In the shadow of the great Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, one river winds its way from Glen Lake to Lake Michigan in no apparent rush. You will know this tranquil waterway as the Crystal River, and further grow to love her westernmost banks in the historic village of Glen Arbor. Come experience the River at Crystal Bend, an ageless playground of native plants, putts, paddling and peeling laughter. Join us at The River in Glen Arbor for Kayak and Tube Rentals,Canoe Rentals, Mini-Golf, Eco Tours, great activities and family fun! Open 7 days a week. MAKE YOUR RESERVATION ONLINE!

but it looks like the “heavy stuff” is off to the East of  us (will it join forces with Earl?) and it should be a beautiful day to get out on the Crystal River.  The river should not be busy today, so take advantage of the peace and quite.    The greens on our championship 18 hole putt putt/mini golf course will be slow with all the rain last night…..just screaming for someone to break a 40.  And if you do, I will give your group a free kayak trip down the Crystal today!  The 40 must be witnessed and we have a lie detector on property if there is any doubt……just kiddin.  We trust you.  Also, Beautiful Becky running 50% off all merchandise in the Trading Post/Gift Shop as well as the livery.  We are selling off all of our kayaks and canoes at crazy cheap prices.  Come on down and make a day of it in Glen Arbor, home of the River Putt and Paddle, the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes and the amazing Crystal River.

My best, Mike

Stop into the livery and check out the great deals on all our kayaks and canoes.  From 100 bucks up to 600. They are going fast, so don’t wait.

Weather should be beautiful for kayaking today.  Light SW wind right now….hopeful it will stay down so we can use Lake Michigan on our routes.

Championship putt putt/mini golf open 10 to 10 till labor day.  Becky running 50% off on all merchandise this week to make room on the shelves for next year.

Mention this blog and get five bucks off a kayak trip, or two bucks off putt putt.  Get down here to the River Putt and Paddle.  Not too many days left.  Big front moving in this afternoon and tonight.

My best,  Mike

Ahhhhh……the lazy days of summer are here.  Yesterday in Glen Arbor could have come straight out of a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem, (“Then followed that beautiful season…..Summer….filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape, lay as if newly created in all the freshness of childhood”).  Yesterday was pure bliss.  Yesterday was pure summer in Northern Michigan.  No bugs.  No wind.  Warm water.  85 degrees.  Not a cloud in the sky.  Indeed, a day to have made memories……or not.  Well, you get another chance today, but it may be your last.  This cold front is bearing down on us and will start showing itself tomorrow.  Every year there are two things that end summer:  School starts up and/or a cold front.  School starts next week, but the cold front comes tomorrow, (high of 68 on Friday) so get out in the great outdoors today…..possibly the last day to really take advantage of the Glen and Fisher Lakes, the Crystal River and the big daddy, Lake Michigan. (No offense Superior)

Photo on left was taken yesterday of Dad and his 8 month old ending their “Loop” tube trip.  Look at them.  Look closer.  That’s summer in a photo!    Yet another summer poem by William Carlos Williams: “In summer, the song sings itself”.  Oh boy, does it ever….just look at them!

Not many people around this week either.  The Crystal River not too busy.  So get down to the River Putt and Paddle and rent a kayak, canoe, tube or paddleboard and float on something!  Light SW winds are perfect for a route out on Lake Michigan.  Two hour trip from our livery back to Glen Arbor, but take all day if you want!  We charge a flat rate for a trip and you take as long as you want.

So, do what you gotta do to get your family out to Glen Arbor today.  Delay your trip home…..quit work…..whatever you gotta do, but get down here and make some memories on the banks of the incredible Crystal River.

My best,  Mike

The National Park seems to be taking it up a big notch this year;  They have accomplished so many projects in need:  I took this picture last night on my Iphone and remembered how overgrown this lookout was just a year ago. Park Rangers cleared it out and the views are now incredible. Rumor has it that this was DH Days favorite spot in the area.  He built a tower just a half mile from this view and went there every day of the summer.  We can show you on our maps in the livery where this is.

With the winds we have today, all kayak and canoe routes are navigable and safe for all ages. Paddling from our livery out into the Sleeping Bear Bay is a great option, the lower four miles of the Crystal has no portages as our kayaks will fit through the 675 and South Beach/Overbrook Road culverts.  All downed trees have been cleared and there is plenty of water in the Crystal River. 85 degree temps make tubing or paddleboarding a great option as well.

The low round of the summer on our 18 hole championship putt putt/mini golf course is still holding firm at a 37 by Fisher Sutherland.  I know of only a few people that have broken 40 this summer,(the greens are pretty fast with all this heat).  So, if you are able to shoot a fifty or less on our course, (must be witnessed) we will give you half price on a kayak trip of your choice for the entire group!  A monkey could break a fifty!  Get down here and shoot a round of golf and then get out on the Glen Lakes, Fisher Lakes, Crystal River or the great Lake Gitchugumee.

Don’t forget:  All our kayaks are for sale cheap and Becky has deep discounts going on all our stuff in the gift shop and livery.

My best, Mike

Rent a kayak this afternoon/evening and paddle out to Lake Michigan for sunset.  We had a group do this last night and they had a magical trip.  Take advantage of the warm water, weather and light winds and get out on the Big Lake.  Leave from here at our livery and head downriver for four miles out into the Lake.  Paddle down the shoreline for two miles back to the boat ramp.

