Charlevoix

 A setting of natural beauty, a charm that makes people smile -  A visit to Charlevoix will convince you that water and land truly couldn't have picked a finer place to meet. Live a memory you'll cherish forever.

When looking beyond the business of the day, the Charlevoix area provides countless opportunities for fun in the sun, awe amid vibrant fall colors, the thrill of outdoor snow sports and the stillness of woodland wanderings in spring.  Each season provides a unique offering of activities that benefit residents and visitors of all ages.

A love for the water and knowing your neighbor are common denominators for residents and resorters of various backgrounds, interests and stages of life.  Despite their differences, these resorters and residents create a fulfilling sense of community.  Visitors – whether experiencing Charlevoix for the first or 50th time – easily become part of the social blend.

There's just something about Charlevoix.  Something that says Welcome!  Life is Grand!


PLAY

These documents below are  designed to serve as an organized tour guide of suggested activities for visitors who may not be familiar with the wonderful businesses, services and natural resources available in our area.

• A Taste of the Good Life ... Around Lake Charlevoix!
• Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - In Charlevoix!
• Charlevoix: Small Town - Big Culture!
• Winter in Charlevoix County - Not Just Fun in the Sun!

Downtown
One of the best ways to see the downtown area is to make a loop through the shopping district on Bridge Street - treating yourself to the variety of items you'll want for gift giving and for keeping, then leisurely stroll along the marina shoreline to get a close-up look at some of the grandest pleasure craft on the Great Lakes.

Pine River Channel
At the north end of downtown, you can walk either side of Pine River Channel on modern, safe walkways. Victorian style electric lights make the walk especially pleasing after sundown. The south pier walk leads to the lighthouse and Michigan Beach.  The north pier walk lets you stroll from Round Lake well out into Lake Michigan on the north pier.

Garden Spots
Each year the Charlevoix Area Garden Club hosts a "garden walk" and private gardens are open to the public. The Club also invites the public to view its community gardens following the brochure, "Visit Our Gardens," that is on display at the Chamber. The four-mile long petunia bed, containing 50,000 petunias of various colors, are a project of Keep Charlevoix Beautiful, a non-profit organization, and are planted in one hour by hundreds of volunteers.

Michigan Avenue
Across the bridge to the north of the downtown area is Michigan Avenue, where stately homes sit on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. Along the avenue are three public walkways leading to the lakeshore.

EAST PARK IN DOWNTOWN CHARLEVOIX

For most of the major events in Charlevoix, the center of attention is East Park, a neatly manicured greenbelt next to the Round Lake yacht basin.  Entertainment is featured regularly at the outdoor  Clarence A. Odmark Pavilion.  The Charlevoix Community  Band presents free concerts Tuesday evenings at 8:00 pm throughout the summer.

During events such as Venetian Festival, Apple Festival and the Waterfront Art Fair, East Park teems with activity.  Most of the time the park is a quiet, peaceful place.    The park overlooks Round Lake marina. Round Lake is a circular body of water surrounded by the city. To the west it empties, via the Pine River Channel, into Lake Michigan.  To the east, it joins Lake Charlevoix. Round Lake is a busy access route for pleasure boaters and commercial vessels.

The shores of Round Lake are clustered with a mixture of old and new. Amid stylish condominiums and luxurious lake homes are commercial fishing businesses and marine service operations.

FATHER CHARLEVOIX PARK

This little known park is a quiet lookout providing somewhat of a bird's eye view of the Lake Michigan piers and is one of the best places to sit and contemplate a summer sunset.

The park, constructed with private donations, is at the west end of Dixon Avenue. Along with park benches, it includes a garden spot and a memorial to the man the city was named for. A wooden stairway from the park leads down to the edge of Lake Michigan.

HOFFMANN PARK

Hoffmann Park, along the south shore of the channel provides a tranquil and pleasant place to sit and chat while watching boats glide past the channel below. The park features circular stonework seating areas and wooden stairs on the slope to the channel.