When the snow melts at northern Michigan's Shanty Creek Resort, golfaholics race for tee times on one of the area's four championship courses while waterhounds vie for canoes at Lake Bellaire, 5 miles away. Shanty is located in Bellaire, an area that boasts a series of lakes and streams called the Chain of Lakes, where visitors can swim, waterski, sail, fish or simply relax shoreside. If you need a day to yourself, drop the kids off at the resort's Camp Gandy for either a half-day ($15) or a full-day ($28 including lunch) program. There they can swim, play tennis, take nature hikes, horseback ride, play ball games, make crafts and more. Meanwhile, you can explore the resort's jogging paths or mountain bike trails, then lunch at the Lakeview Lodge, where you'll overlook Lake Bellaire while nibbling on delicious seafood. Once you're replenished, grab your tennis racket and head to the resort's eight courts. At the end of the day, luxuriate in the fully equipped spa, where you can relax those hard-worked muscles in the steam room or with a massage.
Guests can choose to stay at one of the resort's three villages-Summit Village, Schuss Village or Cedar Village-which are connected by shuttle. Each village has its own charms. At Summit, get first dibs for a prime spot at the beach club at Lake Bellaire. At Schuss Village, you won't want to miss The Shussycats' live dinner entertainment at Ivan's. And at Cedar Village, be sure to play a round of golf at the new Cedar River Golf Course.
