The Perfect 1 Day on Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula (Fishtown + Sleeping Bear Dunes)

Exploring Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula in one unforgettable day — from historic Fishtown in Leland to the scenic drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. If you’re planning a Northern Michigan road trip, this route is packed with must-see stops. After a short break this winter, we are back with a series of videos of our trip to Michigan in September of 2025. We spent nearly two weeks road-tripping through Michigan, and this day was packed with small-town charm, iconic Lake Michigan views, and incredible local food. We started the morning in Petoskey and headed south, making a must-stop at Bubbie’s Bagels in Traverse City (worth the hype). Then we explored historic Fishtown in Leland — a working waterfront village with weathered fishing shanties, smokehouses, charter boats, and docks that feel frozen in time along Lake Michigan. From there, we drove the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes. The overlooks of Lake Michigan were dramatic and unforgettable. We did a quick stop but had to skip the Dune Climb this time because they are not dog friendly and we had Ozzie with us. But the scenic drive - especially overlook #9 - did not dissapoint. We wrapped up the day near Charlevoix with pizza and craft beer at Bier’s Inwood Brewery — the perfect ending to a long summer travel day. If you're planning a Michigan road trip, RV adventure, or Lake Michigan vacation, this route between Petoskey, Traverse City and Leland is packed with must-see stops. 📍 Featured in this video: • Leland Fishtown • Sleeping Bear Dunes Scenic Drive • Traverse City, Michigan • Charlevoix, Michigan Subscribe for more RV travel adventures, dog-friendly travel tips, wineries, lake towns, and hidden gems across the Midwest. #NorthernMichigan #SleepingBearDunes #TraverseCity #Petoskey #LelandMichigan #RVTravel #MichiganRoadTrip #PureMichigan As always - We would love to hear your thoughts - did you climb the dune climb (either?) and how was it?. Happy camping and thanks for watching! Music by Epidemic Sound - www.epidemicsound.com *****This video is for entertainment purposes only as we are not RV experts. We are sharing our thoughts, modifications and ideas based on our experiences but we always recommend doing your own research, and coming to your own conclusions on your camping and RV needs and modifications! Chapters 0:00 Introduction 1:05 Bubbies Bagels 2:16 Leland Michigan & Fishtown 4:19 Sleeping Bear 6:52 Biers Inwood Brewery in Charelvoix & Wrap Up