The Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor, Michigian is the Best Place to Stay

We stayed at The Homestead Resort from June 21-25, 2009. Located in the small town of Glen Arbor, Michigan, The Homestead turned out to be the perfect place to stay in this area.

Accommodations

The Homestead Resort is more than just a single hotel. Instead it is like a mini-city full of various places to stay. First, you can choose between one of four hotels/bed and breakfast, which are each unique in their own way. If you're looking for a more "at home" feeling, The Homestead also offers homes and condos for rent.

Of these options, we choose to stay in The Inn. Located right near the pool area, The Inn offered fantastic views of Lake Michigan as can be seen in my pictures. Don't expect 5 star accommodation at The Inn. Instead, it felt more like a hotel combined with a Bed and Breakfast which gave us the cozy feeling of being at home without actually being in someone's home. With only 17 rooms and various meeting areas, you won't see much traffic at The Inn. Most of the visitors are couples, like us, who just needed enough room for two.

Our King Room at The Inn had a large King bed, a nice comfy sitting area, a fridge and small kitchen area, a fireplace and TV. This was all we needed to enjoy our stay! The fridge was large enough to fit various drinks and snacks that we had brought to save money on restaurants. The sitting area was comfortable enough that we sat their most evenings to watch some TV. Unlike fancy hotels that only offer a few channels, The Inn allowed you to watch any regular channel you wanted.

The bathroom of The Inn is nothing fancy, just a toilet and shower with a sink on the outside. We had considered staying at Little Belle which offers Jacuzzis, but in the end we choose The Inn due to it's location. Being right by the Lake made it so we could walk to the beach anytime we wanted. The pool and cafe with bar were also very close so we never needed to take a shuttle even though other guests did.

Swimming

The Homestead Resort offers various pools, two of which are open to guests of their hotels. The smaller pool, located by the reception center, had a slide which was fun for kids. However, due to it's location way back at the entrance, we never tried it out. The Beach Club pool, located right off of Lake Michigan, had a hot tub attached and a waterfall for kids to play in. Little kids also enjoyed the splash areas around the pool. This pool was good for kids and adults, but be aware that kids will probably be in it all day. I was surprised that kids were allowed in the hot tub as most resorts don't allow that because it is too hot for them. I was also surprised that jumping was allowed since the pool was only 3 feet deep at most parts. To make a long story short, don't expect to relax in the pool and float around. But you can still enjoy the water even with the kids.

Then there is always the lake and river. Many families were found kayaking or walking in the river headed towards the lake. The river didn't look like something I'd want to be in when I saw all the little fish and stuff on the bottom of it. Lake Michigan appeared very clean as I walked through it, but you still might want to have swimming shoes because of all the rocks nearby. At the end of June, the water was still very cold. I managed to take a few strolls up to my knees, but I was not as brave as the others who went all the way in. Otters were seen in the water and on the beach every day. These cute creatures won't hurt you, because they actually try to stay away from people.

There are various other lakes in and around Glen Arbor where you may be able to go to swim. The options are endless!

Other Points of Interest

The Homestead is a large place that offers a few restaurants, a general store, and a few other odds and ends. Cafe Manitou proved to be a great place for lunch or dinner. The restaurant is located in the Beach Club and has indoor and outdoor seating. In addition, the outdoor Cafe Bar is only open to adults and gives you a quiet place to watch the sunset. If you are seeking fine dining, Nonna's is also available but we did not try this one out.

The general store is nice for things you may have forgotten such as shampoo and other essentials. In addition, they offer a variety of food items if you are looking to eat in. You'll find many families on this sort of trip are packing and cooking their own food to save money. With the lack of eating options in the area, having your own food is almost essential.

Location

The only reason anyone would really go to Glen Arbor, besides relaxing, is to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes. The Dunes offer various activities for all ages to view this beautiful National Park. From The Homestead, it only takes a few miles to get to the entrance of the Dune Climb, the Scenic Drive, or other activities.

Glen Arbor is also only 30 minutes or so from Traverse City. If you wanted to visit Traverse City, but didn't want to stay in the midst of the crowds, then Glen Arbor is a great option. You can take a day trip to Traverse City for the beach, the mall, or just to go into town. Also in this area you will find a lot of wineries. There is a peninsula right above Traverse City that has about 7 of them. There is also a peninsula closer to Glen Arbor that has many more! We choose to do the smaller peninsula above Traverse City and this was a nice day trip. It hardly took us any time to get there and back.

After visiting Traverse City these two different days, I know I would never choose to stay there. It was just too crowded and the beach area was packed. Glen Arbor is a much better option because you get much of the beach to yourself, direct access to Lake Michigan, and in the end you are close enough to Traverse City that you can visit as needed.

A Place for All Seasons and People

No matter what your favorite season is, The Homestead can accommodate you. There are plenty of activities in every season. Obviously the summer is full of swimming and golfing, but you can also go skiing in the winter, or see the leaves change in the fall. Whether you are going as a couple, as a family, or with everyone you know, The Homestead has great options for everyone. Enjoy!