18 Top-Rated Resorts in Michigan

Author Anietra Hamper has traveled throughout Michigan and explored some of the best resorts in the state.

Michigan is an all-season destination that is as inviting in winter, with a 16-foot snow base for skiing in the Upper Peninsula, as it is in the summer, with more than 650 different golf courses in the state. While skiing and golf are the main seasonal draws for the top resorts in Michigan, vacationers come to push the limits of both relaxation and activity by indulging in the diverse natural landscape throughout the state.

The term resort can take many forms in Michigan given its history; diversity; and location, surrounded by water. You will find modern towering resorts with spas and golf courses; out-of-the-way retreats with sprawling front porches; family-focused themed resorts; and small historic waterfront resorts that have preserved their 1800s vacation charm.

Whether it’s a girls’ getaway, a romantic weekend, or a family vacation, it’s easy to pack a collection of memorable experiences into one trip with this list of the best resorts in Michigan.

1. Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island

Accommodation: Grand Hotel

The Grand Hotel in Michigan’s Mackinac Island is an elegant getaway that ushers guests into another century. There are no cars on the island, so once you ferry from the mainland, you will be transported by horse and carriage to the Grand Hotel. Its famous wooden verandah sits more than 660 feet high on a hill, with rocking chairs awaiting your arrival.

Since 1887, the hotel has served as a retreat for visitors looking for formal dinners, afternoon tea in the parlor, and high-end amenities. More than 40 guest rooms are decorated with themes to honor US presidents, entertainers, time periods, and even flowers, so no two rooms are the same.

Be sure to walk the grounds at the hotel to admire the landscaping done by hand and look for memorabilia from the 1979 movie Somewhere in Time, which was shot at the hotel, with Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve.

Two must-dos during your stay: spend at least one sunset on the grand porch for a view you will never forget and enjoy a scoop of homemade ice cream from Sadie’s Ice Cream Parlor. The island shuts down in the winter.

Address: 286 Grand Avenue, Mackinac Island, Michigan

2. Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Acme

Accommodation: Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is one of the best spa resorts in Michigan. It has several kinds of lodging located on 900 acres of Northern Michigan. Stay in the 17-story glass tower with a panoramic view of Lake Michigan or reserve a condo for your home away from home. The quiet 900-acre property is a natural playground for outdoor enthusiasts.

There are three championship golf courses on the grounds and a golf school. In the summer, you can take a shuttle to the resort’s private Shores Beach Club on East Grand Traverse Bay with an exclusive stretch of beach where jet skis and kayaks are available for rent. In the winter, you can explore snowshoe and cross-country ski trails.

Packages are available to combine on-site activities, like the full-service spa, with off-site excursions to shopping and dining in nearby Traverse City. While the resort has six dining options, the Aerie Restaurant & Lounge located at the top of the tower is a unique experience with unobstructed views of the sunset over Grand Traverse Bay.

Address: 100 Grand Traverse Blvd., Acme, Michigan

3. Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville

Accommodation: Crystal Mountain

Crystal Mountain Resort is where skiers and golfers go big or go home. There are nearly 60 downhill ski slopes on the property, two challenging golf courses, and a world-class spa where many people begin or end the day with a massage. The all-season resort is located in Thompsonville, just south of Traverse City, and caters to those who plan to spend a lot of time outdoors.

In addition to being home to one of Michigan’s best ski resorts, wintertime means snow trail hiking, fat tire biking, snowmobiling, and ice skating. It is a top resort for families due to the many family-geared amenities, especially in the summer. The Crystal Coaster alpine slide, Water’s Edge pool, art park, and adventure course are just some of the main attractions for families to enjoy.

To get the lay of the land when you first arrive, hop on a chairlift ride for the best view of the property. For an added experience during your stay at Crystal Mountain, plan a day trip through the resort to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The park encompasses 35 miles of Lake Michigan and the famous dunes on the quiet beaches.

Address: 12500 Crystal Mountain Drive, Thompsonville, Michigan

4. Treetops Resort, Gaylord

Accommodation: Treetops Resort

The Treetops Resort and spa in northern Michigan is easily ranked as one of the top golf destinations in the United States with more than 81 holes of golf on five courses. There is a wide selection of golf instruction options for children, beginners, women, and academies for the experienced who want to take their game to a higher level. There are even exclusive golf tournaments at the resort.

The resort ups the ante in the winter, too, with a terrain park, extreme tubing, and multiple ski runs. If you prefer to try dog sledding or wilderness sleigh rides and skiing, you can do that, too. For those who want to simply enjoy the accommodations, a full-service spa on-site is a popular retreat for couple and girlfriend getaways.