18 championship holes of putt putt/mini golf.  Big sales in the livery and trading post/gift shop.  We are selling off all our boats to make room for a new fleet of Old Town and Ocean Kayaks for next season.

Come down to the River Putt and Paddle on the banks of the Crystal River in downtown Glen Arbor inside the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and make some memories.

Summer is definitely winding down.  The crowds of people are heading home and the Crystal River is still very warm with plenty of water for our kayaks and canoes.  Light Northwest winds today will make for a great paddle out on Big Glen and into the Fisher Lakes.  Lake Michigan will be safe, but bumpy with a headwind.  Get out on the Crystal River today and we will throw in a free round of putt putt golf on our worldly acclaimed championship 18 hole course.

Becky is running sales in the Trading Post/Gift shop.  50% off on all Petoskey Stone Jewelry and T’s and Sweats.

We are selling off all the kayaks and canoes as well.  Single Kayaks as low as three hundred and doubles as low as 450.  Stop down to the livery and pick up a few.  These boats come with full warranties from Old Town and Ocean Kayaks and I can help you with storage and repairs over the next 40 or 50 yrs.  The boats are “bomb proof” and light…..making it many times a much better choice than a canoe to keep out on the lakes or rivers of Leelanau County.

My best, Mike

Locals!  Half price!  On all kayak or canoe rentals!  All Putt putt/mini golf!  What are you waiting for?  Get down here and take advantage of this deal.  The Crystal River has plenty of water right now thanks to all the rain and is 80 degrees.  Float and swim out to Lake Michigan and snorkel on the Phelps Shipwreck.  Start on Big Glen and paddle through the Fisher Lakes. The River Putt and Paddle loves locals and wants to take care of them.  Just bring us your DL that shows you are a resident of GT county, Leelanau, or Benzie and everything at the River is half price. Single kayak seven mile float – 12 Bucks!  A double kayak or canoe? – 19 bucks!  Putt putt? – 5 bucks!  Get down here now through fall colors.

Also, we are selling off the entire fleet of kayaks.  Great prices.  And half off on all merchandise in the livery or the trading post.

Take advantage of these last days of summer at the River in downtown Glen Arbor on the banks of the gorgeous Crystal River.

Gorgeous mornin, but no ones here!  Sunday’s are so slow.  Great time to get out on the Crystal River.  Get down here and rent a kayak or canoe or tube or paddleboard.  Play some putt putt or ping pong.  Were here…..open for business and anxious to serve you.  Come on down.  It’s supposed to warm up to 83 degrees.  Should be a great day at the River.

Looking like a great day to paddle the Crystal River.  Warm air and water temps.  I dropped the dam gates an inch yesterday to bring the water levels up to 35 cfs, plenty of water for a float in one of our kayaks, canoes or tubes.

Locals!  Half price on all your activities at the River through the end of the season before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m.   Please call us first, epecially if you have a group over 6 persons. Leelanau, Benzie and Grand Traverse County residents all qualify.  Get out on the Crystal River and make some memories.

Don’t let the weather forecast keep you off the River today.  A 40% chance of rain?  Who cares? Your wet anyway.  And it’s over 80 degrees.  The rain may help cool you off and it is gorgeous to paddle in.  Raindrops on the River?  Gorgeous!

18 hole championship putt putt/mini golf, pinball arcade, trading post (big sales) free ping pong and giant chess, eco tours, kayak and canoe livery all at the River Putt and Paddle.  So get down here to 5959 S. Oak Street in beautiful Glen Arbor surrounded by the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and make some memories.

Last year we sold off most of our 2009 kayaks and canoes.  Now, with the amazingly free services of Craigs List, we should be able to sell off the entire fleet of the remaining 2009′s and 2010′s.  We will be putting in an order this October for new boats and hope to be renting kayaks on the Crystal year round.  Winter paddling can be incredible.  Anyway, pictures above are most of the boats that we have.  I have a few misc. kayaks including a Wilderness Double Cockpit Kayak and upper left photo of an EMS Single Cockpit Kayak.  Most of our fleet are the Old Town Vapor 10′s ($300) and 12′s, ($350) and Old Town Tandem Otters for $500.  All of our Ocean Kayaks are for sale as well.  Scrambler 11′s for 350 and Malibu Doubles for 550.  Our Old Town Discovery Canoes are 600.  Shop around and you will find these to be incredible deals.

With the summer season winding down we want to extend an invitation to all locals looking for a rental deal on the Crystal River. Here it is:  Half Price on all rentals before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. through fall colors.  Just show us your drivers license and if you are a Leelanau, Benzie or Traverse City resident, your half price.  C’mon locals…..whens the last time you got your family out on the Crystal or Platte River?  Heres your chance.

Championship 18 hole Putt putt/mini golf  course is in fabulous shape.  Crees sustainable gardens are thriving.  Were running blow out deals on all our merchandise.  Ping pong table and giant chess set available for you at no charge.  Pinball Arcade is fired up.  The weather is gorgeous.  The water on the River and in the Lakes is perfect for swimming.  Get down to the River putt and paddle in downtown Glen Arbor inside the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and let us help you make some memories.

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