If the word “resort” conjures up the smell of coconut sunscreen and images of poolside cabanas, miles of sugar-sand beaches and tangerine sunsets slipping into infinite turquoise waters, Michigan has your meeting covered. Yes, Michigan. Bordered by four of the Great Lakes, the state boasts the world’s longest freshwater coastline and numerous beach resorts.
Yet with waterfront and countryside settings, Michigan goes way beyond sun and sand when it comes to resorts, offering championship golf courses, renowned skiing, port towns lined with 1930s mansions and art galleries, bays dotted with sail-billowing tall ships, award-winning wineries, and even a Bavarian village.
For meeting planners, the array of possibilities ensures successful events full of very happy attendees.
A surprising perk to all this variety is price.
“The meeting planner’s dollar goes further in Michigan than in other places, especially for the product they get—resorts with very high-level service, excellent meeting facilities and unparalleled natural beauty,” says Bob Hertel, vice president of Meetings Up North, a meeting and event planning company specializing in the resorts and unique venues of the northern part of the state.
This formula also equals high attendance, he adds.
“Attendees love coming here,” Hertel says. “There is so much for their families to do, too. It is not unusual for them to add a few days onto their meeting to make a family vacation out of it.”
Grand Traverse Bay
An aerial view of the Grand Traverse Bay region reveals fingers of turquoise water snaking into green hills thick with cherry orchards and vineyards. The resort town of Traverse City sits at the base of the crystal clear bay, which is split in two by the Old Mission Peninsula. To the west, the hill-covered Leelanau Peninsula reaches into Lake Michigan, while the shimmering sands of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore meander south for 64 miles. It is a region of stunning natural beauty totally unexpected in the Midwest.
“It happens time and time again,” notes Brad R. Van Dommelen, president of the Traverse City CVB. “First-time visitors always say, ‘We had no idea this place existed.’ They are just astonished by the incredible beauty of this area.”
Known as the “Golf Coast” for its many championship courses, the area is a favorite for tee-time addicts. However, numerous resorts also offer luxury spas, supersized waterparks and excellent winter skiing.
With a unique microclimate kept temperate by the “lake effect” from Lake Michigan—particularly during the hot, humid summers experienced in the rest of the state—the area is also home to more than two dozen wineries.
“In the past few years, wine tours have become one of our most popular group events,” Van Dommelen says.
Of course, the lake figures prominently in local events, and groups can rent a fishing charter, enjoy a beachside barbecue or join the crew on the Tall Ship Manitou, a replica 19th century schooner.
Top property choices in the region include the newly renovated and expanded Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, offering 424 guest rooms and suites, 190 condo units and 85,000 square feet of meeting space, and the log-sided, 281-suite Great Wolf Lodge Resort, which just unveiled a state-of-the-art conference center.
In Bellaire, the newly renovated Shanty Creek Resorts features more than 35,000 square feet of meeting space spread over three “villages.”
In nearby Benzie County, the four-season Crystal Mountain Resort can accommodate groups of 400 people and is home to two premier golf courses and the Michigan Legacy Art Park, a trail of artwork nestled in the resort’s 1,500 wooded acres. The property is planning a $10 million expansion.
Smaller groups can tap into the resort experience at Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor, which has meeting space for 60; Spider Lake Retreat, offering total seclusion on a picturesque inland lake; or Chateau Chantal, an award-winning winery and bed-and-breakfast property with spectacular views over Old Mission Peninsula.
Northern Lower Peninsula
The northern stretch of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula—the famous mitten--is a dense tumble of forested hills infused with translucent lakes and rivers. The diverse beauty serves as a stunning backdrop to a wide variety of resorts, from luxury properties to rustic retreats, most offering golf, skiing and outdoor activities.
Wrapped around Little Traverse Bay, the quaint seaside ports of Petoskey and Harbor Springs boast cobblestone streets and 1930s Victorian mansions (locally called “cottages”), as well as art galleries and upscale boutiques. But this is not just a recreated bid for tourists.
“One of the great things about this area is that it is truly authentic,” says Peter Fitzsimons, executive director of the Petoskey-Harbor Springs-Boyne Country CVB. “Visitors can feel that.”
Luxury properties in the area include The Inn at Bay Harbor, recently rated as one of the World’s Best Hotels by Travel+Leisure and featuring state-of-the-art meeting facilities for 180 people, and Bay Harbor Resort and Marina, located above the boutiques and restaurants of The Village of Bay Harbor and offering 5,000 square feet of meeting space.
In Harbor Springs, Boyne Highlands Resort, designed as a recreated English village, offers 31,500 square feet of meeting space. Its sister property, Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls, is a sprawling Austrian-style ski village with 37,000 square feet of function space and was recently voted “best for team building” in a survey of Michigan meeting planners.
The alpine village of Gaylord is home to two top golf and ski resorts. Treetops Resort has 20,000 square feet of function space and unique team-building opportunities like extreme tubing, while the recently renovated Otsego Club and Resort can host groups of up to 400 people.
In nearby Lewiston, Garland Resort boasts a massive log cabin and a variety of meeting and board rooms. The resort’s Gourmet Glide, a combined skiing and dining event, is popular with groups.
Mackinac Island and the Upper Peninsula
The Lower Peninsula meets the Upper Peninsula at the cobalt waters of the Straits of Mackinac, home to Mackinac Island. Pronounced MACK-in-awe, the 3.8-square-mile island is a step back in time.
“There is nothing quite like the Mackinac experience—no automobiles, waking up to the gentle clip-clop of horses and buggies amidst the fresh air, soft lake breezes and the beauty of nature surrounding everything,” says Mary McGuire Slevin, director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.
