Coastal Michigan may be one of the most beautiful areas of the country, especially in the fall and spring, and that means this part of the country is loaded with scenic drives. While the state's M-22 gets a lot of the attention, the M-119, aka the Tunnel of Trees, might be the best drive in all of Michigan, with its route that takes you along the coast, past quaint towns, and through verdant forests.
St. Ignace, MI, US
As the Tunnel of Trees comes to an end in Cross Village, you still have one more stop to make. The Legs Inn is one part architectural gem, one part great restaurant, and one part stunning place to catch the sunset.
After enjoying Pond Hill Farm, hop over to Primitive Images & Good Hart & Soul, a funky antique store with rustic furniture and a tea room for you to relax and unwind. If you still haven’t had enough to eat, they also serve up some mean crepes.
Pond Hill Farm & Garden Cafe is kind of your one-stop-shop for great local crafts and nibbles. Oh, and there's a petting zoo-type barn onsite, where you can feed all sorts of animals in the year-round livestock barn. Then you can feed yourself in the farm market or cafe! During the summer months, you can also satisfy your sweet tooth with some Velvet Ice Cream at their ice cream parlor.
Whether you eat at the Pier or at Gurney’s, you’ll want to finish off your meal with a stop at Tom's Mom's Cookies. Starting with chocolate chunks hand-cut from 10 pound bars of chocolate, their cookies are the real deal. Each soft and chewy cookie weighs just shy of 1/4 a pound.
Starting just north of Petoskey, Michigan, the M-119 passes through the charming town of Harbor Springs before becoming what we refer to as the “Tunnel of Trees” as it winds toward Cross Village. It’s not a long stretch of road, just 20 miles or so, but you’ll never forget your first drive or ride down the Tunnel of Trees…
Best time to travel the Tunnel of Trees: Though any time of year is great for this byway, the best time to travel is autumn, especially when the fall foliage colors are at their peak. Be prepared that you might catch an Indian Summer, when the weather will stay warm through October... otherwise, the fall can get chilly in Northwest Michigan.