M-22
Scenic Highway · Traverse City, Michigan
M-22 is the coastal highway that loops around the Leelanau Peninsula in northwest lower Michigan, running over 100 miles (about 116) between Manistee and Traverse City. It passes through the Sleeping Bear Dunes area, Glen Arbor, Leland and its Fishtown fishing shanties, Northport and Suttons Bay, with Lake Michigan beaches, cherry orchards and wineries along the way. The route sign is a local icon and appears on stickers and shirts across the state. It is a two lane road with curves, short towns and heavy summer traffic, so it is a drive to take slowly. It suits couples, families, photographers and wine drinkers who want a full day of stops rather than a fast trip. Fall colour is excellent, and early July brings the National Cherry Festival to Traverse City (confirm the dates). Allow a full day at least, preferably two. Fuel up in the larger towns, check parking rules at beaches, and avoid peak weekends.
M-22 Highway, Traverse City, Michigan, 49684, United States
M-22 is a public state highway and is open to traffic all year, so there is no closing time. The stops along it keep their own hours: beaches and town parking are best in daylight, many shops, tasting rooms and cafes are seasonal and shorten their hours or close from late autumn to spring, and the ferries, boat rentals and some park roads may not run in winter. Lake-effect snow and ice can make the shoreline stretches slow and slippery from about December to March, and the road is ploughed but conditions vary quickly. Summer evenings are long and bright, while autumn daylight shortens fast. Confirm each stop's season, and build in time for slow traffic in the villages.