Harbor Springs, Michigan

Harbor Springs is a city located in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,567.

Related Topics:
Emmet County - U.S. state - Michigan - 2000

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Harbor Springs is in a sheltered bay on the north shore of the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The Little Traverse Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on the Harbor Point peninsula that forms the natural harbor there. Michigan State Highway 119 connects with U.S. Highway 31 seven mile east and south at Bay View, with Petoskey just three miles away on the south side of the harbor.

Related Topics:
Little Traverse Bay - Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Lighthouse - Michigan State Highway 119 - U.S. Highway 31 - Bay View - Petoskey

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The city swells in the summer tourist "season" - which generally ranges from Memorial Day to Labor Day - and has a picturesque, New England feel to it year-round. Popular activities include boating, sailing, tennis, and shopping the 4-block downtown area, which boasts an inordinate number of upscale shops for such a small area. The downtown area includes several restaurants, including the historic MaryEllen's (a '50's-style soda fountain that is authentic and untouched by trendy remodeling), the local favorite pizza place, Turkey's (named for its owner, who apparantly "hobbled like a turkey" when injuring himself during high school football season), and Bar Harbor, famed for its burgers and as a gathering place for yachtsmen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Also downtown are a small but thorough bookstore (Between the Covers), several coffeeshops, fudge shops, and over a dozen art galleries, the destinations of many of the "fudgies" (Northern Michigan-speak for "tourist") who clog the sidewalks during the summer months. In the winter, the town serves as the base for visiting skiiers, as Boyne Highlands ski resort is only a few miles away, and the town's custom of setting their Christmas tree in the middle of the downtown street has been seen on many postcards.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The town is also just a few miles from neighboring Petoskey, Michigan, which is on the other side of the bay and offers a wider variety of activities including a multiplex movie theater, a thriving downtown area of its own, and several big-box stores.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~