One of the most unique features of the Treetops Resort is its Culinary Adventure Series, where you can take part in events like wilderness sleigh ride dinners, farm-to-fork dinners, and a “skiable feast.” The culinary events combine an element of outdoor adventure with unique dining experiences.

Address: 3962 Wilkinson Road, Gaylord, Michigan

5. Bayshore Resort

Accommodation: Bayshore Resort

The Bayshore Resort in Traverse City sits on the waterfront of West Grand Traverse Bay. Lodging at the resort is diverse, ranging from Bayfront rooms with private balconies to spa rooms with two-person spa tubs. Suites at the resort have added luxury with a spa tub, fireplace, and views of the beach.

Bayshore Resort has a private beach for guests to use, along with towels and chairs. During the summer season, guests can rent boats and Jet Skis to use. The resort has an indoor pool and whirlpool for relaxing and a game room for families traveling with kids.

While the resort offers a complimentary breakfast, you are within walking distance of downtown Traverse City, where you can also enjoy some of the local restaurants and shopping.

Address: 833 E. Front Street, Traverse City, Michigan

6. Evergreen Resort

Accommodation: Evergreen Resort

The Evergreen Resort is located just outside Cadillac, Michigan on hundreds of private acres, so you are just far enough outside the city to find solitude but close enough to enjoy the urban scene when you want to. There are two golf courses and a pro shop on the grounds. Enjoy the indoor swimming pool, whirlpool, and sauna as you daydream about your next outdoor activity.

The rooms and suites at the resort range from standard to deluxe with Jacuzzi tubs, fireplaces, and multiple bathrooms. Some suites have kitchenettes and walkout patios.

The resort is surrounded by a half million acres of forest, so hiking trails, biking, and outdoor recreation is just outside the door. Fishing is popular at the resort, especially in the fall and winter. Guests have access to three large inland lakes that are full of largemouth bass, pike, walleye, crappie, and trout.

In the winter, the resort is a good base for a ski getaway and winter recreation, from downhill skiing to cross-country skiing.

Address: 7880 Mackinaw Trail, Cadillac, Michigan

7. Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection Hotels

Accommodation: Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection Hotels

The grandiose appearance of the Inn at Bay Harbor is a sight you will never forget, but the resort goes to great lengths to make sure that the experiences you have are equally unforgettable.

The romantic allure of the resort is what makes it perfect for couples’ getaways. The Inn at Bay Harbor encourages guests to forget about watches, clocks, and obligations and instead focus on simple life indulgences, like delicious food, quiet conversations over coffee, and spending time together doing activities.

The resort lodging ranges from private suites with fireplaces and kitchenettes to cottages and elaborate accommodations for six people with several bedrooms.

The lakeside resort is popular for its full-service spa and fine dining. It is located between Charlevoix and Petoskey on Little Traverse Bay, which is part of Lake Michigan and its own little corner of the world.

The Bay Harbor Golf Club is dubbed “America’s Summer Golf Capital” and is known as a top golf destination for its two courses. Each is designed with a unique flair.

Clearly, the summertime golf along the Lake Michigan coast is a main draw, but winter brings a certain serenity to outdoor adventure. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and fat tire biking bring guests when the snow falls.

Address: 3600 Village Harbor Drive, Bay Harbor, Michigan

8. Shanty Creek Resorts

Accommodation: Shanty Creek Resorts – Summit Village

Shanty Creek Resorts is set up as three separate villages, giving you several location and lodging options, including hotel rooms, rental homes, and condos at Schuss Mountain, Cedar River, and Summit. The best accommodation is located at Summit Village.

The resort villages are located near Michigan’s Chain of Lakes, including Torch Lake, so there is easy access to water activities like kayaking, fishing for walleye, and finding a beach to relax.

The resort has four of Michigan’s top golf courses with a golf academy and special golf packages. The winter landscape at the resort is perfect for snow sports enthusiasts and families due to the versatility of the slopes, activities, and lessons offered on-site. There are beginner through black diamond ski runs, as well as several terrain parks that have jumps.

Other winter activities range from alpine tubing and dogsledding to fat biking and snowshoeing throughout the property. After a long day on the slopes or on the links, grab a bite at one of several dining options at the resort. Try one casual night at The River Bistro and one upscale night with a view of Lake Bellaire at The Lakeview Restaurant.

Address: Bellaire and Mancelona, Michigan

9. The Inn at Harbor Shores

Accommodation: The Inn at Harbor Shores

Magnificent Lake Michigan is the backdrop of The Inn at Harbor Shores in southwest Michigan, located 45 minutes out of Saugatuck. The resort is known for its Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, which has hosted several PGA championships, as well as its spa and fine dining.

