Northern Michigan Photo Journal / August 2026

WE SPEAK IN COLORS PHOTO JOURNAL

By Andy Armstrong / August 2026 / Detroit, MI, USA

When I last messaged, we were just entering the final stretch of the dog days.

During that time, I took my first trip up to northern Michigan. A rite of passage as a fairly new Michigander.

The plan was to meet friends in the Petoskey/Harbor Springs area, so I decided to make a trip of it.

After some research, Charlevoix jumped out as the perfect base for two days of solo exploration beforehand.

I hit the road at 4 AM for the four-and-a-half-hour drive to the Lake Michigan coast. Wanted to get to Charlevoix with some good morning light left for photos.

As I pulled into town and set out on foot, I knew I'd picked the right spot.

Charlevoix has fascinating geography. The center of town is surrounded by water. Lake Michigan on one side, then a channel cutting into a harbor on another. From the other end of the harbor, another channel connects inland to Lake Charlevoix. Water everywhere.

That first day, I roamed Charlevoix in the morning and evening, with a midday rest at the campground between.

The second morning, I headed to Boyne City, my favorite town of the trip. A great walkable main street, a big open park along the marina, and long walkways along the lake. A good mix of creative and outdoorsy spirit.

That evening, I went to Walloon Lake, where Hemingway famously spent summers as a kid. A small, quiet lake village.

After those two days based in Charlevoix, I cruised 30 minutes north for the second half of the trip.

First, Petoskey. A walkable downtown built into the hills and miles of paths along Lake Michigan.

From there, I continued up the coast to Harbor Springs. A bit more upscale, with a great little downtown and gorgeous homes along the water. And just north is the iconic Tunnel of Trees, miles of winding road through the forest.

This incredible pocket of Michigan, from Charlevoix up around Little Traverse Bay, is forever ingrained.

Enjoy some photos from the trip:

And now, here we are. The first hints of fall just arriving in Detroit. Slight chill in the mornings and evenings, but still toasty days.

Over the next weeks, we'll move through another one of the year's most majestic months. Like June, there's an ache-filled magic in September's air.

By the time I write next, we'll have crossed the autumnal equinox and entered a new phase of fall.

For now, let’s enjoy the warmth.

-Andy