This is a trip of first for me. I’ve never been to Michigan or mushroom hunting. The drive to Northern Michigan is beautiful as a blanket of fall colors begins to spread across the landscape. We’ve arrived at our destination; Boyne City in Charlevoix County, just in time for the Annual Fall Harvest Festival. Adding a charming touch to the small town is the cheerful Scarecrows hang out in front of unique merchant shops along Main Street.

Ahead, we approach the marina set on the southern tip of Lake Charlevoix that leads sailors out to Lake Michigan and ports beyond. With the average day time temperature is 57 in October, and dipping down to around 38 in the evening we quickly slipped on our coats to ward off the brisk and chilly winds that blow in off the Lake.

While we tour Boyne City we realize it is not just another tourist town. It is home to those who live and work within the small town to preserve their historic piece of paradise. Merchants take care and pride in their buildings and presentation of wares. No funky souvenirs here. We find quality crafts and arts worthy of fine art galleries. This may be one reason Boyne City has been chosen as one of the first four Michigan Main Street communities in the state by National Trust for Historic Preservation. This honor provides Boyne City with the resources needed to further preserve and enhance its unique and enchanting community.  

We find another touch of nostalgia when we arrive at the historic Wolverine Dilworth Inn located at 300 Water Street in Boyne City. I can imagine an area lumber baron in the early 1900’s escorting his out-of-town guests across the veranda that wraps about the quaint three-story brick inn for a night of entertainment. Inside, we are welcomed warmly by our hostess Sue, who shows us to our suite that has the charm of a Bed & Breakfast with the added bonus of a kitchenette.

It is the smell of home cooked meals that lures us back to the restaurant downstairs for an early bite to eat. We’ve made it in time to hear the soulful tunes of J. D. Lamb while savoring an affordable evening meal of delicious chicken fajitas and huge side of cheese sticks. It’s the little touches like the extra comforter we find waiting in our suite to warm us later on this cool fall night at the Wolverine Dilworth Inn that make a difference.

The evening of excitement is just beginning. A short drive seven miles away to Walloon Lake at the Springbrook Hills Resort and we are in the midst of the Fall Mushroom Mania welcome party. We find more great food, facts, lore, and trivia about mushrooms along with the company of new friends who are staying in the vacation homes located at the Springbrook Resort. We learned that reservations fill up quick. No worry, the host of the Fall Mushroom Mania, Joe Breidenstein was kind enough to arrange lodging at the Wolverine Dilworth Inn in Boyne City so we could join him.

Read Mushroom Mania: Edible Delights Await In Michigan