Northern Michigan's 'Golf Coast,' done as a road trip. Fly into Traverse City, base at Arcadia Bluffs for 36 on the clifftop links, then work north to Bay Harbor and Charlevoix for Pete Dye's bay-side 27 and the golden-age charm of Belvedere — before finishing inland at Tom Weiskopf's Forest Dunes. Six days, five marquee courses, and the breweries, chophouses, and lake towns in between.
Day-by-Day
Day
1
1
Travel Day
Fly into Traverse City (TVC)
Grab a rental car and head to Arcadia Bluffs (about an hour south)
Check in to your hotel — we recommend staying on-site at Arcadia Bluffs
Dinner and a drink at The Lakeview Room
💡 Don't book golf on your travel day. Fly in, grab the car, and settle at Arcadia so you're fresh for 36 tomorrow.
Day
2
2
Arcadia Bluffs
Coffee & breakfast at Bowens Creek
9:00 AM — The Bluffs Course, the clifftop links high above Lake Michigan and one of the best public tracks in America
Lunch at The Dozen
3:00 PM — The South Course, the bold inland counterpart to the Bluffs
Dinner & beer flights at Stormcloud Brewing Company
💡 36 at Arcadia while the legs are fresh. Save some camera roll for the bluff holes along the lake.
Day
3
3
Arcadia Bluffs & the Inn at Bay Harbor
9:00 AM — The Bluffs Course one more lap — it plays completely different the second time through
Lunch at The Dozen or The Lakeview Room
Drive to Bay Harbor (about 1.5 hours)
Check in to the Inn at Bay Harbor
Enjoy the night at Vintage Chophouse
💡 One more Bluffs round before you move north — you'll score better now that you know the greens.
Day
4
4
Belvedere & Bay Harbor
Breakfast at Bayside Restaurant
9:00 AM — Belvedere Golf Club, a 1925 Willie Watson classic in Charlevoix
Lunch at The Links Grille
3:00 PM — Bay Harbor Golf Club, Pete Dye's 27 holes along Little Traverse Bay
Dinner at Brandy's Harbortown
💡 A golden-age morning and a modern-marquee afternoon — two very different sides of Michigan golf in one day.
Day
5
5
Forest Dunes
Breakfast at The Sagamore Room
Depart for Roscommon (about 1.5 hours)
1:00 PM — Forest Dunes, Tom Weiskopf's top-40 public masterpiece
Check in at Forest Dunes or a nearby hotel
Dinner at Mimi & Pipis Casa Italiana
Bootlegger Bar for the night
💡 Staying on-property? Forest Dunes' reversible Loop is right there if you want to squeeze in a bonus loop before dark.
Day
6
6
Travel Day
Drive back to Traverse City and head home
💡 Book your flight for later in the day and leave time for the scenic drive back through the Golf Coast.
Destinations Covered
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