The flavor didn’t sound all that appealing to Chris Isch the first time he heard the words “carrot-cake ice cream,” but the northern Michigan entrepreneur decided to give the cold treat a try anyway.
Taking a taste, prompted by one of his employees, turned out to be deliciously sweet and rewarding.
“I make it a point to try everything we have in our cooler, and now carrot cake is my absolute favorite flavor of ice cream,” said Isch, co-owner of Lake to Lake Boat Rentals and concession shops at Petoskey, Young and Otsego state parks.
Laughing, he added, “I eat a lot of carrot-cake ice cream. It’s ridiculous.”
Isch, who operates the boat business and “glorified snack shacks” with his brother Jon, said renting out watercraft and selling ice cream (and enjoying some scoops himself) are all part of his community involvement and helping enhance the state park experience for visitors.
It’s a job the Walloon Lake resident relishes.
“It’s amazing because everyone is happy to be there — they’ll stand and wait for ice cream because they are happy they are at the beach,” he said. “These parks are gorgeous, and the buildings are historical. You kind of feel like you are working in a piece of history. And the sunset at Petoskey State Park is stunning … It’s been awesome.”
The Isch brothers are among dozens of business owners and state park friends’ groups partnering with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to offer extra amenities at some 70 state parks and recreation areas across Michigan’s Lower and Upper peninsulas.
From offering mobile food truck fare and rental of bike, kayak, stand-up paddleboard, power and pontoon boats to providing park souvenirs, dune rides, horseback riding stables, splash pad fun and whitewater rafting, these vendor partnerships are essential to creating memorable moments for state park goers.
And with summer getting into full swing, these entrepreneurs are eager to connect with park visitors.
Just ask Sam Ali, owner of StrEats of Belle Isle, about summer 2025 operations and you’ll hear all about his business’s exciting, expanded food truck offerings at the Detroit park.
“What we’re doing different this year, that we haven’t done in past years, is we are adding a QR code ordering system,” Ali said. “We have 313 QR codes all around Belle Isle, giving access to where anyone is at. It’s a menu of all vendors on the island and visitors are able to order from any and every vendor and pay for it all on one tab.
“When their orders are ready, they get a text message with a GPS location of where to pick their food up from. Previously, they would have to come to the food truck location and put in (an) order.”
Ali’s business is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. He oversees between nine and 14 food trucks each year on Belle Isle and has been at this park for seven years.
Another new aspect of StrEats of Belle Isle: converting a concession stand for The Chicken Coupe – known for its sweet-and-savory chicken and waffles – into a brick-and-mortar location with outdoor seating.
Other food options visitors can expect on Belle Isle this summer include hot dogs and burgers, chicken sandwiches, sausages, rice bowls, coffee and artisan gelato at a place called Palazzolo’s, which sits near the Conservatory, that “people go crazy for,” Ali said.
Business opportunities at state parks
Campers and day-users at state parks take advantage of these vendor-provided amenities, and visitors are coming to have these Michigan-specific experiences from across the country and world.
“By us engaging with these small business owners we’re able to expand our services in ways that we wouldn’t be able to otherwise, all while creating exceptional experiences for our visitors,” said Elissa Buck, commercial services and land use program administrator for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. “It allows our staff to focus on our primary missions as stewards of Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. It’s a great partnership opportunity.”
Buck said these experiences can be as simple as getting an ice cream cone or T-shirt from a park, or helping customers discover new or reemerging outdoor trends like motorized surfing or saunas.
Most concessionaires welcome customers beginning Memorial Day weekend and remain open through at least Labor Day, in some cases into early fall. These opportunities are available through a competitive bidding process with the ability to enter a contract for up to seven years.
To get started and to test ideas, new concessionaires generally operate under a one-year use permit or operating agreement.
“Ideally, we want to make these concession opportunities as available as we can to interested people, which is why we do the bidding process. Plus, it’s a state requirement,” said Lori Green, commercial services and land use program administrator for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division.
DNR staff seek bidders who understand that every point of customer contact is an opportunity to educate and inspire and/or commit to employing best stewardship practices — for example, using compostable flatware or recycled products, using environmentally friendly cleaning products or collaborating with Indigenous communities and local artists to sell retail products that tell the story of that specific place.
Interested entrepreneurs may sign up to receive a text and/or email when future business opportunities arise in their selected regions.
