Northern Michigan weather changes fast, and every trip gets a rainy day sooner or later. Here's how to make the most of one in Bellaire.
Short's Brewing Company
The original Short's pub in downtown Bellaire is the obvious rainy-day stop: good food, a long beer list and plenty of room to settle in for the afternoon. It's where one of Michigan's best-known craft breweries got its start.
Wander downtown Bellaire
Downtown is compact, with shops and restaurants a short walk apart and the historic 1905 Antrim County Courthouse at its center. The Bellaire Chamber of Commerce visitor guide lists current shops, galleries and restaurants.
The Grass River Center
The visitor center at Grass River Natural Area is open daily from May through October and on weekends the rest of the year. If the rain lets up, the boardwalks are right outside. Light rain is actually a nice time to see the wetlands. Grass River guide.
Pools and indoor water fun
- Shanty Creek pools: guests at Alm Haus and Northwoods Treehaus get access to the Shanty Creek indoor and outdoor pools.
- Avalanche Bay at Boyne Mountain: Michigan's largest indoor waterpark, about 30 miles from Bellaire. A great full-day plan for kids.
Rainy-day drives and day trips
- Traverse City: about 37 miles away, with shopping, restaurants, wineries and indoor attractions.
- Charlevoix: about 27 miles north. Browse the shops downtown and watch the waves on Lake Michigan from the pier when the weather breaks.
- Elk Rapids: about 26 miles, a small harbor town with shops and cafés.
- A color drive: in early to mid October, a drizzly day doesn't stop the fall color show.
Stay in: game rooms and hot tubs
Sometimes the best rainy-day plan is the house. Our homes have game rooms, arcades, fireplaces, hot tubs and saunas, and a hot tub in the rain is better than it sounds.
- Alm Haus: foosball, a Pac-Man arcade, a 60-inch TV, a wood stove and a kids' play floor
- Overlook Bellaire: pool table, arcade, game table and a sauna
- Northwoods Treehaus: Pac-Man arcade, board game library and a stone fireplace
- Seven Pines Chalet: pool and air hockey table and a stone fireplace
Alm Haus
A renovated Northwoods chalet 5 minutes from Schuss Mountain, with a hot tub under the pines, triple-queen bunk room, game room and stargazing dome.
Check dates and book direct →
Overlook Bellaire
A 2021 modern home on 10 private acres above Bellaire, looking out over Intermediate Lake. Sauna, cold plunge, hot tub and a game room.
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Northwoods Treehaus
A 1960s A-frame in the pines at Schuss Mountain Resort, with three kings, a stone fireplace, a bunk room with arcade and a treetop hot tub.
Check dates and book direct →
Seven Pines Chalet
A cabin on 1.6 wooded acres with a private trail to a Lake Michigan beach, a hot tub under a gazebo, a game room and two fire pits.
Check dates and book direct →Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Bellaire when it rains?
Visit Short's Brewing Company, browse downtown, stop at the Grass River Center, swim in the Shanty Creek pools, or drive to Avalanche Bay at Boyne Mountain or to Traverse City.
Is there an indoor waterpark near Bellaire?
Yes. Avalanche Bay at Boyne Mountain, about 30 miles from Bellaire, is Michigan's largest indoor waterpark.
Sources
Checked October 2026 against Grass River Natural Area and Boyne Mountain resort information. Road distances measured from downtown Bellaire.