The Inn at Harbor Shores is more laid-back than other resorts, making it perfect for a romantic getaway or a guys’ golf weekend. All of the resort’s 93 rooms have private balconies and views over the golf course or water.

With beaches and a marina, the inn offers a quiet serenity to guests. For exercise, you can access a nice riverwalk that connects to 12 miles of recreational trails, or you can stay on-site to use the fitness center, or swim in the indoor and outdoor pools. As you take walks on the grounds to admire Lake Michigan’s steep sand dunes, also plan some time to stroll into the nearby town of St. Joseph, where you will find small boutiques and cafes.

The inn has events for guests throughout the year, like artist exhibits and holiday parties, and it regularly offers themed packages that combine golf or spa treatments, lodging, and dining.

Address: 800 Whitman Drive, St. Joseph, Michigan

10. Boyne Mountain Resort

Accommodation: Boyne Mountain Resort

Get ready for an active getaway at Boyne Mountain Resort. There are so many activity options in both the summer and winter that you will appreciate the comfortable bed in the lodge at night. Boyne Mountain is located in the village of Boyne Falls, where you can find some of the best skiing in Michigan, as well as Michigan’s largest indoor water park, called Avalanche Bay.

Besides the waterpark, the resort is perfect for couples, families, and even solo travelers looking for outdoor activity. The resort has two golf courses and a spa, mountain biking, mountain disc golf, fishing, hiking, scenic chair lifts, and ziplining.

Things do not slow down in the winter when the ski lifts get underway and the terrain parks get busy. The resort features dozens of downhill ski trails, as well as trails for fat tire biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

Lodging ranges from villas to condos, cottages, and cabins. Be sure to grab a bite at Stein Eriksen’s with the best dinner view in the house overlooking the ski slopes and ice skating. An even better view is from the unique dining experience in a hemlock at the Eagle’s Nest with a panoramic view of the Boyne Valley.

Address: 1 Boyne Mountain Road, Boyne Falls, Michigan

11. Mission Point

Accommodation: Mission Point

A summer afternoon in an Adirondack chair on the lawn of the Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island without a care in the world is a vacation moment forever trapped in time. This is just the beginning of the kind of relaxation and elegance that is only captured in this unique, summer-only environment.

Mission Point prides itself on creating a family experience. Bikes are available for rent, and the 18-hole putting course are just two of the ways families relax together. The resort has comfortable rooms and suites, a pool, a spa, a movie theater, and even a kids’ club on-site. It is located on the waterfront, so every time you step outside you will feel the breeze coming off Lake Huron.

There are five restaurants on the resort property and downtown shops are just a few minutes away on foot. Mission Point is a perfect home base for your time on Mackinac Island where you can explore most things by bike, on foot, or in a horse-drawn taxi.

Address: One Lakeshore Drive, Mackinac Island, Michigan

12. Lakeside Inn

Accommodation: Lakeside Inn

For an old-fashioned lakeside resort experience, the Lakeside Inn takes advantage of Michigan’s natural beauty by providing a quiet getaway reminiscent of its 1800s countryside vacation history.

The resort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated State of Michigan Historic Landmark. The Lakeside Inn has been restored to what it looked like in the 1920s, in its heyday of hosting guests from around the world, who came to experience a resort getaway on the shores of Lake Michigan.

The physical appearance of the Lakeside Inn is unique. The wood-framed structure and decor immediately slow the vacation pace, opening the door for a relaxed visit where board games and nature hikes top the agenda.

The 100-foot-long front porch is a highlight, where you can sit in a rocking chair and watch the sunset over the lake, or walk down for a post-dinner stroll along the private beach. The resort’s focus is the beauty of the area, with the sand dunes, ponds, trees, and water that surround it. That is one of the reasons that you will not find televisions in guest rooms.

The resort has 31 uniquely decorated rooms that you can select based on the kind of outside view you prefer, from gardens to the lake. The resort caters to those who are looking for an iconic and quiet getaway that echoes a more historic kind of resort vacation.

Address: 15251 Lakeshore Road, Lakeside, Michigan

13. Sugar Beach Resort Hotel

Accommodation: Sugar Beach Resort Hotel

One of the most appealing features of the Sugar Beach Resort in Traverse City is the 300-foot beach with soft sand on East Grand Traverse Bay. The resort has hotel accommodations with private balconies. Villas are available for larger parties, with three bedrooms and bathrooms along with a kitchen and fireplace.

