Gaylord
Around Gaylord
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Countryside and towns · Michigan · 60k people
Gaylord
Locals say Up North · “Alpine Village”
Where the pines meet the lakes, and everyone knows your name.
Forest greenLake blueAutumn orange
Welcome to Up North – where the lakes are clear, the trails are quiet, and everyone waves on the back roads. Grab a pasty, find a spot by the water, and settle in for some real northern Michigan pace.
Clubs for Gaylord
No clubs for Gaylord yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Gaylord. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Gaylord. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Otsego Lake State Park Beach, camping and lake access in Gaylord
- North Central State Trail Paved rail-trail from Gaylord toward Mackinaw City
- Elk Rapids Harbor Marina and beach on Grand Traverse Bay
- Gaylord Alpine Village Downtown with Swiss-style architecture and shops
- Grass River Natural Area Boardwalk trails through wetlands near Bellaire
- Jordan River National Wild and Scenic River, great for canoeing
- Outdoors Kayak or canoe the Jordan River
- Outdoors Hike the North Country Trail
- With kids Walk the boardwalks at Grass River Natural Area
- With kids Swim and picnic at Otsego Lake State Park
- Evenings Summer concert series in town parks
- Evenings Trivia nights at local breweries
- Locals love Lakefront parks and beaches
- Locals love Craft brewery taprooms
Through the year
- Alpenfest July Gaylord's Swiss heritage festival with parades, music and food
- Otsego County Fair August Classic county fair in Gaylord with livestock, rides and 4-H
- Elk Rapids Harbor Days July Waterfront festival with boat parade, craft fair and fireworks
- Mancelona Potato Festival August Small-town celebration of the potato harvest with a parade and food
- Bellaire Chain of Lakes Festival July Weekend of lake activities, arts and music in Bellaire
Four distinct seasons with long, snowy winters and mild, pleasant summers. The best time to be out is summer for water activities and fall for foliage. Best: Summer (June–August) is perfect for lakes and trails; fall colors peak in October.
Talk like a local
- “Up North”
- The entire region – locals say 'we live Up North'
- “the Chain”
- The Chain of Lakes around Bellaire
- “the Bay”
- Grand Traverse Bay, especially near Elk Rapids
Getaways
- Petoskey Harbor town with shopping and the Little Traverse Bay
- Tip of the Mitt Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Presque Isle – lighthouses and Lake Huron
- Grayling Au Sable River for canoeing and trout fishing
- Traverse City Bayfront, wineries and the Sleeping Bear Dunes
Local flavour
Teams
- Michigan Wolverines NCAA
- Michigan State Spartans NCAA
- Traverse City Pit Spitters Northwoods League
Also rooting for Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Traverse City Pit Spitters
Eat and drink
- Pasties Cornish meat pies, a regional staple.
- Whitefish Fresh from the Great Lakes, often smoked or grilled.
- Cherry pie Northern Michigan's cherry orchards make this a local favourite.
Where people go
- Lakes and rivers For fishing, boating, and swimming.
- State forests and trails For hiking, snowmobiling, and hunting.
- Small-town diners Gathering spots for coffee and local gossip.
- Ski hills Winter recreation in the snowbelt.
Make this page better
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Nearby
Every areaPetoskeyMichiganWhere the Great Lakes meet the pines.Tip of the MittMichiganWhere the lakes meet the pinesGraylingMichiganWhere the pines meet the waterTraverse CityMichiganWhere the cherries meet the lakeAlpenaMichiganGreat Lakes charm on the Sunrise Side.CadillacMichiganLakes, pines, and small-town charm.Mount PleasantMichiganA friendly college town on the Chippewa River.MidlandMichiganSmall-town heart, big ideas, and a river that runs through it.
Otsego, Antrim and Montmorency counties, MI. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.