Family-Friendly Resort with Lake and Mountain Views

No interior designer, no matter the budget, can compete with Mother Nature. As luxurious as a recent multimillion-dollar overhaul has made Shanty Creek Resorts’ Summit Village Lakeview Hotel’s lobby, the elegant chandeliers and velvet seating can only complement the resort’s sweeping views of hardwood forests along Lake Bellaire. Just out the door, the Summit and Schuss Mountains draw visitors year round to their 53 trails and four terrain parks. And while the weather’s still warm enough to hit the links, golfers come for the Legend and Summit golf courses, which inspired Condé Nast Traveler to name Shanty Creek one of the world’s best golf resorts.

For dinner, guests can head down to The Lakeview Restaurant for local smoked-whitefish gratin, roasted duck, and other regionally influenced cuisine. While you’re having dinner, you’ll take in picturesque views of the lake from floor-to-ceiling windows. The dining room’s large, wood-burning fireplace warms up the space on winter nights, and a handsome wooden bar draws guests looking to relax with cocktails or perform rousing clog-dancing routines on its surface.

Each room has a private balcony or patio. With its dark-wood furniture and pale-gold walls, the room feels both rustic and stately. For quick access to the ski trails, the other two villages, or nearby downtown Bellaire, hop on the resort’s complimentary shuttle. While you’re in the area, there’s plenty to do: riding horseback, boating on Lake Bellaire, tasting wine on the Leelanau Peninsula, and much more.

Bellaire, Michigan: Quaint Lakeside Village with Mountain Activities

Located about 1.5 hours east of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the area around Bellaire, Michigan undulates with modest peaks and valleys. The dual peaks at Shanty Creek become a skier's haven in the winter. Supertickets provide all-day access to trails on Summit Mountain and Schuss Mountain, which include NASTAR racing courses that let skiers time their slalom runs or snowball-pitching speeds. Before winter arrives, the resort’s golf courses offer a scenic challenge—tee off from the hilltops at the Arnold Palmer–designed Legend course, or putt amid the wetlands at the Schuss course.

Both tourists and locals enjoy a leisurely walk down downtown Bellaire’s historic main street, where several quaint stores sell locally crafted items. For a break, you can grab a locally brewed pint at Short's Brewing Company, where more than 20 beers are on tap each day.