What will you find along M22? Time to wander? The 116 miles — from the “trailhead” in Manistee, to Empire, past the inn to Northport, then back south to Suttons Bay. — was named by USA TODAY America’s #1 Best Scenic Autumn Drive. From beach town to beach town to beach town, “it’s not just a road, it’s a way of life.”

Time limited: check “A 48 Hour Guide to Leelanau and Benzie Counties’ Best Beach Towns” with our best advice.

What you will find along the way is exceptional in any season:

• Three lighthouses, including the Point Betsie Lighthouse north of Frankfort, the South Manitou Lighthouse at the end of the ferry from Leland, and the 150-year-old Grand Traverse Lighthouse at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula beyond Northport. The latter, particularly, hosts has many events, including Summer Nights programs, and the Annual Lobster Fest.
• Love flowers? Stop at Omena Cut Flowers 5 miles north of Suttons Bay on M-22. Open from May through October, with over 40 varieties of annuals and perennials. 
• SavingBirdsThroughHabitat is an intriguing bird sanctuary also in Omena, offering hikes and programs throughout the season.
• Or create your own tour of the vintage barns on the backroads across the county — including the  Leelanau Poor Farm Barn. Leelanau is rural. Stop at the many farmstands and markets, too. Cherries. Grapes. Asparagus. Honey. Maple Syrup. Peaches. Apples. Livestock. Can’t go wrong.

And do not miss Glen Haven, the historic Great Lakes steamship village just down the road. The Morning Star describes it as “A preserved cultural landscape, museum – that shows us a more complete picture of the lives of people who came before us….(founded in 1857 as a settlement called Sleeping Bearville). Today, the National Park Service preserves a Blacksmith Shop, General Store (that’s a painting in the poster above), Cannery Boat Museum, and the U.S. Life-Saving Station. Plus, it is on one of the best beaches around.

There’s even more to find…..just head out the front door of the Glen Arbor Bed & Breakfast and Cottages. Your perfect headquarters for everything in the town, the county and the region!