The island’s most-acclaimed resort is the Grand Hotel, a massive Victorian property opened in 1887 that combines turn-of-the-20th-century charm with luxury amenities and features conference facilities for up to 500 people.
Another option is Mission Point Resort, offering high-end accommodations in a rustic mountain lodge environment with impressive waterfront views and 38,000 square feet of meeting space.
Across Mackinac Bridge lies the raw wildness of the Upper Peninsula—deep forests, misty mountains, roaring waterfalls and 1,700 miles of dramatic shoreline. But as Fred Huffman, group travel coordinator for the Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association, points out, “It’s a five-star wilderness.” Well-equipped resorts dot the peninsula, offering planners upscale accommodations and high-tech conference facilities.
Golfing and skiing are standard resort pursuits, while other activities also take advantage of the spectacular natural surroundings. By water, groups can try a boat tour along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, a dramatic stretch of multicolored sandstone cliffs and coves; a glide over 100-year-old shipwrecks on a glass-bottom boat; or a dinnertime cruise through the Soo Locks connecting Lake Superior to the Lower Great Lakes. On land, groups can take eco tours to the thunderous Upper Tahquamenon Falls or the scenic Lake of the Clouds overlook in the Porcupine Mountains.
“Tours can also be arranged to lighthouses and old copper mines, or kayaking along remote rivers,” Huffman says.
Drummond Island Resort and Conference Center, located on the 83,000-acre island of the same name, offers meeting facilities for 150 people and team events by foot, bike or boat along the trails and rivers that crisscross the island.
The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Copper Harbor on the Keweenaw Peninsula is a 1930s-era lodge that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers 6,000 square feet of meeting space.
Indianhead Mountain Resort sits at the top of Indianhead Mountain and has 14,000 square feet of meeting space. Its Ski High Room, hosting 250 people, is a standout for its stunning 35-mile view over the Ottawa National Forest and Lake Superior.
Central Michigan
Stretching from Lake Michigan in the west to Lake Huron in the east, the midsection of Michigan bristles with waterways, state parks and a wide variety of resorts.
North of the Lake Michigan maritime community of Muskegon is Rothbury, where groups of up to 300 people can indulge in Wild West fun at Double JJ Ranch and Golf Resort. Team-building activities include rodeos and cattle drives, while the property also boasts a new waterpark and a variety of function space.
Farther east in Mt. Pleasant, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort is a meetings-ready property offering everything from action-packed gaming and entertainment to a soothing spa.
The nearby Saginaw Valley is home to the Bavarian village of Frankenmuth—a unique meetings option offering family fun and German cuisine. The Bavarian Inn Lodge Hotel can host groups of up to 500 people and features an indoor waterpark.
South of Grand Rapids on scenic Gun Lake, Bay Pointe Inn is consistently rated one of Michigan’s top resorts. The Victorian-inspired property is perfect for smaller groups looking to get away from it all. Boating and other outdoor activities in the surrounding 20,000-acre Yankee Springs Recreation Area are ideal group excursion options.
South Haven, a picturesque town along Lake Michigan, offers resort elegance for smaller groups, with intimate properties such as the Carriage House at the Harbor and the Victorian-style Sand Castle Inn.
Southeast Michigan
If business necessity keeps your meeting close to the automotive centers of Detroit and southeast Michigan, there are still several options for a resort-style experience.
In addition to several first-class golf courses, the area offers unique team-building venues. Ann Arbor’s Planet Rock houses the world’s largest indoor climbing walls, while the Howell Conference and Nature Center lets attendees fly through the forest canopy on a 500-foot zipline. At Wiard’s Orchards, groups can pick apples, sip cider and enjoy an outdoor picnic among the apple trees.
Eagle Crest Resort, located just outside Ann Arbor, is one of the most flexible resort options in the region, with 41,000 square feet of meeting space. One of the biggest draws for groups, says Mark J. Stevens, director of sales and marketing at Eagle Crest, is the unification of the recently renovated Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest Resort with the Eagle Crest Golf Course and the Eastern Michigan University Conference Center.
“It’s as if a new golf and conference resort has been built between Ann Arbor and Detroit,” he says.
The Inn at St. John’s in nearby Plymouth is an upscale boutique hotel offering over 42,000 square feet of conference space in a gorgeous, manicured garden setting. In addition to a highly rated golf course, it also arranges distinctive team-building events, such as a popular Iron Chef competition.
Meanwhile, the Royal Park Hotel in historic Rochester offers an oasis-like resort ambience and conference facilities for up to 1,200 people. The 143-room luxury hotel is located on scenic Paint Creek, where fly-fishing is a great team activity.
For More Info
Ann Arbor Area CVB 734.995.7281 www.annarbor.org
Benzie County Visitors Bureau 800.882.5801 www.visitbenzie.com
Detroit Metro CVB 313.202.1800 www.visitdetroit.com
Drummond Island Tourism Association 906.493.5245 www.drummondislandchamber.com
Gaylord Area Convention Tourism Bureau 989.732.4000 www.gaylordmichigan.net
Keweenaw CVB 906.337.4579 www.keweenaw.info
Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau 906.847.3783 www.mackinacisland.org
Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau 231.436.5664 www.mackinawcity.com
Meetings Michigan 734.426.5101 www.meetingsmichigan.com
Muskegon County CVB 231.724.3100 www.visitmuskegon.org
Petoskey-Harbor Springs-Boyne Country Visitors Bureau 231.348.2755 www.boynecountry.com
Pure Michigan 800.644.2489 www.michigan.org
Saginaw County CVB 989.752.7164 www.visitsaginawcounty.com
South Haven Visitors Bureau 269.637.5252 www.southhaven.org
Traverse City CVB 231.947.1120 www.visittraversecity.com
Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association 906.774.5480 www.uptravel.com
