Fall is a popular season around Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore — and leaf peeping is free.
The warmer weather in September delayed the color change, especially along the lakeshore. The best fall foliage develops with sunny days and cool nights, which are in the forecast.
The maples have started the show, and the treetops should start popping in the next week or two. But you may be able to stretch a fall color tour into late October.
Whether you’re into wine (or beer) tasting, bike riding, or picking out the perfect pumpkin, you’ll find it on the Leelanau Peninsula.
Self-guided color tour
M-22 through the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is one of the most popular color tour routes. But the triangular shape of the Leelanau Peninsula means you’ll find miles and miles of rolling countryside to explore.
Now is your chance to discover some hidden hot spots, farm stands, and eateries in the region! Part of the fun is veering off the tourist-trodden path and venturing across the peninsula on a country road to Arcadia, Beulah, Cedar, Lake Leelanau, Maple City, Suttons Bay or Northport.
For an immersive color tour, hop on your bicycle and admire the tree canopy on the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, TART Trail, or Betsie Valley Trail.
You can follow updates from the volunteer nonprofit Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes or check Sleeping Bear’s Current Conditions and the calendar for details on park operations or see how the fall color is progressing.
Wine Tours and Wagon Rides
Explore the wineries of Leelanau County or spend the afternoon shopping in Glen Arbor or Leland. You can pick apples and pumpkins at roadside stands and get “spooked” on a haunted trail.
Visit Black Star Farms for family-friendly Fall Color Wagon Rides on Saturdays in October. Along the ride, you can view boarded horses, baby goats, travel through a rolling cherry orchard, and soak in the fall colors at the top of the estate.
Black Star Farms also offers a Sunday Brunch and Fall Wine and Color Tours at 11 a.m. on select Mondays and Fridays. You’ll discover the beauty of the estate in its autumn splendor during this one-hour guided walking tour complete with an educational tasting of our wines and spirits.
Hunt for the Reds
With more than 20 wineries on the Leelanau Peninsula, you’ll never tire of tasting wine or taking in a colorful bay view vista. Many wineries and breweries have live music, outdoor patios with roaring fires, and special harvest celebrations.
The annual Hunt for the Reds is on all month long! Set out in search of elegant, bold, and high-quality red varietals on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail.
This ticketed event includes a 2-ounce pour of red wine hand-selected by the wine makers along with $10 in cork cash. This self-guided tour is meant to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace, so you can explore the wineries on your own schedule.
SHOPtober 2025
Maybe you want to loaf, keep it simple, and support local this trip. Staying at The Homestead cuts out the driving, and Glen Arbor’s SHOPtober 2025 is a campaign to Shop Small, Eat Local, Win Big!
Spend $350 at participating businesses in the Glen Arbor area during the month of October, and get entered to win $100 in Glen Arbor Bucks.
Check out the other events via visitglenarbor.com, including live music at French Valley Vineyard, Bel Lago, Glen Arbor Wines, and Dune Bird Winery.
Glen Lake Community School’s second annual Fall Flannel Festival runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 12. Games, Touch-a-Truck, bounce houses, face painting and hair tinsel, mum and pumpkin sales, taco truck, and much more!
The Northern Michigan Dance Festival is Oct. 10-12 at the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City and Art in the Barn runs 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 11-12 in Northport.
Frankfort Fall Festival
Head south on M-22 for the Port City Run & Frankfort Fall Fest this Saturday, Oct. 11 at Open Space Park.
It’s a full day of fall festivities, beginning with the Port City Run at 9 a.m. The Port City Run has been a fixture in Frankfort since 1979 and joins the Fall Fest lineup this year.
The Fall Festival Craft Fair runs 10 a.m.-4 p.m. along Betsie Bay, where you’ll find fall decor, unique gifts, and handcrafted goods from talented local artisans.
The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. with giant pumpkins, the lively Scottsville Clown Band, the Mutt March, floats and community spirit. The fall fun continues until 5 p.m. featuring live music, beer tent, kids’ games, a giant pumpkin drop, food vendors and more!
Marla R. Miller is a freelance travel writer, blogger, and content writer who enjoys exploring the Sleeping Bear area. Visit her website at marlarmiller.com.