[Artpeep]

(Well, this is my first "posting" on any kind of a forum, so I'm a bit nervous...) My husband and I have been searching for a spot to relocate and are looking for advice, please. I grew up vacationing and visiting friends in the lower peninsula (Houghton Lake area) and have always loved Michigan. My husband and I have visited during all seasons, so we know what we're in for, with the long winters. We love the outdoors, have camped and fished for years (primitive camping up in Northern Ontario). We're not rich, by any means, but we'd like to find some property on a small lake and build a little house, over time. This summer, we camped at Kalkaska and checked out Traverse City, Charlevoix and the Leelenau Peninsula. Beautiful. We also camped up in Curtis (lots of friendly people there) and visited Newberry, Whitefish Point and the Seney Wildlife Refuge. Loved it up there!! Suburbia, with its wall-to-wall Home Depots, Applebees, etc. does not interest us. The sounds of red squirrels and the wind in the trees do. However, if possible, we would like to be somewhat near a place that might have something of an arts community. Any thoughts or advice, folks? Much appreciated!

[michmoldman]

We are also looking to move up that way and recently stayed in Interlochen. Its a nice little town which also has the Interlochen Arts academy, is about 20 minutes away from Traverse City, which I'm sure TC would have what you are looking for. Although I love TC, the traffic there is nuts during the busy season, so we are looking on the outskirts. There is also Lake Ann, which is about 20-25 minutes west of TC, but it is a little smaller town.Of course there are tons of lakes around that whole area!
Good luck!!!

http://camp.interlochen.org/

[chiroptera]

The first location that popped into mind when you said "artsy" was Saugatuck...but it might not be quite as rural and remote as you'd like. I hear you on the suburbia thing because I dislike it too...but it seems that it's not hard in most of Michigan to find rural property, even fairly close to cities.
The whole TC area is gorgeous, but perhaps a little on the expensive side for real esate (for Michigan, anyway.)

Don't be nervous about posting here! You did fine and we're nice.

[tuebor]

May I suggest you explore the triangle formed by Muskegon, Montague, and Fremont? I'm almost sure you will find what you are looking for somewhere in that area. There is definitely an arts community, anchored by the Muskegon Museum of Art, Frauenthal Theater, Howmet Playhouse, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and the Dogwood Center. Much of the area is part of Manistee National Forest, so it will not be absorbed into suburbia.

[Artpeep]

Thank you for the information, gang! I can't wait til our next trip up! We'll probably do our yearly "Houghton Lake Thanksgiving" trip with my sisters and their families, so perhaps I can do a quick investigative side trip in conjunction with that... It's funny how MI has stuck with us all. We all yearn for it. And let me just say: the air up there.... We live in a rural area, southwest of Cleveland, but we get residual pollution. I wish I could bottle some of that good air and uncork it once in awhile. Thanks again for your kindness and helpfulness!