These four hotels offer Northern Michigan Thanksgiving dinner as well as a marvelous getaway, featuring fabulous onsite restaurants for a memorable holiday dinner.
This year, linger over conversations, not the dishes, when you let the pros at these Northern Michigan restaurants take care of Thanksgiving dinner. These four eateries are located onsite at some of the area’s coziest hotels, making it easy to celebrate the holiday during a long weekend getaway. Several are also offering dinner to-go for locals or non-hotel guests who want to enjoy the meal from the comfort of their home.
Inn at Bay Harbor // Bay Harbor
This year’s Thanksgiving buffet will be safely served by staff, observing COVID-19 safety guidelines, from noon to 5 p.m. Guests will dine in the upscale Vintage Chophouse | Wine Bar or The Sagamore Room, which overlooks Little Traverse Bay. Butternut squash bisque, Applewood smoked ham, Great Lakes walleye with sweet corn succotash and cheddar-baked macaroni are just a few of the many options. Buffet Pricing: $44 for adults; $18 for ages six to 12; free for ages five and under. For reservations, call 231.439.4117. For those dining at home, a full dinner to-go will also be available: Visit the inn’s website for the menu and pricing.
For those seeking a holiday getaway, lodging is available at the inn, and includes breakfast for two. The resort also offers two- and three-bedroom cottages with full kitchens, a fireplace and living and dining areas. Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler have both taken note of the Inn at Bay Harbor over the past few years, naming it among the “500 World’s Best Hotels” and “Top 100 U.S. Mainland Resorts,” respectively.
Shanty Creek Resort // Bellaire
The plated Thanksgiving dinner begins at 5 p.m. at the resort’s Lakeview restaurant; reservations highly recommended. Other offerings include turkeys-to-go (order a whole turkey or ham and all the fixings—green bean casserole, candied yams, two pies and more—by November 24) and a gingerbread house workshop (must reserve by November 19). “This has been a sold-out event for as long as I can remember,” says Chris Hale, vice president of sales and marketing, about the workshop. The resort provides a gingerbread house, icing and a variety of candies for decorating. Traditionally held in a banquet room, this year the workshop is being offered to-go due to COVID- 19. To make a reservation or place a to-go order for dinner or a gingerbread house, call 231.533.3070 or visit Shanty Creek’s website.
For those staying the weekend, Shanty Creek offers hotel rooms, king suites, parlors, condos and even homes for rent. Guests can take advantage of the indoor pool, discounted ski lift tickets and resort-wide transportation services (which come in handy at the 5,000-acre property).
Boyne Mountain // Boyne Falls
A staff-served, socially-distanced Thanksgiving buffet will be available from 1–6 p.m. at the resort’s Civic Center. Pricing by Age: 16+ costs $36, 9–15 is $22, 5–8 is $16 and 0–4 are free. Here are a few of the many options on the menu: smoked whitefish, forest mushroom sherry bisque, carved turkey, honey mustard glazed ham and andouille and sage cornbread stuffing.
Boyne Mountain has plenty of room options, but in November, the three- and four-bedroom Mountain Cabins are especially cozy. Each cabin has a full kitchen, dining room, wood-burning fireplace and a hot tub on the deck. Plus, they’re nestled in the woods for that off-the-beaten-path vibe. For more information or reservations, call 231.549.6067 or visit Boyne’s website.
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa // Traverse City
Aerie Restaurant & Lounge, perched on the 16th floor of the resort’s tower with panoramic views of Grand Traverse Bay, is serving a four-course meal on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The resort’s public relations manager, Caroline Rizzo, says the prix fixe menu will feature the classics along with some fun nontraditional dishes mixed in (cost is $42 per person). Reservations recommended: Call 231.534.6800 or visit the resort’s website and book a table online through OpenTable. You can also order Thanksgiving to Go—the pre-cooked meal serves four for $119 and orders must be placed by Nov. 24.
Guests staying the night at the resort will have easy access to the recently opened Den, located within the grand lobby near the front desk. The 3,000-square-foot entertainment hub has axe throwing, boutique mini-bowling, arcade games, an escape room and virtual reality experiences.