In addition to working with concessionaires, the DNR issues commercial permits to small businesses that provide camping unit and RV rentals or guide services.
Waterfalls and coastline cruising
For a third season, visitors to the Lower Falls at Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Chippewa County can peruse park souvenirs, grab a bite to eat at the café, and rent flat-bottom rowboats that seat up to six people, thanks to concessionaire Michigan Falls Hospitality.
“We thought it was a fairly unique opportunity,” said Joe Marty, director of east operations for the company that owns Michigan Falls Hospitality. “It’s such an iconic area for Michigan and the country … We look at it as a true partnership and not a client-vendor relationship. We want to be stewards of the public lands and help enhance the experience. We have been there three years now and every year it gets stronger — we’re very aligned in our missions.”
The company’s partnership with the Michigan DNR has since expanded beyond retail concessions to also feature unique overnight stays, including cottages, cabins and upscale glamping in several state parks across the Lower Peninsula.
These state parks include Port Crescent and William Sterling in Huron County and Monroe County, respectively, with more cabins to be installed soon at South Higgins State Park in Roscommon County and Proud Lake Recreation Area in Oakland County.
“This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to creating memorable, nature-rich experiences, and we’re excited to continue to add new guest amenities in the years ahead,” Marty said.
This summer at Tahquamenon Falls State Park, visitors to the café can expect more grab-and-go items which are perfect for picnics at the park’s Lower and Upper falls.
“We have standard fare and healthy options — we try to have a robust menu — and you can throw it in your backpack and hit the trails,” he said.
Marty said Michigan Falls Hospitality is also expanding its line of park clothing and gear at its gift shop.
“This year we have our ‘executive series’ featuring higher end products — we have nice quarter zips and button downs in addition to our standard T-shirts and sweatshirts. Our design team does a phenomenal job,” he said.
About 300 miles south, in Oceana County, along the shores of Lake Michigan, longtime Silver Lake State Park concessionaire Mac Wood’s Dune Rides is ready to once again share their love of the area’s rolling sand dunes.
“We’ve been doing this with the state for over 60 years, and this will be our 95th year (in business), which is very exciting for us as a family,” said Garrett Talmadge, whose great grandfather was Mac Wood, founder of the dune ride business.
Talmadge works alongside his wife, Sarah, his parents and current owners Shelby and Chris Olson. His 15-year-old daughter is also involved, serving as a shop clerk in the summer.
Mac Wood’s Dune Rides offers 40-minute rides across the dunes on vehicles seating up to 18 people. Riders are treated to views of both Silver Lake and Lake Michigan — a stop along the Great Lakes shoreline gives a perfect backdrop for photos — and all told, the trip covers 7 miles.
Knowledgeable tour guides share plenty of interesting tidbits on each ride about the ever-shifting dunes and preservation efforts.
“What we try to aim for is a fun, informational ride for everyone who is able to go and experience the dunes and a piece of beauty in our area,” Talmadge said. “We have taken on rides a 2-week-old and 102-year-year-old, and people living with disabilities, a lot of school groups in the spring and fall. It’s a fun ride, and you learn things while you’re out there.”
Growing small businesses
For Isch, the vendor renting boats and sharing his love of ice cream with park visitors, his partnership with the state parks has made a significant impact on his business.
“We went from a single boat rental operation to having 20-plus employees every year. We have a fleet of boats, three concession stands, and we have grown quite a bit,” he said. “Every year we try to raise the bar just a little bit higher, offer a little bit more. Our goal year after year is to get better. We take into account what our customers talk about and suggest … I have had some amazing humans in my life who have breathed life into my ideas.”
And he’s not only discovered new ice cream flavors, he has also learned what he absolutely needs to keep in stock for his fellow cold-treat fans.
“Little did I know that bubble gum ice cream was apparently this flavor everyone came in for at Young State Park,” Isch said. “I got some heat at the beginning of the season when I didn’t have it. ‘Where is the bubble gum ice cream?’ they asked. So now I always have it.”
Isch said to be sure to stop by over Labor Day for their “Dollar Scoop Days.”
“People will come in and stack up their ice cream cones with six or seven scoops — a dollar a scoop,” he said. “I love it. It’s a good time.”
Learn more about current concessionaires and business opportunities in state parks, trails and waterways at Michigan.gov/DNR/Managing-Resources/Businesses/Concessions.