Legs Inn

Stanley Smolak arrived in Cross Village in 1921, and what he built on a bluff above Lake Michigan is unlike any other roadhouse on the M-119 corridor. The structure came together from locally gathered timber and fieldstone, with Smolak — a self-trained artist — hand-carving what he called "nature's oddities" into the furniture and fixtures using tree roots, limbs, and driftwood. The roofline is trimmed with inverted cast-iron stove legs, which gave the place its name. The Smolak family has kept it going for more than a century, and it remains a State of Michigan Historic Landmark.

The menu runs Polish — pierogi, bigos hunter's stew, golabki, potato pancakes — alongside locally caught Great Lakes whitefish that's smoked in-house. The bar carries over 100 varieties of beer from around the world alongside a full selection of Polish vodkas, wines, and cocktails. Garden seating looks out over Lake Michigan, which is the reason most riders linger past the first round.

The inn runs seasonally, from late spring through mid-October, and is closed Tuesdays. M-119 detours are sometimes in place during the season, so check current road conditions before heading up. No reservations are taken for dining, and waits during peak summer weekends are common — plan accordingly.