Manistee, MI

Address:Manistee, Michigan

Manistee, Michigan runs at the slow, winding pace of a modest American fishing town. Anglers looking for a haven to cast their lines will be right at home in this harbor at the mouth of the Manistee River on Lake Michigan, largely untouched by tourists and home to walleye and salmon. The local outfitter, the Michigan Sport Fishing Company, provides visitors and locals with everything they need for a day on the harbor.

Though fishing is the most popular pastime in Manistee, the town is ideally situated for many other water sports. Boat lovers can raft, canoe, tube, kayak, or take a motorboat down the Platte, Pine, Big Manistee or Little Manistee rivers. Equipment rentals for these water sports are available from Insta Launch, On the Water, Inc., Pine River Paddle Sports, Riverside Canoes, and Wilderness Canoe Trips, all of which offer guided group expeditions at all levels of experience. Several beaches provide serene swimming conditions: Arcadia Beach, Fifth Avenue Beach, Bear Lake, Onekema Lake and Portage Lake are all good options.

Outdoor adventurers will find ample opportunity for excitement. Go sky-diving with Big Sky Parachutes, rent skis or a bike from Big M Cross Country Ski and Bike Trails, or hike in the Manistee National Forest. The forest offers many trails ideal for snowmobiling and ORVs, although rentals are not available. Other scenic areas include the North Country Scenic Trail and the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area, offering trips with Mac Wood's Dune Rides. Visitors looking to simply relax may enjoy a picnic in the Lake Michigan Recreation Area.

Manistee comes alive during the summer, with events such as the Manistee County Fair, the Celebrating Women Festival, Spirit of the Woods Folk Festival, Michigan Energy Fair, Manistee Muzzleloaders Shoottime, Manistee National Forest Festival, Bear Lake Days, Arcadia Daze, Onekama Days, Copemish Days, and Port City Street Fair. The town celebrates the winter holiday season with the Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend, and the Christmas in Bear Lake Festival.

A few small museums offer tourists the opportunity to learn more about Manistee's history and growth. Formerly a successful logging town, Manistee is now the home of three large factories that support the town's economy in addition to tourism from visiting fishermen. The Manistee County Historical Museum, the Kaleva Train Depot Museum and the Waterworks Building, offer collections of vintage artifacts, newspaper articles and photographs depicting the early days of Manistee County and its evolution.. Tourists may also enjoy visiting the Manistee Art Institute, Arcadia Area Historical Museum, Our Savior's Historical Museum, Brethren Heritage Museum, Marilla Historical Museum, and the Kaleva Bottle House Museum.

Those interested in the workings of a fishing village should visit the Little Manistee DNR Weir, an egg-take and salmon harvest facility which is used to block the upstream travel of fish on the Little Manistee River. Visitors shouldn't miss Riverwalk, Manistee's premier promenade, a great place to watch the ships pass in and out of the Manistee River Channel.

Evening entertainment in the area includes the Little River Casino Resort, a few miles north of Manistee, with 1350 slots, 35 table games, and a poker room, and Ramsdell Theater, where actor James Earl Jones began his career. The town also offers regular nightly happenings, mostly geared towards senior citizens, including bingo night, a polka dance party, and line dancing.

Downtown Manistee offers typical American fare, including a Wal-Mart, some small independent shops, and a few small restaurants, mainly serving American-style food such as burgers or Pizza. House of Flavors is an exception, owned by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and featuring a unique dining experience of Native American cuisine.

The town's lodging options include a few bed-and-breakfasts and several hotel chains. The most interesting place to stay is the bed-and-breakfast aboard the SS City of Milwaukee, a 360-foot long steamship, which is now a National Historic Landmark and offers guided tours. Camping is also an option at the Tippy Dam Campground, located at Tippy Dam Pond, the only boating access site that allows overnight camping. Spaces are available on a first come, first served basis.

Manistee is located on Michigan's west coast, at the intersection between Routes 31 and 55. The closest airport is Manistee County-Blacker Airport, 3 miles northeast of the city.