The town of Hessel, on the shores of Lake Huron, gives vacationers a central location to Michigan’s rugged and isolated up-north country. Located in the eastern-upper peninsula, the owners of summer homes to the many nearby islands set sail from Hessel to reach their secluded hideaways. Water sports reign in this quiet retreat from the urban jungle, but you can find nearby restaurants, casinos and historical landmarks if you are looking for an easy day trip. Summer is peak season, but you'll find plenty of adventures in and around Hessel year round.
You’ll find freshwater sailing and cruising at its best off the Hessel shoreline. The Les Cheneaux Islands provide miles of uninhabited sheltered harbors for exploring and anchoring. The area’s boating history dates back 400 years to the Native American birch bark canoes and other types of wooden boats used by explorers. Today, you can compete in a number of sailing regattas. Popular sailing destinations near Hessel include historic Mackinac Island, the St. Mary’s River, Drummond Island and the Georgian Bay.
Each year Hessel pays homage to its boating past and local industry by hosting the Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat Show. Visit in August to view restored wooden boats, such as wooden Chris Craft boats, and participate in the concurrent Festival of Arts. If you’re interested in learning the boat-building trade, you can sign up for a summer workshop or a nine-month course at Hessel’s Great Lakes Boatbuilding School.
Step back in time with a visit to Mackinac Island, centrally located in the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas. Automobiles are banned on the island, but you can tour the island's rocky hills by bicycle, foot or by horse-drawn carriage in the summer. In winter, pack your cross-country skis for excellent trail skiing, and join the island’s 500 year-round residents for winter festivals complete with bonfire cook outs, snow golf and volleyball, broom hockey and sledding. You can get to the island by boat until the Straits freeze over, usually sometime in January. After that, plan to fly, or perhaps walk from St. Ignace on the seasonal ice bridge that forms nearly every winter.
You can book an excellent outdoor adventure any time of year through Woods & Water Ecotours. Go snow shoeing or dog sledding in winter. Kayak to an island location and camp under the northern Michigan stars. Join a women’s island retreat in the fall or go bird watching in the spring. You’ll not run out of options when you retreat to Hessel for a much-needed escape.
