15 Ways to Explore Historic Fishtown in Leland, Michigan

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Things to Do in Fishtown

1. Eat the County’s Most Famous Sandwich. These mountainous creations made on loafs of pretzel bread at Village Cheese Shanty are legendary.
2. Snap a Dam Picture. The view from the bridge over the Leland River Dam never gets old.
3. Kiss a Chubby Mary. Discover what you get when you cross a Bloody Mary with a smoked chub at The Cove. Bonus: The restaurant overlooks Fishtown and Lake Michigan (come for sunset!).
4. Put Yourself on Otter Watch. Watch for playful otters swimming up the river.
5. Visit the Shops. Browse the boutiques tucked into Fishtown’s weathered shanties. Don’t miss: A rotating slate of artists and craftspeople turn the Fishtown Art Shanty into their personal gallery throughout the summer and fall.
6. Treat Yourself to Ice Cream. Get a cone at The Dam Candy Store and check out the colorful candy wall.
7. Hop a Ferry to the Manitou Islands. From the docks of Fishtown, you can hop the Mishe-Mokwa and head to North or South Manitou—two uninhabited islands that are a part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. You can make a trip over to South Manitou Island in a day or opt to bring a tent and sleeping bag (primitive camping only!) and spend the night. You’ll have to bring your sleeping bag to North Manitou Island as the ferry only comes once a day.
8. Put Joy in Your Selfie. The iconic fishing tugs Janice Sue and Joy tied up to the Fishtown dock make irresistible photo ops.
9. Charter a Fishing Trip. Experience the thrill of hooking a salmon or lake trout on the Big Lake aboard one of the charter boats (Whitecap Charters and Reelin’ Leland) that work out of Fishtown.
10. Run for Fishtown. Proceeds from the Annual Fishtown 5K (July 20, 2024) benefit the nonprofit Fishtown Preservation.
11. Explore Fishtown’s History. Check out exhibits that reveal Fishtown’s storied past on each of the shanties.
12. Take a Smoker Break … Be there as the heavy doors of one of the gnarly old smokers outside of Carlson’s Fishery creak open and feast your senses on trays of smoked fish.
13. … Then Take a Dip. Snag yourself a tub of Carlson’s famous whitefish dip and a bag of crackers and take a seat along the wharf.
14. Stay the Night. Wake up in Fishtown at either Falling Waters Lodge or Fishtown’s own vacation rental, a renovated shanty known as The Otherside.
15. Help Save Fishtown. Stop at the Fishtown Preservation Welcome Center or make a donation at fishtownmi.org to help ensure Fishtown remains here forever.

The Dramatic History of Fishtown

By the 1940s, commercial fishing in the tiny Lake Michigan village of Fishtown was a firmly established livelihood—one dating back to the 19th century. The small industry, however, was never without its peril—especially on a late summer morning in 1941, when fishermen Lester Carlson and his father, Will, loaded their 34-foot wooden fishing boat the Diamond and motored out of the Leland River to the big lake.

That day, out in the deep blue triangle between the port and the Manitou Islands, the gas line on the Diamond sprung a leak and ignited the engine. The Carlson’s small fire extinguisher ran out before they could control the fire and with gas still pouring from the line, the entire boat caught fire. Lester only had time to give his father the least burned of the boat’s two life jackets. Burned and already exhausted, Will, 63, and 31-year-old Lester began the long swim to North Manitou Island.

Hours passed; the cold numbed their bodies and they had made little headway to the island. After 20 hours in the water, Lester was finally rescued, but his father Will didn’t survive the swim. Like his father and grandfather, Lester’s son, Bill, became a fisherman, working out of Fishtown. By the 1970s, due to invasive species and other factors, commercial fishing in the Great Lakes had declined dramatically and the old shanties were deteriorating. Realizing the structures’ rustic charm and knowing full well the dramatic history they’d seen, Bill gradually purchased all of them and converted them to retail shops, preserving his family’s own Carlson’s Fishery along the way.

In 2007, Bill sold the shanties to Fishtown Preservation—a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the fishing village’s rich past, as well as its vibrant future. While you stroll this calendar-perfect setting, take time to read the placards scattered throughout Fishtown, bearing short bios and vintage photos of the legendary fishermen, including Will Carlson, who lived and died at the whims of Lake Michigan.

Read More: The Fisherman Who Saved Fishtown

Explore the Leelanau Peninsula:

• Falling Waters Lodge is the Best Dam Lodge
• Your Ultimate Sleeping Bear Dunes Guide from Head to Toe
• The Insider’s List: 10 Things to Do on the Leelanau Peninsula