a seafood person, that’s ok! There’s also crowd pleasers like burgers. And there is a kids menu too.
Reservations are available as well but there is also plenty of seating with both dining room and bar settings available.
Mt McSauba: Candlelit Winter Hike
Following dinner, we headed to Mt McSauba for the Friday evening candlelit hiking trail to Lake Michigan. This is something hosted by the city every Friday evening between 5pm and 8pm during winter.
For this activity, we parked in the sledding hill parking lot – which we discovered is something else families might want to take advantage of as there are lights. In the parking lot, we put on our snow pants and heavy boots. If you own snowshoes or cross country ski, those activities are also welcome here.
While the trail varies each week, it’s easy to find the route to take as there are signs pointing to the trailhead. From there, the lanterns light the rest of the way. The trail goes for about a mile and loops out to Lake Michigan and back. Sometimes there’s even a fire out along the lake to warm up at. But this time, the fire and hot cocoa stations were waiting for us back by the sledding hill.
It was a magical experience and the lanterns did a phenomenal job lighting the way! Winston even walked the whole way (glad he saved up for it with the long car ride up and then dinner). It is a great activity to get those wiggles out!
An Evening Swim & Hot Tub Dip at Hotel Earl
Once back at the Earl, we changed into our swimsuits to check out the hotel pool and hot tub. What a great way to wind down after a very cold activity!
The pool and hot tub are located on the first floor. The pool is maintained at a comfortably warm temperature year round. There is a changing room and seats around the pool. All around the pool are large garage type doors with windows to the outside. During the summer months, the Earl opens those doors up making the pool both indoor and outdoor!
Their hot tub is a slam dunk! To get to the hot tub, we had to open the door and walk about 20-30 feet away in the freezing cold to the hot tub. Worth it! Once in the hot tub, it was super refreshing and kept a comfortable temperature that’s not too hot for little ones, yet keeps you easily warmed from the biting cold.
There are jets available too with the button outside of the tub.
Winston and I stayed in the tub for about 20 minutes while Tony went back to the room to relax. I carried a bag with our room key and my phone and left it outside the hot tub. Well… unfortunately when Winston and I got out of the hot tub, the temperature was so cold, the room key didn’t let us back in the pool area! Thank goodness I had my phone! I called Tony who rushed down to save us from the cold – or being having to wait for someone else to decide to hot tub that evening.
Second Day – A Jam Packed Day of Adventures!
Jordan Valley Outfitters
After a quick breakfast in the hotel lobby, we were off on the second leg of our family friendly winter getaway to Northern Michigan. We ventured out from Charlevoix, east along M66 to East Jordan for our winter rafting experience with Jordan Valley Outfitters.
For over 20 years, Jordan Valley Outfitters has been hosting these trips taking adventurous guests along the Jordan River in winter.
Excursions start off at the shop at 311 N Lake St, East Jordan where you check in. If you didn’t carry hot hands/feet, this is a good spot to buy some (you’ll need them!). Here you can also purchase a waterproof case for your phone and use the restroom one last time before the journey.
From there, you’ll load up on a bus where you are dropped off near Graves Crossing to start! The guides gather your group together to go over the couple of rules that exist to keep you and everyone safe. These rules include to paddle forward or backwards when instructed and to duck when you come across a low hanging branch. That’s about it!
The Winter Rafting Journey and Experience
The rafts are heavy duty with no risk of popping if they hit ice along the journey, which we certainly did several times. Throughout the entire experience, it was all very calm and serene. Yes, there was the paddling and ducking as expected but it was so gentle and peaceful. We were extremely lucky when we traveled north after several days of heavy snow that blanketed the trees. Much of that snow still lingered on the trees throughout the journey which looked absolutely picture perfect.
Along the way, you may spot different wildlife like beavers, otters, ducks, foxes, deer and more. You may also spot one of the very few locals that live along the Jordan River. We did! Since the land surrounding the river is state owned, only people who owned land here before state ownership can continue to do so.
Halfway through the experience, we stopped for hot drinks & snacks. The options are tea, cider, or hot cocoa. All three of us chose cider. During the stop, it’s a great time for photos!!
Then, back into the rafts we go! In total, the journey took about two hours for us. And it ends about two miles down river where the bus picks you back up and drops you off at the shop.
Winter rafting with Jordan Valley Outfitters take place every weekend between December & mid March. You can reserve it online or via phone. Tickets cost $47 for adults & kids age 13+ are. Kids age 4-8 are $17.50; 9-12 are $20.50.
