Manistee County Self-Guided Tour Series

Historic Sites | Bridges | Artisan Markets | Shopping | M-22 Scenic Highway

 

Number of Self-Guided Tours

Number of Sites

Miles of Road/Trails Covered

Self-Guided Tours in Manistee County & The Region

The Manistee County Visitors Center has compiled years worth of data on how travelers explore and enjoy Manistee County. Out of numerous discussions and survey’s the Manistee County Self-Guided Tour series was formed.  The tour series consists of hundreds of historic sites, attractions, natural wonders and much much more.  Browse our latest tours below.

Quilt Trail Self-Guided Tour

Quilt Trail Self-Guided Tour

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Lake Michigan Coastal Tour – M22 Scenic Drive

Lake Michigan Coastal Tour – M22 Scenic Drive

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Brew & Spirits Self-Guided Tour

Brew & Spirits Self-Guided Tour

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Inland Fall Color Self-Guided Tour

Inland Fall Color Self-Guided Tour

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Coastal Fall Color Self-Guided Tour

Coastal Fall Color Self-Guided Tour

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Winter Sports Self-Guided Tour

Winter Sports Self-Guided Tour

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Natural Wonders Self-Guided Tour

Natural Wonders Self-Guided Tour

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U-Pick & Markets Self Guided Tour

U-Pick & Markets Self Guided Tour

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Bridges & Dams Self-Guided Tour

Bridges & Dams Self-Guided Tour

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Museums of Manistee County

Museums of Manistee County

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Churches Historic Tour

Churches Historic Tour

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West Homes Historic Tour

West Homes Historic Tour

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Destination Sites Historic Tour

Destination Sites Historic Tour

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East Homes Historic Tour

East Homes Historic Tour

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Downtown / Commercial District Historic Tour

Downtown / Commercial District Historic Tour

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Riverwalk

Riverwalk

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Industrial

Industrial

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Guided Tours

Looking to explore the region with a guided tour?  Browse our guided tour options below.

Follow the travelers that love Manistee County, enjoy these stories about our incredible outdoor recreation, things-to-do, dining, shopping and unique experiences you will ONLY find here.

Browse our latest #MyManistee perspectives here, or scroll through these top stories in your category.

Check out all of our latest stories on our #MyManistee Blog.

The city of Manistee turns 150

by | January 29, 2019 | Events, Local History | 3 Comments

During the first week in March of 1869, Manistee was granted a charter by the State Legislature officially making Manistee a city.  After the first charter election was held on March 15 of that year, a mayor was elected as were alderman for the city’s...
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Northern Natural Cider House & Winery

by | August 10, 2016 | Beer, Wine & Sprits, Fall, Seasons | 1 Comment

As is true of so many businesses in Manistee County, the Northern Natural Cider House and Winery in Kaleva is a family operation. When I visited, the Dad, Dennis Mackey, is still living in his great grandfather’s home built in 1905, with wife Diane, and...
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Kaleva Bottle House

by | February 10, 2016 | Historic Tours, Local History, Self Guided Tours | 2 Comments

In 1941, a unique home was built in Kaleva out of 60,000 glass bottles by John Makinen.   Mr. Makinen owned the local pop bottling factory so he used chipped or flawed bottles from his pop bottling factory for his house. It was designed with artistic...
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Mortimer E. Cooley Bridge

by | February 15, 2016 | Fall, Local History, Self Guided Tours | 0 Comments

I can’t count how many times I’ve traveled across M-55 to get to Manistee County from the east side of the state.  What I recently learned is that right before the village of Wellston, you will cross one of Michigan's rarest truss bridges. The Cooley...
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Three Rivers

by | May 30, 2016 | Adventure Sports, Conversations, Rivers & Paddling, Summer | 3 Comments

Is it the opportunity to catch 'the big one', or the wild beauty of the area that keeps anglers returning to Manistee County's rivers to fish? According to a few of the county’s river fishing guides, it turns out to be a combination of the two. Blessed...
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Manistee’s Big Four Railroads

by | January 27, 2016 | Local History | 7 Comments

To take a glance into the past is to delve into the world of yesterday where how people lived, worked, dressed, and traveled can all at once be foreign and similar to the way in which we live today. With Manistee’s place in history as a towering lumber...
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On stage, screen & canvas

by | January 29, 2019 | Entertainment & Culture, First Time Visitors, Local History, What To Do | 0 Comments

Enjoying entertainment, arts and culture in Manistee County comes with the added bonus of the natural beauty of Lake Michigan, forests and orchards, and dynamic historic architecture.At the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, located in the City of...
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Big Manistee Winter Paddling

by | November 22, 2022 | Outdoors, Rivers & Paddling, Seasons, Winter, Winter Alt Campaign | 0 Comments

With open water year-round on the 4 rivers of Manistee County, winter paddling adventure abounds from the same access points paddlers enjoy in the summer months.  Don’t let colder temperatures keep you away from paddling when the snow flies.  You will find the scenic...
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The Salt Industry in Manistee

by | February 1, 2016 | Local History | 0 Comments

When examining a grain of salt or a grain of sand, it is difficult using the naked eye to gauge which one is actually bigger than the other. In terms of Manistee's industrial past, both mineral and sediment have played reasonably equal roles throughout the...
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10 years of Tight Lines for Troops

by | January 29, 2019 | Events, Fishing & Hunting | 2 Comments

Ten years ago Manistee charter boat captain Bob Guenthardt had an idea to Honor Veterans with a day of fishing,  “I thought it would be a one-time deal,” Guenthardt said. “We could never have imagined how it has grown.”Every year the Manistee Community...
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