We drove through and stopped in Leland for dinner after spending some time at Sleeping Bear Dunes. I had seen pictures in Midwest Living Magazine but it was so much cuter than we expected and I was disappointed that I hadn’t allotted more time to spend there! Leland itself is a picturesque little village located on a sliver of land between Lake Michigan and Lake Leelanau, on the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula, a 25 minute drive north and west of Traverse City. This uncommon and charming village will surprise you with its beauty and amenities. Guests arrive by car, boat and bicycle. Once there, it’s a great “walking around” town. All of the shops, restaurants, galleries and museums are located within a short distance. There is easy access to public beaches, boat launches on each lake and a river connecting the two. Leland’s quaint historical district, known as Fishtown, features rustic shanties and docks reminiscent of life and commercial fishing a hundred years ago. Today, galleries and unique shops fill these shanties, and charter fishing trips and the only public ferry to the popular Manitou Islands depart from those same docks. It really reminded me of what the upper East Coast must look like (I’ve never been but it’s high on my bucket list).