FacebookTop 10 Michigan Family Resorts
Top 10 Michigan Family Resorts Overview
No matter where you go in Michigan, you’re going to find something fantastic. The “Yoopers” will tell you that the Upper Peninsula is heaven, with its lakes and islands; then there are the beaches and rich culture of Traverse City, and spectacular golf in Gaylord. There are plenty of spots for skiing, too, and the snowmobiling is world-class. We suspect that this wide range of activity (we haven’t even begun to list them all) is why it’s so popular for family vacations, and why so many of the resorts here seem to offer…well, almost everything. Here are our Top 10 Michigan Family Resorts!
Grand Traverse Resort - Acme, Michigan
What makes matters even better at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is that all of this is situated on 900 acres, including a private beach on East Grand Traverse Bay. Something about this setting makes the three golf courses, including The Bear by Jack Nicklaus and The Wolverine by Gary Player, even more amazing and somewhat less frightening. There’s also a 100,000-sq.-ft. health club, which isn’t even limited strictly to health; besides the indoor and outdoor tennis courts, cardio theater, yoga studio and more, there’s a lounge with a large screen TV and an arcade. Three accommodation choices – the Tower, with 186 luxury rooms and suites in a 17-story glass tower, a 238-room hotel and 190 beachfront or fairway condominiums – ensure that your Michigan family getaway is suited just for you. Do you still doubt? Stop in and see for yourself!
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Bavarian Inn Lodge of Frankenmuth - Frankenmuth, Michigan
The whole idea of a Michigan family vacation – or a vacation anywhere – is to immerse yourself in a new environment, and in this case it’s a classic Bavarian village. And when it comes to authenticity, you can’t get much closer to Bavaria without going there. From the buildings to the architecture to the people, Frankenmuth and the Bavarian Inn are still clearly connected to the Bavarian missionaries who arrived here in 1845. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty of modern family fun. The inn features five indoor pools and three whirlpools, an 18-hole indoor miniature golf course, a two-story children's village play area and an arcade. There are two German-themed restaurants, free family karaoke and sing-alongs with Willy the Dragon nightly. Bavarian Inn Lodge is not just a vacation with your family – it’s an entirely new family experience!
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Grand Beach/Sugar Beach Resort Hotel - Traverse City, Michigan
It’s rare to find a true beach resort in the Traverse City area, and it’s refreshing to find two of them in such close proximity. And that’s nothing compared to what else they have in common – each has a heated indoor swimming pool and whirlpool. Each has beautiful, comfortable beachfront rooms with private balconies. You start your day at either Grand Beach or Sugar Beach Resort with a free continental breakfast. And at each, you’re just steps away from the serene stretch of private beach, where the sand resembles sugar and the days are made for relaxing and playing in the sun. If you’re bringing a whole group, or if you’re considering a corporate get-together, never fear: the one major difference is that Grand Beach Resort has more than 2,000 sq. ft. of newly-added meeting space, complete with state-of-the-art A/V equipment and both wired and wireless Internet. The meeting facilities are available for guests of both resorts!
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Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa - Thompsonville, Michigan
You’re probably familiar with family entertainment, but here it takes on a whole new dimension. It’s not just golf – it’s 36 holes of golf, plus a renowned golf school with more than 80 courses. You don’t just go swimming in the pool, either. At Crystal Mountain Resort, the pool is 4,200 sq. ft. of fun which starts at zero-depth and goes to three competition-length lap lanes in as much time as you’d care to take. The water playground is fun, too, especially if you’re a kid, and there’s also a sand play area and a 32-ft. climbing wall that doesn’t necessarily require any climbing experience. We haven’t mentioned anything for winter, but we’re about to: how do 45 slopes, terrain parks, a half pipe and more than 40 kilometers of cross country ski trails sound? That’s all here too on Crystal Mountain, and just a part of your year-round fun at Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa.
