10/22/2026
A little road trip, a whole lot of fall magic in Northern Michigan. 🍁☀️
Some days remind you just how lucky we are to call Northern Michigan home. This was definitely one of them.
We headed out from Traverse City for a fall adventure to Harbor Springs and decided to make a whole day of it. Because sometimes the journey deserves just as much attention as the destination.
📍 **First stop: Bay Harbor**
If you've never spent time in Bay Harbor, add it to your list. Between the beautiful waterfront, charming village atmosphere, gorgeous architecture, and boats lining the marina, it feels like a little getaway all on its own.
We stopped at Brandy's Harbortown for lunch overlooking the harbor, enjoyed some chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks, and squeezed in a few rounds of Guess Who? while soaking up the views.
Beautiful weather, good food, and the perfect way to start our afternoon.
🍁 **Next stop: Harvest Fest at The Highlands!**
And WOW. What an absolutely beautiful day.
First, can we talk about the scenery?!
The drive through Northern Michigan was already putting on quite the show, but the scenic chairlift ride at The Highlands took it to another level. Rolling hills covered in vibrant reds, oranges, and golds, endless stretches of colorful trees, and the kind of views that make you stop and appreciate where we live.
Pictures truly don't do it justice.
But as beautiful as the setting was, what really stood out to us was the atmosphere.
Harvest Fest wasn't just an afternoon of activities for the kids. It was a celebration that brought together families of all ages, and we LOVED seeing it.
Little ones playing in the hay, faces being painted, cookies being decorated, pumpkin bowling, costumes, Highland cows, c***r and donuts, and s'mores by the fire.
And the grown-ups? Oh, they were having fun, too. 🍻
Short's Brewing and Carbliss tastings, a stein-hoisting competition, food, music, and plenty of beautiful places to sit back and enjoy the afternoon.
Everywhere we looked, people were enjoying themselves. Young kids, teenagers, parents, grandparents, and groups of friends. Some were participating in all the activities, some were relaxing with a drink, and others were simply taking in the sunshine and those incredible views.
There was genuinely a little something for everyone.
And that's what made the day feel so special.
The Highlands created an experience where the whole family could enjoy themselves, not just the kids. A place to slow down, spend time together, and celebrate everything we love about fall up north.
Between the beautiful grounds, the activities, the happy faces, and that unforgettable chairlift ride, we couldn't have asked for a better afternoon.
🍦 **One last stop: Snickerdoodlz!**
Because what's a road trip without a sweet ending?
We made our final stop at Snickerdoodlz in Petoskey, and OH MY GOODNESS. If you love frozen yogurt, you need to know about this place.
It's a self-serve frozen yogurt shop where you get to create your own masterpiece. Choose from the different flavors, mix and match as much as your heart desires, and then head over to the toppings.
Candy, chocolate, cookie pieces, sauces, and all kinds of delicious little extras. The possibilities are endless, and getting to build your own creation is half the fun.
We absolutely LOVED it. Such a fun, interactive little stop, especially with kids, and the sweetest way to end our adventure.
💛 **And just like that, another beautiful Northern Michigan day in the books.**
The colorful trees lining the roads, glimpses of the water, charming little towns, sunshine, and all the natural beauty that surrounds us this time of year.
Sometimes you don't have to travel very far to experience something pretty incredible.
A huge thank you to The Highlands for welcoming A Mom Exchange to Harvest Fest and putting together such a wonderful experience for families of all generations. We're so grateful we got to be part of it!
And this? Just a little glimpse of our day. 🍁
From the beautiful waterfront to the rolling hills covered in fall colors, and all the little moments in between, we have SO much more to show you.
And trust us… just WAIT until you see the rest of the photos. 😍
The full adventure is coming soon to A Mom Exchange! 💛
