Port Towns

If you're looking for a different kind of shopping experience, try one or two of the picturesque freshwater port towns that surround Traverse City. These towns are rich with personality and neighborliness. To the east is Antrim County, where the picturesque villages of Elk Rapids, Bellaire, and Alden are wonderful places to find unique treasures. To the west is the Leelanau Peninsula, with laid-back little villages like Suttons Bay, Lake Leelanau, Empire, Glen Arbor, Leland and Northport -- chock-full of charming shops, dramatic views and cozy little eateries. (Don’t miss Leland’s famous Fishtown district, a collection of old fishing shanties that are now shops and galleries.)