Traverse City Travel Blog

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a breathtaking park in Northern Michigan that’s filled with towering dunes, stunning sunsets and sandy beaches.

If you’ve visited the Dunes, it may come as no surprise that the National Lakeshore has been voted the most beautiful place in the United States

Alice Van Zoeren stands to watch on the sands of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. She has come to these shores for 17 years as a guardian. She searches to find, defend and protect the endangered bird known as the Piping Plover. 

Imagine taking your first steps on a treasure hunt today, and you know for certain you will never see the treasure for at least four years. Plus, there’s a good chance when you open the treasure chest you will find nothing; just four-year-old rancid air. Would you take that first step in search of treasure?  

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is one of the most beautiful and amazing places in the country. And it’s only a short drive from downtown Traverse City! Here are 10 ways to explore Sleeping Bear.