The area and alternatives for your family
Sleeping Bear Dunes
For anyone interested in attending the workshop but also taking a nice vacation with the family, you can do both in one outing. There is plenty for the rest of the family to do while you're attending the workshop and it's all close enough for you all to spend your evenings together.
Interlochen State Park
Interlochen State Park is located adjacent to the campus. It is literally right across the road and provides safe clean campgrounds, access to Green Lake and Duck Lake, hiking, fishing, swimming, a picnic area and concession store. This could be a great home base as it puts you in easy walking distance to the workshop leaving the rest of the family free to take the car and tour the area.Traverse City
Traverse City is the largest city in northern Michigan and one of the larger metropolitan areas in the state. With an atmosphere somewhat like the Ann Arbor of the north, Traverse City also has a huge maritime culture sitting right at the foot of Grand Traverse Bay. TC will give your family a decidedly more urban feel with tons of shopping and a huge variety of fine restaurants and clubs while still being only minutes away from nature, the lakes, the dunes, etc.Other Towns and Day Trips
Besides the town of Interlochen itself, the campus is also a short drive from several other quaint and popular tourist destinations. Any of these could be places to stay or simply places for the family to visit during the day.Glen Arbor About 30 miles northwest of Interlochen, Glen Arbor is surrounded by the shores of Lake Michigan, Big Glen Lake and Little Glen Lake. You can find shopping, good food and drink as well as hiking, canoing and some wonderful beaches.
Empire About 25 miles northwest of Interlochen, Empire is the spot where M-72 hits Lake Michigan. There is a visitors center there as well as some nice shops, a beautiful Lake Michigan municipal beach and hiking on Empire Bluffs.
Leland About 45 miles northwest of Interlochen, Leland sits right on Lake Michigan. There are places to eat, places to shop and a great beach. Plus you can head down to the marina and walk through historic Fishtown or catch a ferry over to South Manitou Island.
Frankfort About 25 miles southwest of Interlochen, Frankfort also sits right on Lake Michigan and offers a historic downtown and some great beach areas.
Sleeping Bear Dunes
The Sleeping Bear Dunes really are one of Michigan's jewels. Designated a national lakeshore and voted the most beautiful place in America by Good Morning America viewers in 2011, the park covers a 35 mile stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline and also contains North and South Manitou Islands. There is a ton of hiking in the dunes and lots of access to the lake. There is also a scenic drive (Pearce-Stocking Drive) and a Dune Climb that isn't for the faint hearted.All in all, there is no end of stuff to do and you can't really go wrong no matter what you decide. Use these suggestions or do a little research and find something different. I've barely scratched the surface. Feel free to ask me questions as well and I'll do my best to get answers for you.