M-22 Self-Guided Audio Drive

Highway M-22 hugs the Lake Michigan shoreline around the Leelanau Peninsula and down toward Frankfort, and it has become shorthand for northern Michigan itself. The road passes cherry orchards, small lakeside villages, dune overlooks and beaches, with a succession of views over blue water that make even the slow stretches pleasant. A self-guided audio drive adds a narrated layer: you download or stream the tour, drive at your own pace, and the audio cues you to stops and tells the stories behind the landscape. It is an easy way to turn a rental car into a rolling guided tour without paying for a driver.

The appeal of the format is flexibility. You can stop where you like, linger at a beach for an hour or skip a village that does not interest you, and the audio simply continues when you do. Product details vary, so check what is included, how the audio is delivered, whether it works offline, and where the route starts.

A typical route follows the coast through Frankfort, Empire and the Sleeping Bear area, with commentary on geology, shipwrecks, lighthouses and local history. Because cell coverage along the shore can be patchy, downloading before you leave town is wise.

Highlights on or near the route include Point Betsie Lighthouse near Frankfort, the dune scenery of Sleeping Bear, the towns of Glen Arbor and Leland, and the sheltered coves along the western shore. Fishtown in Leland, a cluster of weathered fish shanties turned shops, is a favorite photo stop. Roadside farm stands sell cherries in July and apples in the fall, and small cafes make good lunch stops. Allow a full day if you want to do the whole route with stops, or choose a shorter segment if you have a half-day.

In winter, many businesses close and parts of the shore are snowy and quiet, which suits a contemplative drive but not a lazy beach day. The audio drive pairs naturally with the dune stops in this guide and with a Leelanau winery stop, making it a flexible spine for a longer day trip.

Build the day around a few anchor stops and let the rest float. Many drivers choose a beach, a lunch town and a viewpoint, then add spontaneous detours to farm stands, lighthouses and galleries. Check the weather before you commit to the shoreline, since rain can reduce visibility, and carry a paper map or offline map in case cell service fades.

If you are traveling with a partner, take turns driving so each of you can enjoy the scenery, and keep an eye on fuel and restroom stops, which become sparse in the quieter stretches of the route.

The route also works well in two shorter segments on separate days. One day could focus on the dunes and Glen Arbor, while another could follow the coast to Leland and Northport. If you travel in October, expect heavy leaf-peeping traffic on weekends and allow extra time for photo stops. Winter drivers should check road conditions and avoid the route in heavy lake-effect snow, which can arrive quickly near the shore.