Why Charlevoix
Charlevoix sits on a narrow ribbon of land between Lake Michigan, Round Lake, and Lake Charlevoix. Three shorelines and one of the most photogenic downtowns in the state put boats, shops, and dining within a few walkable blocks of Bridge Street and its landmark drawbridge.
Landmarks and Summer Life in Charlevoix
The town is as distinctive as its setting. Architect Earl Young's storybook Mushroom Houses draw visitors on walking tours, Castle Farms hosts gardens and wine tastings on a 1918 estate, and the channel and lighthouse anchor a lively summer scene that includes the Venetian Festival and the Beaver Island ferry. The Little Traverse Wheelway gives cyclists a 26-mile route connecting Charlevoix to Harbor Springs, and runners can join the annual Charlevoix Marathon each June.
What Homes Cost in Charlevoix
Charlevoix packs several markets into a small footprint, from cottages and historic homes to condominiums near the water and premium frontage on Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan. That three-lake geography rewards local knowledge, and the Hartwicks steer buyers toward the right waters and neighborhoods for their budget and the way they like to live.
Don't Miss in Charlevoix
Don't miss: the whimsical Earl Young Mushroom Houses, an architecture walk from downtown; Castle Farms and its 1918 Cellars wine tastings; Stafford's Weathervane, set in an Earl Young landmark on the channel; Vue Wine Bar for a glass overlooking the Pine River Channel; and Terry's for downtown fine dining.
Questions Buyers Ask About Charlevoix
What Buyers Want to KnowCharlevoix against Petoskey, the Mushroom Houses, and which of the three lakes to buy onView QuestionsClose▾
What makes Charlevoix different from Petoskey?▾
Water! Charlevoix sits on a narrow ribbon of land between Lake Michigan, Round Lake and Lake Charlevoix, so three shorelines, the marina, the shops and the dining all sit within a few walkable blocks of Bridge Street and its drawbridge. Petoskey is larger and more varied but touches one bay. Charlevoix is the more concentrated experience and the more photogenic; it is the smaller market, which shows up as fewer homes for sale.
What are the Mushroom Houses?▾
Architect Earl Young's storybook stone houses, built around Charlevoix through the middle of the last century and now the subject of walking tours. They are a genuine architectural draw and several remain private homes. Castle Farms, a 1918 estate with gardens and wine tastings, sits nearby, and Stafford's Weathervane occupies one of Young's landmarks on the channel.
With three lakes here, which should I buy on?▾
They behave differently. Lake Michigan frontage is the scarcest and most expensive, with sand, sunsets and open water. Lake Charlevoix is the big inland lake, better protected, with an active sailing culture and a channel out to the big lake. Round Lake is the harbor itself, the smallest and rarest of the three, where the appeal is walking to Bridge Street from your own dock.
