Point Betsie marks the spot where ships begin to turn toward the dangerous Manitou Passage. The narrow Manitou Passage runs between North and South Manitou Islands. Because of shoals surrounding the islands, it is considered one of the most treacherous points on the Great Lakes. Here, the North Manitou Shoal Light stands atop the shoal itself, anchored by a concrete foundation. A slender spire, the South Manitou Island Lighthouse is set among the soft dunes along the island's shoreline, south of the harbor.
Ferries dock here yet today to drop off visitors to the remote isle.
Nine miles north of Northport, at the northern point of the Leelanau Peninsula, the Grand Traverse Lighthouse has stood sentry since 1853. In 1972, the U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned the lighthouse. A citizens group restored the structure and opened it to the public in 1987. Also known as Cat's Head Lighthouse, it is a museum and part of the Leelanau State Park. Visitors can explore the lighthouse and gaze over the water from the top of the tower.