Fishtown: The Perfect Place to Visit on your drive Around the Peninsula

I caved and took a selfie on the bridge over the waterfall in historic Fishtown. Dan was in Seattle and I wanted him to see the gorgeous day I was experiencing a million miles away in Leland, Michigan. It came out so well, I've decided to share it. The photo above was taken from the footbridge over the dam.

The Carp River flows from Lake Leelanau over the dam and out to Lake Michigan. The public can walk the docks of fishtown, peek inside the working area of Carlson's Fish and smell the fresh catch being smoked in the smokehouse next door. I always buy a container of whitefish pate (to be served with wine and white crackers) from the storefront. The Fishtown Preservation Society strives to protect and preserve the historic fishing shanties, fishing nets and tugs (low body fishing vessels - seen above with a green base). I've walked these docks every summer for the last 40 years, the first 13 with my maternal grandmother, so the preservation of fishtown is real to me too.  

This image shows a sailboat tied up at The Cove, a local restaurant that is famous for it's large outdoor deck. A lovely place for drinks and dinner, as trumpeted by chef Mario Batali. I took the photo from the docks looking back at the dam. The footbridge is just above the water, connecting the buildings.

The perfect place for a summer vacation, no?