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Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore attractions
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore attractions
Phillip A. Hart Visitor Center (M-72, in Empire) contains helpful staff members as well as maps, geological information, an exhibit of local wildlife, a bookstore, and an informational film about the area and the folklore surrounding it.
Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station and Maritime Museum (middle section of the park), a former U.S. Life-Saving Station has authentically dressed workers who explain what maritime life was like back in the 1800s. The exhibits contain antique boating equipment, photos, restored buildings from the era, and daily demonstrations of rescue techniques using Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. Open Memorial Day thru Labor Day, 10:30AM to 5PM.
South Manitou Lighthouse and Coast Guard Station (near the dock) went into service in 1871 and 1901, respectively; both were closed in 1958. Several shipwrecks remain in the area.
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive (starts from M-109 north of Empire, just south of Glen Lake) is a 7.5 mi (12 km) one-way road (named for the lumberman who built it) with places to stop for picnics and overlooks of the dunes. Open to cars, bicycles, and pedestrians, but it's hilly and dangerously curvy for cyclists. Open late April thru early November, 9AM to half an hour after sunset.
Port Oneida Farms (northern section of the park) and Tweedle/Treat Farms (southern section) are historical farming communities that are very well-preserved examples (in the sense of not being replaced or modernized; they're in varying states of natural disrepair) of 19th century settlements in the area. South and North Manitou Islands also have abandoned farms. The Village (North Manitou Island, near the dock) is a row of former homes and cottages, long since abandoned and slowing falling into disrepair. The interior of many of the buildings in these areas are unsafe and are off-limits unless specifically designated.
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Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.