While the area gets plenty of attention come September and triathlon season, don’t forget to add Benzie County on your bucket list for northern Michigan day trips this summer.
From the Platte River to StormCloud Brewery to Crystal Mountain, Benzie County boasts recognizable places for locals and tourists alike.
Trevor Tkach has some suggestions for anyone looking to experience the area.
“Something fun that I think is a neat hidden gem is Gwen Frostic Prints being out there. It’s almost underground the way it’s designed; you go in and it feels like you’re in a different world,” Tkach said.
An old art studio and printing press turned prints of animals and birds and nature, he recalls it being a highlight of family trips as a kid.
“And having Crystal Lake Alpaca Far and Boutique just down the road, it’s fun to get a chance to touch them and feed them and go through the shop,” he added. “I’ve got my own memories as a young man and now I’ve built some new ones with my kids.”
For those looking for a charming downtown setting, the president and CEO of TC Tourism, recommended checking out historic Garden Theater in Frankfort, Michigan, which is home to film festivals and events year round, then ending your day at Stormcloud Brewing Company for dinner.
“What they’ve done with the Garden Theater … it is fabulous to have such a fun, high energy, communal space in the middle of town. They’re always programming, be it movies or other events, they have it right there,” Tkach said. “Stormcloud Brewing has become a phenomenal location for beer and for food, and they do a fun job of keeping it fresh with adding on more entertainment elements every year.”
Tkach notes that the IRONMAN 70.3 Michigan Triathlon has been a highlight there since it changed locations from Traverse City to Frankfort in 2021.
“It’s a fabulous event, it draws people from all over the world to Frankfort, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch. I mean, people set this life goal of being in a triathlon of this magnitude, and their family and friends come to support them on the course,” he said. “It’s extremely inspirational and just a really cool way to showcase the things that we cherish here, the outdoor recreation, swimming, running, biking, in a beautiful setting.
“It’s a testament to how beautiful it is in Benzie County,” he said.
On the outdoors end of things, Tkach recommends the Betsie Valley trails, having done a staff outing, renting bikes and enjoying the trail down to its end at Crystal Lake.
“What caught me by surprise were the hidden gems along the way. The beach is unbelievable along the shore of Lake Michigan. Frankfort Beach, Elberta, even going down further south into the Mott Preserve, and the mouth of the Platte River coming in at the southern end of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore,” he said.
“I think it’s sometimes forgotten that Benzie is a stepping off point for the Sleeping Bear Dunes there to the south. Some of my favorite spots to be are along that stretch of Lake Michigan in Benzie County,” he remarked.
In addition to Betsie Valley, he also notes Crystal Mountain’s Mountain Ridge as a favorite trail system to enjoy. As one of the most popular places in the area, Crystal Mountain is an all-season favorite, offering everything from skiing to fat tire biking, many of which Tkach has taken advantage of with his family.
The Platte River, another one of Benzie County’s famous gems, is on the list as one of his favorite places as well.
“There’s camping, my family and I have kayaked and canoed and tubed down the Platte numerous times, and just going out and being on the beach at the mouth of the Platte or seeing the fish during certain seasons coming down the river; it’s a beautiful span of beach,” he recounted.
From downtown streets to the shoreline, Tkach said that a trip to Benzie County is worth a spot on your calendar before the summer comes to an end.