Charlevoix Michigan Picked Top October Destination by Expedia
One of the largest travel websites has selected a small Michigan town as the best place in the country to visit in the month of October. Charlevoix was selected by Expedia as the best place to travel in October. Expedia highlighted Charlevoix thanks to its dazzling fall colors, vibrant downtown, abundant recreational opportunities, and delightful attractions.
I have been traveling to Charlevoix since I was a kid and am so ecstatic to see this town get more national recognition. Back in 2017, 10Best (a USA Today service) nominated Charlevoix as a Best Midwestern Small Town (population under 10,000). Charlevoix finished second place in this poll.
Perhaps our favorite feature of Charlevoix is the South Pier Lighthouse. This lighthouse is a great symbol of the city, as it is featured in tourism materials and also on beers from the local brewery. The lighthouse is now painted red, but was also white for several years.
One of the most unique things you can see in Charlevoix are the mushroom houses, created by legendary architect Earl Young. We took a short tour of these houses recently to take some pictures. We were also surprised to find that one of them is a popular rental house. Another group of four is also rentable. Imagine staying in this real life hobbit house while on vacation and being a short walk away from the beach and Lake Michigan as well.
While traveling to Charlevoix, consider stopping at a unique Roadside Attraction we call the World’s Largest Cherry Pie. On the side of US-31 sits a huge cherry pie sculpture. Charlevoix once held the world record for the largest cherry pie thanks to its 17,420 pound pie created at its 1976 annual cherry festival. The record stood from 1976 to 1987, when Charlevoix was beaten by Traverse City, who has since lost the record as well.
During the month of October, Charlevoix will host its annual Apple Festival (October 12th through 14th). This event highlights many types of different apples and also celebrates the city. An arts and crafts show takes place the same weekend locally as part of the festival. On October 6th, the city is the host of the Leif Eriksson Day Row & Run, where participants can take part in a 1 mile boat race and/or a 5k foot race.
From the Visit Charlevoix website
Expedia highlights Charlevoix for its fall color, which is one of our favorite things about our great Mitten State. The Visit Charlevoix website includes a fall color tour map that provides driving destinations in town and in the surrounding area, like the gorgeous Tunnel of Trees. We have highlighted regions in the lower peninsula in a prior article.
Charlevoix is also an area that enjoys Ernest Hemingway connections in Michigan. Readers of our site should be familiar with the fact that Hemingway enjoyed his time in Michigan and has left a lasting legacy. Nearby Petoskey is full of places with connections to the popular writer. Hemingway married his first wife on the shores of Lake Charlevoix and spent time in this great city as well.
Other popular destinations in Charlevoix include:
- Castle Farms
- Beaver Island (boat ferry service goes from Charlevoix)
- Fisherman’s Island State Park
- Lake Charlevoix (Michigan’s third largest inland lake)
- Lake Charlevoix Brewing Company
Here’s hoping that the ranking by Expedia brings some extra tourists to Charlevoix and the city can shine as a great destination in Michigan. The positive recommendations and rankings for small Michigan towns can mean all the world for local businesses to thrive.