Taking Young Kids Winter Rafting with Jordan Valley Outfitters
And if anyone’s wondering specifically how our son did… he started out complaining a bit. But that was because he didn’t have a paddle and everyone else had one.
He did complain about the cold a bit despite multiple layers including merino wool long johns, regular clothes, snow pants, coat, double layered hat and heavy mittens with hot hands in both his mittens and hot feet in his boots. During the second leg of the journey, we covered his legs with the blanket he sat on during the first leg. Then he enjoyed himself!
He also loves cider and is in that phase of asking “why” and “how come” to everything. So during our stop halfway, the guides loved all his curious questions and kindly answered everything.
Tips for enjoying the winter rafting experience with Jordan Valley Outfitters
I’ve compiled my tips to help make sure your winter rafting experience is enjoyable since you will be out in the cold consistently for about 2 hours:
- Carry hot hands and feet – if you forget them, there are some available for purchase at the shop
- Use the restroom at the shop before headed out to the bus. There is a pit potty where the journey ends if you feel you need to go later on.
- Don’t rely on just hot hands and feet – bundle up! Wear a base layer, your warmest outfit, thick socks, waterproof insulated boots, and double lined hat and gloves.
- If you didn’t buy the waterproof case and are nervous to take pictures, it’s ok! There are people taking pictures of you while on the raft and they’ll send a link to the album at no extra charge!
Experiencing winter rafting in northern Michigan needs to be on every Michigander’s bucket list!
The Happy Troll
By the time we got back to Charlevoix after our rafting experience, we were famished! Lunch time for us!
For this, we popped into The Happy Troll – a newer restaurant in downtown Charlevoix that’s family owned and opened in May 2023. It gets its name from being close to the drawbridge and is decked in bright nautical decorations. There is both a bar and dining area to eat at if you choose to eat at The Happy Troll – which is what we did. But there’s also a counter service and a bakery if you want to order takeout.
We ordered a burger and a half soup and sandwich. For Winston, we got a hot dog and fries from the kids menu. Tony raved about his burger and said it was huge and filling.
Definitely a good spot to stop at when visiting downtown Charlevoix!
Friske’s Farm Market
After fueling up, we headed to Friske’s Farm Market a couple miles south of Charlevoix. Last fall, we visited Friske’s, but since then, they built a brand new, massive marketplace complete with an indoor play place for kids!
Friske’s has been a northern Michigan mainstay for seasonal activities with an indoor farm market, bakery and cafe for decades. And now, all those same things coexist in a massive, new building complete with gift shop and treehouse themed indoor playground. The treehouse is designed for kids between 2-8 years and costs $5 a child.
The playground is fenced in with a gate to enter and exit. Parents should provide supervision at all times. There is a cozy spot for parents to sit at by its entrance. Covered beverages can be consumed by parents and kids in the sitting area only. If you didn’t carry water, there’s plenty of apple cider, other juices and coffee available for sale here.
While Tony watched Winston make friends and get his wiggles out, I walked around the market checking everything out. One thing I noticed is the couple of historic relics they have on display with signage by them. First is a polished up John Deer tractor from 1937 near all the apples. And over by the coffee station is a vintage apple cider press made by Boomer and Boschert in Syracuse, NY in the 1800s. Both of these historic relics also include information that explains how important these antiques are the Friske family and why they have them. It was a nice, classy touch!
Grey Gables Restaurant
Our final stop of the evening was to another historic restaurant in Charlevoix. Grey Gables Restaurant resides in an old Victorian style building built in 1875, but has been open as a restaurant since 1936.
The interior of the restaurant is broken out into different rooms which added a cozy and elegant vibe to it. The room we dined in had a fire going and it felt like we were invited into a relative’s house.
The menu is full of white tablecloth staples like filet minion, which is what I ordered here. The chefs and owners of the Grey Gables are both Culinary Institute of America graduates with over a decade of experience. My husband went with the salmon which he gushed over how delicious it was. Even Winston enjoyed his meal of chicken fingers and fries.
Kids meals are available and to keep the little ones entertained, the restaurant offers both coloring and Wikki Stix to pass the time.
Our waitress was absolutely wonderful and spent a lot of time talking to our son, answering his inquisitive questions!
And after dinner, we made room to split a chocolate puff pastry with vanilla ice cream. As my dad always jokes, ice cream easily fills in all the cracks in your stomach!
Some tips to help you plan your visit here. One, there isn’t a parking lot here. Plan on finding street parking which was easily available when we visited in the winter, but might be another story in the summer. And two, reservations are accepted! Excellent to plan ahead if you want to dine here. Even in winter, they were busy with nearly every table taken.
