December 2007.

We have discovered our new favourite place to visit - and it is right here on our (Michigan) doorstep.

It will probably come as no surprise to any residents of the north-west corner of the state, but Boyne Country is a major discovery. No, not major; huge, enormous. Of absolutely immense touristic value (to which, all the locals will be going 'Doh! Do these people know nothing?').

And we need to tell the world all about it. We are on a mission - a crusade, no less - to let everyone know what an amazing, inspiring, surprising and downright satisfying place this is to visit in the north-west quadrant of the state

Because, while the locals will all regard it as blindingly obvious, a trip to Boyne Country - and its attendant cities of Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Bay Harbor and Charlevoix - is an adventure into a region of breathtaking allure and character.

Imagine a Victorian world full of the essential values of the time but with all mod cons; a realm of genteel charm and old-fashioned fascination that still has enough high-quality sophistication to make 21^st-century visitors feel properly comfortable.

Add in superb shopping and dining, a wide range of accommodations, stunning scenery and attractions as diverse as award-winning ski resorts, extensive marinas, quaint museums, pleasant walks, golf courses, a splendid indoor water park and some genuinely stunning scenery, and that is Boyne Country, a territory that absolutely demands your attention.

And the best thing about it is – there are two completely different versions of the same place.

The summer is a time of non-stop outdoor activities; boating, fishing, golf, hiking, bird-watching, cycling, swimming and lounging on the wide beaches beside the brilliantly blue waters of Lake Michigan. Back in 1873, it earned the soubriquet ‘The land of the million dollar sunsets,’ and it is every bit as good as the 24-carat label suggests.

But visit in December, as we did, and you discover a genuine winter wonderland of unexpected possibilities and surprising delights.

To be fair, we expected the relaxing olde worlde style at the Bay View Inn, where we walked in to their warming fireplace lobby and gracious  ambience. After all, it was Christmas Day and we had carefully researched a venue where we could kick back and relax for a couple of days.

The truly unique appeal of this 19^th century hideaway was immediately evident in its range of individually-styled rooms, the airy Sunroom and the wide dining room with its picture windows affording panoramic views of the lake.

But what came as a pleasant surprise was the liberal use of antique furniture throughout the Inn, the beautiful soft furnishings of the rooms (in best Laura Ashley fashion, before the term became a cliché) and extra features like fireplaces and Jacuzzi baths, and the utter warmth of the place, be it in the furnishings or the attitude of all the staff.

(It soon became clear, on talking to owner Stafford Smith, the staff’s deportment stems from the charismatic owner, who eschews modern management pretenses for the true, customer-first ethos of a gentler, bygone age)

However, the Bay View Inn was just the first in a series of welcome revelations over the next few days, with a 2-night stay quickly doubling in length as we discovered more and more to enjoy – the idea of sitting by the fire with a good book immediately being forsaken for the chance to explore this jewel of a location.

Petoskey, with its expansive shopping district offering goods you would normally expect to find only in the likes of Harrods, required a full day to investigate fully; Harbor Springs, boasting more one-off stores and fascinating browsing, was another half-day of unforeseen exploration; and Charlevoix, with its sprinkling of curious ‘organic’ architecture, was another sudden discovery that afforded several hours of delightful encounters.

In between, the totally modern ‘village’ of Bay Harbor was another curiosity – a millionaire’s row of vacation homes and exclusive shops, epicurean delights and the stunning Inn at Bay Harbor, voted one of the world’s Top 500 hotels, complete with luxury spa.

Everywhere also boasted a splendid range of dining options, from the five-star Pier Restaurant in Harbor Springs and Chandler’s in Petoskey to the more down-home style of Whitney’s Oyster Bar in Charlevoix, complete with a startling choice of real ales.

And then we discovered Nub’s Nob Ski Resort (in a near-blizzard!), Boyne Mountain, complete with its ‘Alpine’ resort and state-of-the-art indoor water park, and the chance to go ski-ing (both downhill and cross-country), snow-shoeing, snow-mobiling, snow-tubing and lots of other things that began with snow and ended in great fun.

With everything within a 10-15-minute drive of Petoskey, it all made for an astonishingly compact and eventful few days, way beyond our expectations, but surprising even more in its lack of renown outside the confines of Michigan.

For here, indeed, is the kind of vacation playground which has just about something for everyone, if only they are prepared to take a chance on somewhere not on the usual tourist maps. It offers experiences that are increasingly hard to find in a modern age of hustle-bustle, 24/7 and Starbucks.

But, more than anything, Boyne Country offers the chance to enjoy a Victorian heritage that is alive and well in living, breathing, three-dimensional colour; a bygone age that still panders to the restless spirit of today; and a relaxing, welcoming aura that soothes the soul and revives the mind.

We fully intend to be back to explore more about this remarkable corner of the world – and provide plenty more reasons for others to visit in future. Stay tuned……..!