The William Watson-designed Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix celebrates its 100th anniversary this year by hosting the Michigan Amateur Championship in June for the 41st time. Belvedere also has hosted national hickory golf events since 2006 and has become one of America’s top hickory courses. The “gotta-play” course, which has been undergoing a number of restorations since 2016, is ranked among Golf Digest magazine’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses, GOLF magazine’s Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the U.S., and Golfweek’s Top 200 Classic Courses. Many top golf champions who’ve played the course consider the 16th hole the best par-4 in America. belvederegolfclub.com
A beautiful hike southwest of Mesick consists of the North Country Trail on the west side of the Manistee River and the Manistee River Trail on its east side, forming a roughly 21-mile loop that can be accessed from four trailheads or divided into shorter distances. The loop winds through pine groves, hardwoods, cedar swamps, and open fields, and it hugs the river’s edge at times. It takes hikers to bluffs 200 feet above the water in some sections, while also crossing several creeks. A footbridge along the trail spans a series of small waterfalls. The NCT section is more rugged and hilly. fs.usda.gov/recarea/hmnf
Copper Harbor’s fabulous trail system includes the multi-use (on foot or by bike) Keweenaw Point Trail, with a difficulty rating of moderate. The scenic 17.7-mile out-and-back loop starts in town, which is regarded as the gateway to Isle Royale National Park, and rolls past Lake Fanny Hooe and historic Fort Wilkins State Park, and then beyond to Keweenaw Point. The Copper Harbor Trail Club (copperharbortrails.com) can suggest lots of other great biking routes. This adventure could be an energizing stop along a Lake Superior Circle Tour. For other trails and a digital circle tour guide, visit lakesuperiorcircletour.info/lake-superior-hiking-trails/
The 1,300-mile Lake Superior Circle Tour is an incredible international bucket list trek along the big lake’s Upper Peninsula, northern Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, and southern Ontario shorelines. It’s best to start in Sault Ste. Marie and venture west to explore the amazing must-see stops, historical sites, small towns, outdoor activities, and natural wonders (Grand Marais sand dunes are pictured here) on this unforgettable Up North dream journey. The folks at the Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association (UPTRA) have developed an excellent itinerary for energetic vacationers looking to spend a recommended nine to 14 days exploring Lake Superior’s boundaries, which they described in a recent blog — complete with tips, accommodation suggestions, sightseeing ideas, and more. For shorter outings, UPTRA also offers ideas for visiting eastern, central, and the western U.P. uptravel.org/blog
The top reasons to visit the Besser Museum in Alpena? How about world-renowned artists such as Renoir, Picasso, Chihuly, and Cezanne in an impressive, rotating fine art gallery; a digitized star theater with weekend sky shows and other presentations; and the new Discover Northeast Michigan History Exhibit, “From the Big Bang to Big Industry,” featuring 12 immersive displays chronicling northeast Michigan heritage dating back 10,000 years. There’s also an interesting collection of permanent exhibits that make this center of inspiration a real winner. bessermuseum.org
Suttons Bay-based Mawby wines has introduced an alcohol-free bubbly. Its new Safe Sex, a non-alcoholic brut rose, debuted earlier this year. “Our brand is about fun and breaking down the barriers. Bubbly shouldn’t be stuffy or formal. It’s celebratory,” co-owner Mike Laing says. “Many people can’t drink due to medical reasons, or they just don’t want to drink or are taking a break from alcohol.” Safe Sex is a spin-off of their popular Sex, but without the alcohol. Laing says the taste difference between the two is “subtle; they’re intended to be in the same ‘family’ of wine, stylistically.” Laing and his brother, Peter, also manage their own brand called bigLittle Wines, which is located on the same property as Mawby. mawby.wine and biglittlewines.com