Third Day – Women Owned Local Businesses and Other Easy Ways to Embrace Winter
Harwood Gold
Once we checked out from the Earl, we headed into town to grab breakfast. For that, we parked on the street and headed into Harwood Gold. Harwood Gold is a family owned local business that’s been making maple syrup at the same farm in Charlevoix for five generations and traces their family lineage back to England. Today, Harwood Gold is run by two sisters Amber and Katie.
They own both the downtown cafe and gift shop plus the Harwood Gold Maple Syrup Farm which dates back to 1898! The gift shop is filled with bottles of their maple syrup plus other gifts and souvenirs. Altogether the vibe of the shop is both rustic and inviting with two tables by the window lining the right side of the shop. And the tables filled with goodies available to purchase on the left.
All of Harwood Gold’s menu items are able to be eaten on site or as takeaway. While I ordered one of their limited time, healthy smoothie bowls to split with my son, Tony ordered a lamb and vegetable meat pie, which is similar to a UP pastie. However, meat and veggie filled pies are served here to draw that connection to the family’s British roots.
There are also traditional lattes and specialty options available to order. I went with a cinnamon chai latte, which was so tasty and just what I needed to warm me up from the inside for our next activity.
East Park Sledding
… which was sledding! Just next to Harwood Gold across the street is East Park. East Park is a green space and picnic area that leads down to a pedestrian walkway by the lake and docks for boats. In the winter, East Park houses a free sled library with sleds of all shapes and sizes.
This initiative started in 2021 with a grant as part of a way to encourage residents and visitors to embrace winter in downtown Charlevoix.
Just by the sledding hill is a large photogenic snowflake to snap your family’s picture in front of. And at night that same snowflake lights up at night.
Blu Dot Farm and Vineyard
After a half hour of sledding, we headed to our final stop before headed back home – Blu Dot Farm and Vineyard! This winery and vineyard is one of Michigan’s newest wineries.
This is one of the few wineries in Michigan that is woman owned and operated, which is a draw for me as I love supporting women owned businesses! Along with that, this farm has history to it. Originally an asparagus farm, it then became an equestrian training facility in the 1960s. Until finally, in 2018, it changed ownership and its first vineyard planted a year later.
When researching this winery, I originally thought we’d be rolling up to a vineyard with a vintage air stream in the middle of it where we’d do our tasting. But turns out, we made it out before the website was updated to show off Blu Dot’s all new tasting room!
The new tasting room has enough room to fit about 15-20 people comfortably with two tables, jewel colored velvet couches and bar seating by the register. Circular rugs dot the walkway up to the counter, and there’s a large shelf displaying the wineries bottles available for sale.
During the winter, Blu Dot is open for tastings, reservation free, Friday to Sunday. And is available for tastings by reservation on Wednesday and Thursday. Call, text or email to set this up. Tasting options include 3 wines for $15 or all of the wines (6) plus a cider for $28. You can even split the wine in half and try it out with a partner if you opt to taste all seven. (That’s what we did!) Wine by the glass and bottle sales are also available.
Where to Stay: The Earl of Charlevoix
I’m very excited to say we stayed at The Earl of Charlevoix. This boutique hotel pairs its unique history with modern necessities and perks quite well.
Built in 1959 by legendary Charlevoix builder and self taught architect Earl Young, it originally was known as the Weathervane Lodge. The Weathervane existed until its redesign in 2019. After that, it rebranded as The Earl. During the redesign, the hotel added a third floor onto its original two plus a rooftop bar.
But fellow history lovers rejoice- elements of the original Weathervane Lodge remain including the enormous beaverstone out front and the lobby’s fireplace.
When you pull up to the Earl, you may notice there’s not a ton of parking available. Enough for maybe 20-25 cars? If you happen to arrive when all the spots are taken, you can park parallel along the side streets for free too.
Upon entering the lobby to check in, I was greeted by notes of art deco décor with the eclectic starburst shaped lighting and dark colors contrasting with shiny gold finishes. The lobby is cozy with several different seating options – tables, a couch with coffee table, tall tables, long tall tables and a bar attached to the desk where check in is.
Our Room at The Earl of Charlevoix
Once we checked in at 4pm and grabbed our luggage, we headed up to our room on the 3rd floor by way of the elevator. After a couple left turns, we made it to the room – the Jennie Suite!
This suite contains a spacious living room area with two couches, a TV, and refrigerator with a mural on the wall. One of the couches folds out to an additional queen sized bed. Facing opposite of the entrance is the balcony with sliding glass doors. When standing on the balcony or looking out the windows, this room has an impressive view overlooking the lake and downtown Charlevoix in the distance.
