Christmas Cove Beach — Attraction in Leelanau Township

Christmas Cove Beach is an absolute gem—a serene retreat that feels worlds away yet perfectly Northern Michigan. With its soft sandy shore laced with smooth, beach‑worn stones, it’s a haven for rock hunters seeking Petoskey stones, driftwood finds, and even fossils. After storms, the shoreline frequently reveals its most enchanting treasures, and true-blue water collectors will feel right at home .

The views across Lake Michigan are calming and naturally beautiful—not flashy, but wonderfully peaceful. Crystal‑clear turquoise water meets the forested coastline in an undisturbed setting, and you’ll often enjoy the quiet solitude of a nearly empty beach  .

Access is easy, with parking nearby and a no‑frills, natural vibe (pit toilets only)—but that just adds to its off‑the‑beaten‑path charm . Whether lounging, searching for stones, or just soaking in the tranquil atmosphere, Christmas Cove Beach delivers a reflective, restorative...

As someone who grew up/born in Northport, Michigan, I may have a bias haha. But nonetheless I have a good amount of childhood memories of being out and about with the locals and other friends swimming and having a good ole time. There used to be this rock that you could swim to a bit out there but still as youngin's we could do it. It was what the "cool" kids did haha. So it was an accomplishment to make it to the big rock, and I mean it was big. 5 of us could easily fit on it. A big wave could have pushed us off, so it wasn't sticking too far above the surface water level. However, it no longer is able to be seen due to how water levels have risen, but I do remember it's location nonetheless.

Long story short, it's a beautiful, hidden away beach, and is great for a private date walk along the beach, great for families as well to go to. Highly...

This was a day trip up to Northport with the family. We saw the lighthouse and played at the playground. We found this beach on our map and decided to try it out on the way home. There was a little trail and stairs to walk down to get to the beach. The sand is soft and pretty. The shoreline is rocky though and painful to walk on. There was a little sandbar to wade out to which was nice, because once you got past the rocky bottom you have some sand to walk on. The water up this north is very cold. Very very cold. Lol. It’s pretty remote and there weren’t crowds. There were about 5 other people there and the parking lot is small and was full (aside from one spot that we snagged) when we got there. Not many pretty rocks this far north though, found all the cool rocks...