Discover Gladwin Michigan: Top Things To Do, Best Restaurants and Hotels (You Gotta Check Out the Incredible River Walk!)

Gladwin Michigan Top Things to Do | By Sherry Trautman | Traveling Michigan

We absolutely love visiting Gladwin MI!  It's always on our Michigan vacation ideas list as you can go biking, hiking, shopping and dining all within a few short miles!

• Plus, there is a fabulous lavender field nearby!

Top Things to Do in Gladwin Michigan

• Bike the Riverside Bike Trail
• Lunch at the Riverwalk Place Resort and Spa 
• Shop downtown Gladwin
• Dinner at the Stone House in Gladwin Michigan
• Camp at the Gladwin City Park and Campground

Where in Michigan is Gladwin?

Gladwin Michigan is located smack dab in the middle of Michigan's lower peninsula.

• Distance from Detroit to Gladwin: 2.5 hrs, 165 miles
• Distance from Grand Rapids to Gladwin: 2 hrs, 10 min. 130 miles
• Distance from Traverse City to Gladwin: 2 hrs, 100 miles

What is Gladwin Michigan known for?

For us, Gladwin has a small town, friendly feel with great camping and biking. We love to visit the area for lunch and an afternoon biking the paved trails.

Is Gladwin Michigan safe?

We feel very safe while biking, walking, dining and exploring Gladwin Michigan.  This town is very family friendly, so come visit today!

Best Restaurants in Gladwin Michigan

Riverwalk Grill 

We had an absolutely wonderful time at the Riverwalk Grill located in the Riverwalk Place Resort. 

The outside of the resort is spectacular; lush gardens, sparkling pond with gurgling waterfall, extremely modern exterior and very spacious interior awaits you.

Love dining outdoors?  You are in luck! Both inside and outside seating is available so you can dine this is lovely Gladwin restaurant under any weather conditions.

We sat on the outside on the beautiful shaded deck overlooking the scenic Cedar River and winding paved river walk.  There's also a very pretty gazebo surrounded with colorful flowers and a dock overlooking the river close to the dining area. 

Plus, the Riverwalk Grill has live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays in the summer!

Pale Blue at the Stone House Restaurant in Gladwin Michigan

This brand new Gladwin Michigan restaurant is planning to open the end of August, 2021, so we will review it in early September! 

We enjoyed a tour of this lovely restaurant that was completely renovated in 2021. It was previously an attorney's office. You will absolutely love the incredible woodwork and finishes in this restaurant, it's so elegant yet homey!

The owners are just thrilled to share their new menu and love of food with you.

Gladwin Michigan War Memorial

Shop in The Riverwalk Place and Downtown Gladwin

Awesome Riverside Bike Trail!

Be sure to bring your bikes when visiting Gladwin Michigan.  We absolutely love the scenic bike path!  You can park at the Riverwalk Place Resort or begin at the Gladwin City Park and Campground if you are camping. 

This paved travel winds for several miles along the scenic Cedar River.  There are spots with benches where you can relax and enjoy the view.  

Camping in Gladwin Michigan

The Gladwin City Park and Campground is a lovely place to camp! There are numerous large and shady camp spots, clean restrooms and paved roads for bike riding or walking.

There are also lots of paved trails for bike riding and even a rope swing where you can jump into the river!  We highly recommend bringing your bikes and bike locks for your adventures!

We love the sandy beach that's perfect for swimming in the slowly moving Cedar River. So be sure to bring your water shoes, towels and swimsuits when camping at the Gladwin City Park and Campground. 

Best Hotel in Gladwin Michigan

We highly recommend staying at the Riverwalk Place Resort and Spa. There rooms are very modern, clean, spacious and are very close to the lovely paved river walk. It's incredibly lovely.

Places to Visit Near Gladwin

Have you visited Frankfort Michigan, Traverse City or Point Betsie Lighthouse? Oh, and check out Cadillac too! Do you know all about KISS' visit to the city?! 

These are a few of the best vacation spots in Michigan!

Whenever we are at a loss for ideas of places to go in Michigan, Frankfort Michigan and Traverse City are at the top of my Michigan vacation list!

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