Why Bay Harbor
Few places capture resort living like Bay Harbor, a master-planned village set along five miles of Lake Michigan shoreline between Petoskey and Charlevoix. Built around a world-class marina and a charming village of boutiques and waterfront restaurants, it carries a polished, walkable, upscale feel.
The Village and Resort Life
The Village at Bay Harbor is the social center, open year-round with more than 20 shops, galleries, and dining spots overlooking the marina. The Great Lakes Center for the Arts provides 50-plus performances a year. Bay Harbor Lake Marina is considered one of the finest freshwater marinas in the world, and the Bay Harbor Golf Club and the Inn at Bay Harbor anchor resort life. Live music fills the village square on summer evenings.
What Homes Cost in Bay Harbor
This is the region's luxury flagship. Options climb from village condominiums to marina-front and Lake Michigan estates, with the top of the market among the highest in Northern Michigan and inventory closely held. Because so much of Bay Harbor's value lives in the details of association, view, and frontage, Bob and Trish walk buyers through each neighborhood to match the setting to how they plan to use it, from a pied-a-terre condo to a full waterfront home.
Worth Seeking Out in Bay Harbor
Worth seeking out: the Great Lakes Center for the Arts for music, theater, and dance; NOMAD for dinner with friends, with communal tables, fresh grilled seafood and meats, and waterfront seating; Sadie Rose Boutique for handcrafted jewelry and coastal style; Maple + Batter for a memorable breakfast before a walk along the water; and, just across the bay (Gypsy is located across the street from Bay Harbor Resort), Gypsy Distillery, a craft distillery and tasting room in a converted equestrian center with craft cocktails, food vendors, a cocktail garden, games, and views of Little Traverse Bay.
Questions Buyers Ask About Bay Harbor
What Buyers Want to KnowLiving here year-round, association fees, the Village versus the shoreline, and short-term rental rulesView QuestionsClose▾
Can you live in Bay Harbor year-round?▾
Yes. The Village stays open year-round with more than 20 shops, galleries and dining spots overlooking the marina, and the Great Lakes Center for the Arts runs programs year-round. The rhythm changes with the season: summer is the marina, the golf and music in the village square, while winter is quieter and close to the ski hills. Most of the year-round question comes down to which neighborhood, since some were built as seasonal retreats and others as full-time homes.
What do Bay Harbor association fees cover?▾
Bay Harbor is a planned community, so nearly every home sits inside an association, and what the fee covers varies accordingly. Broadly the fees fund security, common grounds, roads and shoreline maintenance, with some neighborhoods adding amenities or marina access. Because both the amounts and the inclusions differ, the schedule for a specific property should be obtained before making an offer.
What is the difference between the Village and the rest of Bay Harbor?▾
The Village is the social center: condos around the shops, galleries and restaurants that overlook the marina, walkable to dinner and to the water. Beyond it the community opens into neighborhoods of marina and Lake Michigan homes along five miles of shoreline, quieter and more private, almost all of them gated. Village condominiums suit buyers who want to travel. The shoreline neighborhoods suit buyers who want land, frontage and room.
Are there restrictions on short-term rentals for vacation homes in Northern Michigan?▾
Short-term rental regulations in Northern Michigan vary significantly by township and municipality, and this is an area that has seen considerable change in recent years. Some communities have embraced short-term rentals with registration and licensing programs, while others have imposed strict limitations or outright bans on rentals shorter than 30 days in residential zones.
Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and Charlevoix each have their own ordinances governing short-term rentals. Several surrounding townships — including Bear Creek, Little Traverse, Resort, and Evangeline — have adopted regulations that range from permitting requirements to caps on the number of rental properties allowed per area. Zoning districts within the same township may have different rules, so the specific parcel location matters.
For buyers planning to offset ownership costs with rental income, understanding the local rules before purchasing is essential. The Hartwicks advise their customers to verify short-term rental eligibility as part of their due diligence process. They can identify which communities currently allow it, which are trending toward restrictions, and what licensing or registration requirements apply. Assuming you can rent a property short-term without verifying the local ordinance first is a mistake that can be expensive to correct. For example, Birchwood Farms Golf and Country Club has reportedly eliminated short-term rentals. Township regulations continue to evolve, so verifying current rules for any specific property is essential before purchase.
