Warmer temperatures and melting winter snow mean spring is almost here. So dust the cobwebs off your golf clubs, check those chest waders for holes and lace up those hiking shoes. The resort’s resident outdoor-junky—Accommodations Senior Manager, Logan Sanders—offers his “top five” favorite ways to ring in the spring at The Homestead.
A Guided Hunt For Morels
[source: Leelanau Adventures/Facebook]
While there are many wild edibles growing in the woods within the boundaries of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, morels definitely get the nod when it comes to the most coveted wild delicacy in the woods. (From leeks to dandelion, click here for the Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau’s shortlist of other “forager favorites” for Lakeshore locals.)
Exactly when morels begin to pop, as they say, depends on a witch’s brew of weather conditions—namely ever-warming days and gentle rain. While serious morel hunters are sometimes scouring the woods for the elusive mushroom by the end of April, morel mania typical comes to a head in Northwest Lower Michigan around mid-May.
Great morel hunting depends on great habitat and a soil conditions. Orchards, sandy soil, swamp, rolling hardwood hills. Ash, maple, elm poplar and apple trees—commonly referred to as “host trees.” The Lakeshore has it all. But still the question: Where to go?
If you’re an experienced morel hunter, you can tool around the Lakeshore and identify a promising location from the driver’s seat of your car. But if you don’t have those kinds of mad-morel-hunting skills, why not hire a guide? Until recently, finding a local guide willing to show you his best morel hunting spots was something of a fantasy. But Glen Arbor’s Eric LaPaugh is willing to share.
An experienced outdoor guide, LaPaugh now guides hiking and camping trips inside the Lakeshore. He also guides morel hunters in the spring. To get in touch with Leelanau Adventures and get your springtime morel-hunting trip on the books, click here to check out Facebook page.
Learn To Fly Fish
[source: orvis.com]
If this is the year you’re determined to scratch “learn to fly fish” off your springtime bucket list, The Homestead is the place to start. And the time is now. Trout season opens on April 26th on a Michigan stream near you, which also means steelhead will be staging at the mouth of the Crystal River (right next to Café Manitou) soon.
If you’re new to fly fishing or simply looking for a preseason tune-up, The Homestead’s master fly fishing instructor, Dave Leonhard, begins hosting one- and two-day fly fishing clinics begin mid April at the resort this year.
From knot-tying to basic entomology, casting to choosing the best gear—the basic fly fishing know-how that might take you years to acquire on your own—Leonhard and his team instructors at the Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School can teach you everything you need to know to step into the water with confidence on opening day.
Overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan, the Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School at The Homestead combines Northwoods beauty and classic accommodations with the best fly fishing instruction in America.
All clinics utilize hands-on instruction on private trout ponds as well as classroom instruction on the resort’s property, as well as serene stretches of the Boardman River a short drive away. Orvis Michigan is designed to introduce the intricacies of fly fishing to an absolute novice, but even experienced fly anglers will find personal and advanced instruction tailored to their level of experience. Sign up now to enjoy special rates if you book an overnight stay at The Homestead.
For more information contact Dave Leonhard, Orvis Michigan Fly Fishing School Director, at 231.933.9300.
Take On A Challenge
[source: nps.gov]
The Sleeping Bear Dunes had roughly two million visitors last year, but only a handful can lay claim to hiking every mainland trail in the park—that’s 13 trails and almost one hundred miles.
It’s called the Trail Trekker Challenge. Two Glen Lake area high school students, Bonnie Ricord and Lena Cruz, created the TTC to help motivate people to see some of the amazing places within the National Lakeshore beyond the Dune Climb—and get some great exercise in the process.
If you manage to hike all 13, mainland, hiking trails in a single year, you can add your name to very short and elite list. Click here to see it. Only 43 people completed the challenge in 2017.
Two of the most popular trails in the Lakeshore trail system are within walking distance of the hotels and condominiums at The Homestead. Clearly-marked access to Bay View Trail can be found in The Village, while the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail can be found basically right across the road from the entrance to The Homestead. Other popular trails, such as Empire Bluffs and Pyramid Point are a short drive away. Be sure to ask for a map and a park pass when you check in. And if you’d like to try exploring the trails on a foot (or bike, in the case of Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail) the resort can get you all set up and ready to go.
Hit The Greens
[source: manitoupassagegolfclub.com]
Located just 15 minutes north of The Homestead, Manitou Passage Golf Club is the place to go for the “Pure Michigan” Up-North golf experience. Known for supreme service and breathtaking scenery, MPGC offers dramatic elevation changes, long rides through the woods between tee boxes, bent-grass greens and fairways and the very real chance of sneaking up on grazing deer in their super quiet electric carts.
No matter the time of year, MPGC’s prices can’t be beat for outstanding quality and value. They have many plans to choose from, and they’re sure to have just the right one for your needs. But if you’re looking for the best deal on season passes, spring is the time to call before they’re all gone.
The official opening for the course is always May 1st. But Bob Summers—the friendliest General Manager in golf—says the course is likely to open earlier in 2018, weather permitting. Whether you stop by to ring in the spring with a full 18 holes or simply a tune-up lesson with their award winning PGA Pro, Lee Houtteman, be sure to stop by the clubhouse restaurant—Arnie’s Grill—and meet Gabriel Schaffer, their culinary trained chef. Schaffer has created an outstanding menu that includes a special breakfast sandwich that has become locally famous. Schaffer will also be featuring dinners on Friday and Saturday nights.
For more information, reservations and tee-times, call 231.228.6000 or check MPGC out on the web at www.manitoupassagegolfclub.com.
Take A Group Or Solo Kayak Adventure
[source: allaboutwaterusa.com]
Haven’t tried kayaking? You’re missing out on one of the coolest ways to experience the incredible scenery and wildlife found around the area’s rivers, lakes, and ponds.
Spring is the time to see shorebirds returning home from a winter spent down south. Giant steelhead can commonly be seen on area rivers, and in a ultra quiet kayak there’s always the chance to slip up on everything from whitetail deer to nesting waterfowl. Kayaks are now more popular than canoes on area waterways—and infinitely safer, too, if you’re headed out on the big water of Lake Michigan.
The Homestead and All About Water—a Cedar, Michigan, based purveyor of paddling adventures in southwest Florida and, now, Northern Michigan—teamed up last year to offer guided kayak tours of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. All About Water also offers group tours of the Crystal River that winds its way through Glen Arbor before entering resort property and emptying into Lake Michigan along the boardwalk at the Beach Club.
Whether you’re looking to go it alone or with a group. The Homestead has you covered. The Beach Club and its waterfront kayak rentals opens for guests and residents on May 1st.
For guests of The Homestead, All About Water offers two “big water” tour choices of the Sleeping Bear coast: Pyramid Point and North Bar Lake to the Pierce Stocking Drive lookout. Weather and wind direction (if any) determine which tour you take.
All About Water is a full-service outfitter, meaning they provide rental equipment, licensed guides, transportation to and from put-in and take-out points, etc. Guests are in charge of bringing their own snacks, water, sunscreen and—this cannot be stressed enough—clothing that is not made from cotton. In addition to water shoes or sandals, garments made from fleece, nylon or any other synthetic material that dries quickly is important even on a sunny day.
For more information about Beach Club kayak rentals, call 231.334.5000. If you’re looking to book a Sleeping Bear Dunes kayak tour with the certified guides at All About Water, you can stop by their on-site office located at Rocky’s.