Long before Interstates were built and enabled families to travel quickly to Michigan destinations. Long before there were Holiday Inn's or luxurious hotels. There were tiny mom-and-pop-run motor hotels that straddled the state highways.
These motor hotels quickly became known as “motels.” They were a comfortable refuge that welcomed road-weary travelers with easy access to their rooms. Those tiny welcome centers still dot the northern Michigan travel landscape. They still embrace those who need a break from the road. In many cases, they allow travelers an inside look at quiet little towns that would be too easy to pass without exploring the wonderful stories and opportunities they possess.
Along US-31, about a half-hour west of Traverse City, sits one of those small towns, the village of Honor. With just over 300 full-time residents, Honor attracts visitors who use it as a hub, or a place to enjoy the quiet. It’s where folks go to take off on nearby hiking and biking trails. It’s a magnet for people wanting to fish or kayak on the Platte River. It’s where you go to rent see-through kayaks and stand-up paddleboards and watch the salmon run under your craft.
This is where you take your family to one of the few remaining drive-in movie theatres left in Michigan. In the 1950s there were more than 100 of these outdoor entertainment centers. Today there are only nine left, and one is Honor’s Cherry Bowl Drive-In. They show two movies, and the kids are guaranteed to fall asleep before the second feature ends.
It’s where you go to dive into food that warms your soul like a fresh burger or steak bite from Sweets Bar and Grill, a hearty breakfast from Papa J's, or BBQ from Jim’s Joint. And when the day is done, it may be time to grab a black cherry ice cream cone at Mudgies.
Honor is a springboard for other northern Michigan attractions and popular hangouts. It’s minutes away from the scenic drives and hikes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It’s so close to the wide expanse of the Frankfort Beach and Lighthouse. It’s a few short miles from Iron Fish Distilling, Stormcloud Brewing, Five Shores Brewing, and St. Ambrose Cellars. It’s near the ski hills of Crystal Mountain and miles of public snowmobile trails.
Within a short walk of Honor’s business district sits a 17-room motel that has two cabin-style homes known as the Honor Motel. It is a quintessential roadside motel. It’s been family-run for more than two decades. One of its current owners, Jesse Theobald, recently took over the family business from his mom and takes great pains in honoring the family tradition of hospitality. He and his wife, Kate, work hard to make the motel exceptionally clean, friendly, bright, and welcoming.
Running the Honor Motel is personal for them. Jessie has lived here since he was 11 years old. His parent converted one of the rooms into his boyhood room. From this place, Jesse went to school, played sports, and learned how to fish.
Built in the 1940s, The Honor Motel has a joyful yellow exterior, with bright red flowers, that beckon travelers to brush the road off their dusty heels and find a comfortable bed to kick away their worries.
The warm welcome is deeper than the look of the motel, it’s a second-generation that takes pride in their heritage. “I think it makes a difference,” said owner Kate Theobald. “It’s a personal experience. You get that one-on-one time. Our guests know us. They come back year after year. We are building friendships with some of the guests.”
Like nearly all the roadside motels of the 1940s and 1950s, travelers were able to drive right up to their rooms. There’s no waiting in a long line for the elevator. The accommodations were simple. There were no spas. Golf courses had yet to sprout up near full-service resorts. The Honor Motel is just one of many ma-and-pa-run lodges in northern Michigan that makes a promise of a comfortable night’s stay. It also gives you a reason to embrace the people who make this part of the fabric of the up-north tapestry.
