Never mind the snow and chilly conditions in the forecast for this week. Spring is upon us in Leelanau County, and that means the area’s seasonal businesses are starting to emerge from hibernation for the upcoming summer. From Northport down to the county’s southern border, the Leelanau Ticker has your guide to the spring reopening calendar.

Traverse City/Base of Leelanau/Benzie

>Paradise Cove Bar & Grill will open Thursday, May 22, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. “As a new addition, we now have soft serve ice cream – and other treats – which will be served out of the Sugar Shack,” business owners tell the Leelanau Ticker.

>Jacob’s Farm kicks off its 2025 season on Thursday, June 5. Owner Mike Witkop says the business executed “a pretty substantial addition to our kitchen” over the winter, which will allow for greater efficiencies, expanded menu offerings, and better bandwidth to support large events. Witkop also teases “renewed energy for the corn maze” – which will mark its 18th year at Jacob’s Farm this year – as well as “other cool new things, including some collaborations with other ag-oriented places and other new types of event experiences.”

>Glendale Burgers no longer has a roadside sign, thanks to ongoing construction on the new M-22/M-72 roundabout, but the business has assured customers via Facebook that it is still operating as usual.

>Also in the construction zone, Buchan’s West Bay is doing business as usual, and has even introduced a special “Construction Zone Sundae” to commemorate the roundabout buildout.

>Across the county line into Benzie County, the Cherry Bowl Drive-In will open for the summer – its first season with new owners – on Friday, May 16.

Suttons Bay/Lake Leelanau

>The Bahle Farms golf course has announced an opening day of April 27.

>Bear Den Gallery, formerly a Suttons Bay retail shop, won’t have a physical location this year, but is still operating and selling wares online.

>9 Bean Rows closed down for spring break from March 24-27, but is now back up and running as usual.

>Hive Coffee also took a mini spring break, from March 23-31, but is open again with regular business hours as of April 1.

>North Country Kitchen & Bar has shifted into its spring schedule, adding Sunday operations, and is now open Thursdaya through Mondays every week.

>Farm Club has begun announcing its spring 2025 events, including a “how to build a strong pantry” event with chef/author Abra Berens, a concert featuring Chicago-based alt-country singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks, and a roundtable conversation with four local visual artists.

>Bay Burrito teased Suttons Bay customers last weekend with a one-day pop-up, but has not yet announced a proper spring reopening date. Sister restaurant Bay Pizzeria, meanwhile, has been up and running all winter.

>Capital Dog has also not announced its return date for 2025, but the restaurant’s website says the goal is to reopen sometime in May. For reference, in 2024, the hot dog establishment reopened on May 17.

>Several key Suttons Bay seasonal businesses did not respond to the Leelanau Ticker’s inquiries about their opening dates, including Dalzell Dairy (which will be back for its second season this year) and Taqueria Las Lagunas (which has indicated plans to keep its Suttons Bay food truck operating this year, despite now having a brick-and-mortar location in Traverse City).

Northport/Omena

>Launched in 2024, FARO Northport will return for its second season on Thursday, April 17.

>Barb’s Bakery closed for a break after the Valentine’s Day rush, but plans to reopen “mid-April.”

>New Bohemian Café took a spring break from March 24 to April 3, but reopened this past Friday.

>Dune Bird Winery took a one-day break on March 20 for a “first round of Dune Bird spring cleaning,” but is currently open for regular business hours.

>Yard & Lake recently shared on Instagram that it is “starting to hire for the upcoming season,” with positions available for assistant manager, bartenders and bar backs, and retail staff. The business will reopen for the season sometime the week before Memorial Day.

Leland

>The Village Cheese Shanty will reopen for the 2025 season next Friday, April 18. “We can’t wait to start this next season! Lots of exciting things IN STORE for you,” the popular sandwich shop teased on social media last month.

>Leelanau Goods owner Laura Siladke tells the Leelanau Ticker that the business will mark its official opening day on Thursday, May 15, with a spring reopening party to follow the next day, featuring “special sales, refreshments, and entertainment.”

Glen Arbor

>River Club Glen Arbor (RCGA) will kick off its sophomore season on Friday, May 2 with a Cinco de Mayo weekend celebration. Owner Mike Sheldon says the business is “adding a bunch of new stuff to our offering” this season, including new menu items, a margarita bar with six frozen marg varieties, and the “River Lounge,” which Sheldon describes as “an all-new enclosed tent featuring outdoor lounge furniture, lanterns, and tables for rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, etc.” RCGA will also “start offering breakfast sometime around mid-June,” in addition to lunch and dinner service.

Sheldon says RCGA will also be adding several new events to its slate this spring, with the goal of getting locals “out of the house before the tourist season.” Those events include a Mother’s Day weekend promotion where moms golf and eat for free from Friday, May 9 through Sunday, May 11; a “hospitality appreciation day” on Sunday, May 18, offering free food and golf for hospitality workers; a summer kickoff on Saturday, June 7, where all kids under 18 golf for free all day; and an M22 Challenge Post Party pn June 14, with free food and $1 beer drafts for participating triathletes.

>The Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District will open May 16 for the 2025 kayaking and canoeing season, with reservations now open online. The M22 wine patio – another part of the district – “will be fully staffed beginning Memorial Day weekend, with live music events all summer long,” according to Crystal River Outfitters owner Katy Wiesen. Other parts of the district, Wiesen notes, are already ready for springtime business, including bike rentals and bike mechanic services at The Cyclery and “new spring and summer merchandise fully stocked” at Coastal Glen Arbor.

>Blu has been shut down since early March for a break, but will reopen this Wednesday, April 9 for the spring/summer season.

>Funistrada closed for the second half of March “to rest, rejuvenate, and prepare for a fantastic spring season,” but reopened last week, and announced on Saturday that “the reservation book for summer 2025 is now OPEN.”

>The Mill Glen Arbor will shift into its spring/summer menu starting next Tuesday, April 15, making this the last week of the restaurant’s winter menu offerings. The affiliated Millie’s Pizza already rolled out a “refreshed” menu in late February.

>Good Harbor Grill will open for the 2025 season on Friday, April 25. The restaurant has been closed since late-October.

>Cottonseed Apparel will open its doors for the season this Saturday, April 12, “and will be open daily from 11am-4pm for the remainder of the month.”

>L'Chayim Delicatessen, which is marking its 33rd season in 2025, is now up and running for the year at its Frankfort and Beulah locations; the Glen Lake store isn’t set to open until May.

Cedar/Maple City

>Le Bécasse has been closed for a spring break since March 2, but will return this Wednesday, April 9. A special reopening celebration dubbed “An Island Evening” will follow at 6pm on Thursday.

Empire

>Sleeping Bear Surf has flagged the weekend of June 20-22 as the date for its “2nd Annual Shindig of Summer,” called Beryl Days. More details are forthcoming.

>The Secret Garden, a seasonal art gallery, kicks off its season in May, after which it will be open daily through the end of the year.