Leelanau State Park
Leelanau State Park is as far north as you can get on the Leelanau Peninsula and is a wonderful place to camp in the fall. We arrived in the tailend of fall color, but it was still quite beautiful. We had never been to the peninsula before, so the park was mostly used as a jumping-off point to go out rock hunting and hiking at places like Peterson Park, Christmas Cove, Van’s Beach, Empire Beach, and Point Betsie Lighthouse. We also traveled to Newport, Leland, Glen Arbor, and Traverse City while staying at the park, and none felt like a very long drive due to the amazing scenery surrounding us. The park itself was quite stunning as well. Our campsite was right off Lake Michigan, and we could hear the waves crashing the entire time. The highlight of the park for most would be the Grand Traverse Lighthouse and Museum, but my favorite part was walking along the beach, looking for rocks, and enjoying the view. Whether you are visiting to enjoy the lighthouse and trail system within the park or just using the campground as your jumping-off point into the Leelanau Peninsula, you really can’t go wrong staying at Leelanau State Park.