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Chimney Corners Resort - Frankfort, Michigan
Chimney Corners Resort is a traditional, family owned resort that will make your next family getaway unforgettable! Whether you stay in their cozy apartments, their private beach or bluff cottages, or in the 100-year-old main lodge, you're sure to find comfortable and rustic accommodations to suit your family's need. More than just a comfortable place to rest your head, Chimney Corners is located near a wealth of family fun! On site, you can have a family barbecue, go swimming in the lake, take a hike, or lounge on the beach. Nearby, you'll find even more: climb Sleeping Bear Dunes, try a slice of the Cherry Hut’s famous Cherry Pie in Beulah, and much more.
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Double JJ Resort - New Era, Michigan
Along with its new management, Double JJ presents the Gold Rush waterpark - a thrill a second for the adventurous. It features western Michigan's tallest indoor waterslide, after all, plus a selection of thrill slides that will test even the young, indestructible types. There’s also a wave pool, and for the kids a water fort and toddler pool. For you, there are plenty of hot tubs. And for a little of each, there’s a lazy/crazy river. All of it is indoors, available every day all year. Meanwhile, the 18-hole championship Thoroughbred Golf Club provides 240 acres of gorgeous Michigan golf. And don’t be surprised to see horses strolling along the cart paths – the ranch offers walk, trot and canter trail rides, plus cattle drives, barrel racing and more, for all ages and abilities. To top it off, the Double JJ offers fishing at the onsite Little Wildcat Lake and a petting farm at the Back Forty Barn. Again, we ask: where else could you go on your Michigan family vacation?
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White Birch Lodge - Elk Rapids, Michigan
The White Birch Lodge was started with the idea of providing an all-inclusive vacation where the staff takes care of all the work, so parents can relax and enjoy their time with their kids. And enjoy they do, year after year. Located on beautiful Elk Lake, watersports are the big thing here. With wakeboarding, water skiing, tubing, kayaking, windsurfing, you name it, it’s available. And since it's all-inclusive, it’s all-convenient, with meals, kids activities and programs, and more provided. Parents can spend a week without saying no, and kids can run themselves silly with activities. Everyone wins!
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Benjamin's Beaver Creek Resort - Gaylord, Michigan
Don’t lose your sense of adventure; find it in slipping down the 200-foot water slide and dining on homemade pizzas from the camp store. Find it paddling the wild waters canoeing through the old American wilderness with the kids. Or find it at the end of your lucky lure fishing in the five-acre lake. The moon is made of cheese in this childhood wonderland, melding the best of summer camp to the space and comforts of a family reunion resort. Step past the wardrobe door into the enchanted magic of a winter-white Michigan! Like a shaken snow globe the snow dances slowly, filling the glass window of your cozy cabin like milk. Sled, sleigh, or snowmobile on a guided tour of this winter wonderland. By summer camp or happy holiday, you have the recipe for a great family vacation at Benjamin’s Beaver Creek Resort!
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Treetops Resort - Gaylord, Michigan
Gaylord, Michigan is known for golf, and you’ll find plenty of golf at Treetops – five courses, from the Rick Smith par 3 to the Masterpiece course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. But we chose Treetops Resort because of its uncommonly large selection of family activities off of the links. That includes tennis on lighted Har-Tru courts, guided fly fishing on the Sturgeon and Pigeon Rivers and easy access to the world-class snowmobile trails of northern Michigan. Skiing is no less of a family adventure at Treetops, with three chairlifts, two tow ropes and a Warming Hut (this is mostly for the parents, since the kids will be too busy learning to ski!). If you thought Gaylord was just about golf, you’ll be thrilled with Treetops Resort!
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Bayshore Resort - Traverse City, Michigan
Witness the beach – directly outside the door, the sand begins and doesn’t stop until it’s submerged beneath West Grand Traverse Bay. This location also means that fishing and skiing are equally close by, along with winery-hopping on Old Mission Peninsula, exploring nature on Leelanau Peninsula or shopping just a short walk away in downtown Traverse City. If Bayshore Resort’s exterior Victorian style is impressive (and romantic), wait until you discover what’s inside. An indoor pool and whirlpool are great for family fun, and the game room is never far away. Each day starts with complimentary breakfast. In short, Bayshore Resort is a terrific way to add some timeless style to your modern Traverse City family vacation!
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