Cadillac Area

Cadillac: City on the Lakes, Surrounded by Forests, United by Rivers, Connected by Trails

Just 100 miles north of Grand Rapids and 50 miles southeast of Traverse City, Cadillac Michigan has long been mid-Michigan’s year-round vacation destination, offering an abundance of opportunities for recreation or relaxation.

Originally incorporated in 1874 as the Village of Clam Lake, Cadillac became a city in 1877 and changed its name to honor French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Today, downtown Cadillac offers the amenities of big-city living with small-town charm.

Downtown Cadillac is just a few steps uphill from the bustling lakefront and city park, and just a few steps downhill from the serene, lumber baron homes and the Wexford County Museum. Historic buildings house numerous shops, galleries, offices and sidewalk cafes as well as newer storefronts of a style and scale that harmonize with the old.

Golfers can play one of Cadillac’s nine golf courses (including the Cadillac Golf Club, across the street from Lake Mitchell Condos) or take a short drive to upper Michigan’s world-class golf courses.

Pleasure boaters and fishermen enjoy the beauty of Lake Mitchell, which is connected to Lake Cadillac with a man-made canal. Fly fishermen are just minutes from one of Michigan’s many rivers and streams, teeming with trout, steelhead and salmon.

Cadillac is also the anchor of the 92-mile White Pine State Park Trail, which extends to Comstock Park, north of Grand Rapids. No motorized vehicles are allowed, so that bikers, hikers and walkers can enjoy its quiet beauty. And the city is the hub of five different cross-country ski trail systems.

Whether you come to play, or come to stay, there’s something for everyone in Cadillac.