Continuing on past that is the bedroom with a cozy king size bed. Within this room, there are windows on two sides with both light blocking and more translucent curtains. The bedroom also has a TV in it.
And the bathroom is gorgeous! It alone is big enough to be another bedroom. With clean black and white details, there’s a huge shower in the room plus double sinks. And hanging in the back of the bathroom door was a robe waiting for us.
Amenities at the Earl of Charlevoix
There’s a number of amenities to enjoy during a visit at The Earl. Some of the amenities are open seasonally so I’m listing them all below but going more into detail on what we used:
- Complimentary breakfast in the lobby
- Hi Bar / Lo Bar – bar service that’s available for drinks and light bitings in the summer (Hi bar) and when the Hi bar is not open (Lo bar)
- Outdoor jacuzzi
- Indoor pool
- Fitness Center with Peloton bike
- EV charging stations (2)
- Shuttle Van
- Refrigerators in the guest rooms
- Free Wifi
- Bluetooth connected alarm clocks and USB charging ports
- Plush robes
The Earl of Charlevoix is definitely one of the best family friendly hotels to book in Northern Michigan. The indoor pool and hot tub were some of my son’s favorite things about our hotel. He also loved the spacious guest rooms and the USB charging ports. This allowed us to easily charge some of his toys up while out on our adventures.
The continental breakfast in the lobby is relatively simple but delicious. There are some pastries, yogurt, Bob’s Red Mill oatmeal with toppings to add. Plus there is a waffle station too. And in the lobby there is a latte machine that uses local coffee from Viking Coffee in Traverse City.
Complete Itinerary for the Family Friendly Winter Getaway to Northern Michigan
Day One:
- 4pm: Check into the Hotel Earl
- 4:30pm: Dinner at The Argonne House
- 5:30pm: Visit Mt McSauba to go in a candlelit hike to Lake Michigan
- 6:30pm Head back to the Hotel Earl for swimming and hot tub
Second Day:
- 9am: Breakfast at the hotel
- 10:30am: Check into the winter rafting experience at Jordan Valley Outfitters
- 11-1pm: Winter River Rafting at Jordan Valley Outfitters
- 2pm: Lunch at The Happy Troll
- 3pm: Visit the new built Friske Farm Market for Winston to play in the new indoor playground
- 7pm: Dinner at Grey Gables
Day Three:
- 10am: Enjoy Breakfast from Harwood Gold
- 11am: Go sledding in East Park
- 12pm: Visit the new Blu Dot Farm & Vineyard for wine tasting
Map of Family Friendly Winter Getaway to Charlevoix
Other helpful info to note
Which of the above activities and restaurants require reservations?
Of all the places we visited during this family friendly winter getaway to Charlevoix, the following accepted reservations:
- Argonne House – dining
- Gray Gables Restaurant
- Jordan Valley Outfitters – highly recommend reserving as far in advance as possible
- And obviously, the hotel we stayed at – the Earl of Charlevoix
Are these places open year round? Which of these attractions are open in the winter only?
All of these places are open year-round. However, they look and operate a little differently. For example, Mount McSauba is more of a hiking hill with trails that lead out to Lake Michigan. And Jordan Valley Outfitters rents tubes, canoes, and kayaks to float down the Jordan River on your own terms.
But everything else is open year round! Plus there’s even more attractions open once it warms up. If you’re planning a fall getaway to Charlevoix, check out my family’s itinerary here.
Which of these places are accessible?
The restaurants we dined at and hotel we stayed at are accessible. However, the attractions we chose to do during this getaway were not the most accessible, with limited mobility.
Are there any other indoor attractions open?
Thankfully, there are even more indoor attractions open in Charlevoix than I mentioned in our itinerary. For one, the Charlevoix Public library is quite a gem to check out!
And not to be missed is the Harsha House Museum, which is the area’s local history museum. This place is on my radar for our next visit! We’ve just not been able to find the time to get to it during the past couple getaways to Charlevoix. But this museum houses an original marriage certificate for the famed writer, Ernest Hemingway, plus a massive Petoskey stone I can’t wait to get my eyes on.
There is also Castle Farms available to tour. For more information on that and ways to integrate a visit into your trip, check out my family’s fall getaway itinerary to Charlevoix.
And for a full list of restaurants, lodging and area attractions, make sure to check out the website Visit Charlevoix. You can even work with them directly to help plan your visit!
I hope this inspires you to get out there and explore somewhere new within Northern Michigan!
Happy adventures!
From Michigan with love,
Jackie
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