Family Activities At The Sleeping Bear Dunes

A good part of the history of our area relates, as you would expect, to the water and vessels plying it.

A part of that history deals with the shoals, lighthouses, storms, heroic efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Life-Saving Service, and, of course, shipwrecks. A seemingly primitive but remarkably effective turn-of-the-century tool used in the time of storms was the Lyle Gun which could fire a rescue line from the shore more than 400 yards to a ship in distress. A reenactment of the Lyle Gun firing is put on each day during the summer at 3:00pm at the Maritime Museum in Glen Haven. Raggedy Ann & Andy are the shipwreck victims and the children are encouraged to participate in their rescue. For more information, visit the Maritime Museum.

A visitor center in the heart of the Port Oneida Rural Historic District, Port Oneida Farms Heritage Center Partners with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to preserve and interpret its 360 historic buildings and landscapes and provide heritage experiences, including tours, fairs, and other events for visitor and community enrichment. Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear is headquartered in and operates the Port Oneida Heritage Center at the Charles & Hattie Olsen farmstead. For more information, visit the Port Oneida Farms Heritage Center or call 231.334.6103.

A clear night provides our perfect setting for a star filled sky, made even more visible by our 14″ Celestron Telescope in the Lanphier Observatory.  You’ll see plenty of heavenly objects in bright, brilliant detail, and learn from Norm Wheeler, our local authority and guide.  The Lanphier Observatory is open on Wednesday and Thursday nights from Summer Solstice through Labor Day. For more information, visit Lanphier Observatory or call 231.334.5890.

Every Friday Night in the Summer, The Beach Bards perform in front of the Lanphier Observatory around a campfire.  Shared storytelling and songs with the backdrop of Lake Michigan’s shoreline will make this a memorable experience for people of all ages. For more information, visit Beach Bards or call 231.334.5890.

Popular Attractions

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Visitor Center

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Getting Here

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located in the northwest corner of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, about 25 miles west…

Park History

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Winter Activities

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Tours

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