Guests can use the indoor swimming pool and hot tub, but many guests prefer to enjoy the natural surroundings of the bay and Lake Erie. The resort is located in Traverse City, which is a great weekend getaway, so you are close to the local museums, entertainment, and dining in the downtown area.

Address: 1773 US 31 North, Traverse City, Michigan

14. Bavarian Inn Lodge

Accommodation: Bavarian Inn Lodge

For those who want a memorable and quirky resort experience, you cannot do better than the authentic German experience at the Bavarian Resort in Frankenmuth. As America’s largest Bavarian-themed resort, it is a unique family getaway with many activities that range from daily pretzel rolling classes and strudel making to the indoor water park with slides and pools.

The resort complex has more than 100 boutiques for shopping and plenty of German architecture to enjoy, like the covered bridge and lodges. Don’t worry, there are plenty of traditional resort amenities, too, including four indoor pools and waterslides for kids.

You should arrive hungry to the Bavarian Inn because you will not leave that way. Make sure you try one of their famous chicken dinners and homemade desserts.

Address: One Covered Bridge Lane, Frankenmuth, Michigan

15. Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest

Accommodation: Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest

The elegant resort of Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti is a luxury retreat sitting between Ann Arbor and Detroit. The resort sits on an 18-hole championship golf course and overlooks the beautiful Ford Lake. The rooms and suites at the resort have extra space, and some overlook the golf course or the lake.

Guests have full access to the resort’s indoor pool and whirlpool. There is a comfortable indoor lounge area and an outdoor patio and fire pit. The Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest is just a few minutes’ away from Ann Arbor, so you can go into the city for entertainment, dining, or a University of Michigan football game.

Address: 1275 S. Huron Street, Ypsilanti, Michigan

16. The Highlands at Harbor Springs

Accommodation: The Highlands at Harbor Springs

Located in northern Michigan, The Highlands at Harbor Springs is a resort that caters to all-season travelers looking for water activities in the summer and winter sports when the snow begins to fall. The resort lodge resembles an elegant English estate with upscale rooms. The property also has multi-level condominiums available for couples or families.

For those who want a more rustic experience, you can book a cabin in Alpine Village, located right by the ski slopes. Additional cottages, townhomes, and even vacation homes are on the property and are available to rent depending on the number of people traveling together.

Winter activities at the resort range from downhill skiing, tubing, SNO-GO bikes, and cold-weather horseback riding to cross-country skiing and fat-tire biking. In the summer, the resort’s activity center offers ziplining, hiking excursions, biking, and yoga. Through the BOYNE Golf program, guests have access to 10 championship-level golf courses at three different resorts.

The resort is centrally located in northern Michigan in Harbor Springs, and you’ll find that you’re close to the nearby towns of Petoskey, Mackinaw City, Bay Harbor, Walloon Lake, and Charlevoix, allowing you to immerse yourself in all the activities and events that our beautiful area offers.

Address: 600 Highland Drive, Harbor Springs, Michigan

17. Great Wolf Lodge Traverse City

Accommodation: Great Wolf Lodge Traverse City

Great Wolf Lodge Traverse City caters to families and offers a full resort experience. The resort has family suites with separate sleeping and living areas, as well as a balcony or patio option. Rooms have microwaves and mini-refrigerators that are great when taking back dinner leftovers.

There are themed suites that are fun for kids, with a cave sleeping area in the Wolf Den Suite and tents in the Kid Camp Suite. For families that need more space or for those looking for more amenities, there are whirlpool fireplace suites and even split-level suites.

Great Wolf Lodge is known for its expansive indoor water park, but there are other activities available at the resort. Kids can enjoy on-site activities like making their own teddy bear and miniature golf. You can even explore resort activities by age.

If you plan a day excursion away from the resort, the Traverse City area has plenty of things to do, from shopping and eateries in town to an afternoon sliding down the sand dunes at nearby Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Address: 3575 N US Highway 31 S, Traverse City, Michigan

18. Double JJ Resort

Accommodation: Double JJ Resort

A resort with a Western flare is not what you would expect to find in Michigan but that’s exactly why the Double JJ Resort is popular with visitors. The unique resort with a Gold Rush and life on the ranch experience is great for families looking for a little something extra out of their vacation. The resort has two golf courses with challenging terrain along with a driving range and practice green.

The Double JJ is probably better known for its Gold Rush indoor water park, which is popular with kids, and equestrian lessons offered for both beginner and advanced riders.

Suites and cabins are available for lodging. If you go to the effort of staying at the Double JJ resort it is worth taking a breakfast or dinner horseback ride and enjoying a hot meal cooked by an authentic western wrangler.

Address: 5900 Water Road, Rothbury, Michigan