beaver island

I was blessed with three days of sunshine on the island. It was also very cold, -16F in the morning, warming at best to about 20F. It really didn't matter. I was enthralled with the beauty of the snow laden island. I went snowshoeing and hiked one of the trails kept open by an occasional snowmobile. It was quiet and so incredibly beautiful. The people on the island are so wonderful and really happy for wintertime visitors. There are some places that are open, the Shamrock, of course, McDonough's grocery, of course, and a few other places, like the Stoney Acre Grill. The roads were plowed so getting around was not a problem. And the trip over the frozen Lake Michigan was a delight in itself. Please consider this as a winter destination of peace and beauty and solitude.

First time to the Island and we will be back...the locals are so friendly and life is so laid back...don't expect luxury and pampering but beautiful sights, hiking and laughs !!

What a wonderful place for a get-away! Good places to eat. Quiet - take books, visit the library. Visit the toy museum.

Whether you are a Summer resident or vacationing for just a few days on Beaver Island, you'll want to meet Heidi Vigil. She is well known for many things . . . an island treasure! You can find her many days at Beaver Island Gardens where she grows wonderful annual flowers, vegetables and greens & perennials of all sorts. Also lovely planters & pots, flowers for weddings and special events . . . fun to spend some time just wondering around and seeing all the on-going projects & you may be lucky enough to purchase some of her canned relishes and preserves. Another treasure in her repertoire is catering events in your home. We enjoyed three totally different events in our home on the island, and we (and our guests) can not recommend anyone more. Heidi's true talent is providing a menu from the "island" . . . one evening she served Beaver Island White Fish tacos w/ all the "fixings"(10 people). . . another evening, fried Beaver Island White Fish (18 people) (fresh that day!!) . . .again with all the Summer sides . . . and at the end of the season, did a fun cocktail party for 30 guests on the porch & patio. Delicious, professional . . .and reasonable, ranging from $10- $25/person. Beverages provided by you. Give Heidi two weeks notice for your entertaining requests.

You can get to Beaver Island by plane, ferry or private boat. We left from Boyne City (Lake Charlevoix) on our boat and found excellent cruising conditions. We docked for the day at the Beaver Island Marina (not the municipal yacht dock) and rented one of their ancient Geo Trackers for the day. The marina staff was great (Pat is an owner) and gave us suggestions of what to go see and do. We had a fun few hours exploring the island which was once a Mormom Kingdom in the middle of Lake Michigan. There really isn't much to do, other than sightsee and relax. On our way back to the Harborage, our home port in Boyne City we had incredibly calm waters, a beautiful sunset and we passed the Beaver Island Ferry on its way back to Charlevoix on the mainland. A great day trip.

We were on Beaver Island for 3 days in mid Sept, and the tourists had all vacated the island! We had our motel to ourselves, which was nice. but... the museums and most of the shops were closed for the season. The shops did not bother us, but we were disappointed that there were not even limited hours at the museums. Keep in mind if you bring your own vehicle that the 'roads' once you get out of town are extremely primitive. Gravel and dirt, narrow and can be very rutted. We brought our car but ended up leaving it at the motel and renting a Geo Metro which was worth it! The roads in town are paved, and one road down the middle ( Kings Highway) but the rest are not. So if you plan to see the beaches, the light house, the Big Rock ( which was.. well, a big rock! ) or Protars house and grave.. you will need a vehicle capable of managing some seriously bad roads. Fun if you have a truck, or the like. A sports car.. not so much!

If you like Mackinaw Island...Beaver Island is just the opposite! It is not the upscale tourist attraction of Mackinaw Island. It is America's Emerald Isle. There are nice places to stay and really good restaurants. If you like taking photos, hiking, even swimming, boating, or biking,,,but most of all, relaxing. It is a wonderful place to visit. You can take the boat from Charlevoix(vehicles can be transported), or rentals are available on the island. Gas at the 2 "stations" runs a constant $5.00 a gallon. Daily air transport is also available(about 20 minute flight). The boat takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours. There are 2 lighthouses on the island and some beautiful beach locations, and fantastic sunrises and sunsets. Not many people know about it and it might not be for everyone. We love it!

This Island off of Charlevoix Michigan is great for rest and relaxation. Nice shops and home made food. Great 4th of July celebrations. Family reunions. Visited in August and had a great relaxing vacation. Great back beach location Donegal Bay. Great Sunsets! Car and passenger ferry form Charlevoix Daily.

The trip to the island was comfortable and beautiful (perfect day). In the future we'll bring snacks and beverages since there are tables and seating to accommodate. The island is a welcome change from the more touristy locations up north. It is a friendly, historically interesting place to visit. There are things for everyone to do. I'll be back.

The island is a mix of pine woods, not original growth, dune like areas, sandy beaches, and many two track dirt roads. Great for biking, hiking, swimming, fishing, canoeing, and drinking. I about fell over when I saw the humongous pallets of alcoholic beverages being unloaded from the Ferry! Can we say dehydration! There are numerous concerts, Irish themed music/performances, festivals, contests, and weekend activities. The Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce is great and knows everything happening. They sell bottled water and some snacks, food items, it is clean, air-conditioned, and full of activities. Staff is super helpful and kind. There is a large clean public restroom facility located next to the Chamber of Commerce, it is always open. They are also located across from the Beaver Island Ferry which is huge, clean and busy. You can rent bikes, water sporting equipment, ect. It is located in the middle of town. I stayed at the Erin Motel, would never do it again, neglected property. I would stay in a rented home/cabin if I returned. Beautiful serenity and fabulous sunrises/sets are amazing, romantic walks, biking, hiking, and family silliness are easy to do on this island. They also have a research station which is pretty cool and run by CMU. I had a problem with Pat (Anderson?) at the Beaver Island Marina with a rental car. She left me stranded at the airport with no way to get around. Lack of transportation will ruin your trip on this island so be prepared and get everything in writing or pay to have your car brought over on the ferry. After several inquires with the 'locals' I discovered Pat has a reputation for "screwing" people out of money, reservations, and leaves them stranded all the time. Pat was not a pleasant person to deal with. Trip Adviser needs to list this establishment-Beaver Island Marina: http://beaverislandmarina.com/BIMindex.html- for reviews so other travelers do not get caught in the same bad situations. The wonderful Michelle at the Welke Airport Beaver Island / Island Airways actually gave me her personal 'Island' van to use so my trip would not be wasted! Super sweet woman that she is! Island Airways was awesome, the pilots, service, price, and ride were some of the best treatment I have had. I was able to park my car for $5 overnight at the airport in Charlevoix, I will use them again. This is a great place, just prepare for your own transportation from the mainland and budget for it, the rental cabins and houses I looked at were beautiful, the motels/hotels no so much. Camping is a great viable option and definitely bring bikes or rent them where the Ferry comes in. This is not contrived quaintness like Mackinaw Island, this is pure peace.

dirt roads, no malls. a get-away place. not for shopping, some motels, one grocery store. access by 2 airplane companies, private boat or plane, or ferry from Charlevoix,MI. A few public beaches. 400 plus permanent residents. Many summer/part time residents and cottages.

We are from Grand Haven and have been visiting this wonderful place for almost 10 years now. The people are so friendly. Other drivers even wave. One of the nicest parts of the visit for us is the 15 minute flight each way. We have flown with both of the airlines which service the island and there is just no comparison. Fresh Air Airline has newer, quieter planes and every employee remembers our names ( and those of our guests! ) A beautiful new terminal has just opened at Beaver Iland's airport. When returning to Charlevoix, every passenger's car is waiting right where you deplan, a huge convenience.

Just a great place to come, if your looking for peace, quiet, and good people. If you want a mackinaw island tourist attraction, Beaver is not it. Nor do any of use that go there want it to be. You couldn't pay me to spend 1 hour on Mackinaw Island.

It is a great get away. Certainly a oke of a kind place. Beautiful place. Nice small town people. And I went up there for years. Lots of cabins on lakes. And all kinds of wildlife. And just lots of rustic expirences. And also great relaxing place. Beware that the Indians can be rowdy. And will possibly "take things". Can't prove it but very suspicious.

If you need to be connected at all times, this is not the place for you. Connected electronically, that is. If you are looking for a place that lets you find your own way, explore God's good earth in your own time, to see the dazzling sun on the waterfront, good people who still trust, inland lakes and the surrounding incredible Lake Michigan, beautiful sunrises and sunsets without much fluff, this is an exceptional place to go. If you need more, don't bother. This is a place to connect with the natural world.