A tour of Smile given by Presley Ayers
Welcome to a tiny little island on the northern tip of Michigan. Smile is home to almost five thousand people and offers year-round activities for locals and tourists to enjoy. Thanks, in advance, for visiting our website. I’m going to give you about a dozen reasons to visit Smile, and while you’re here, swing by the incredibly charming, Get Lost Lodge.
River Valley Lodge (Chilliwack BC)
Smile was founded by Earnest Simel who was very excited to unveil the town sign and didn’t realize that it had a misprint. And the little town that was meant to be called Simel, was aptly named SMILE.
About a forty-five minute ferry ride from Mackinaw City, Smile is a bustling town with local eateries you’ll need to visit such as:
Pete’s
Image found on Pinterest
Brother’s Pub
The Beagle Pub in Victoria
Petal’s Pie Palace
Once your belly is full of the most delicious food (try the waffles), you can take a bike ride to Tourist Lane. If you dig a little deeper, you will, no doubt, find out that I am biased. My fiancé owns and operates Beckett’s Bikes but I promise you, my seal of approval is based on great service, great prices and, he’s dreamy to look at (and he’s all mine).
Photo from Harrison Bike Rental, Canada
Grab a solo or double bike and make your way to the cutest spot on the island. Once for the fishermen in the area, Tourist Lane is a rainbow of houseboats and a flurry of fun activities. If you’re there, I highly recommend the fish and chips. It’s okay, you burned all those calories biking there.
If you’re looking for a trinket or souvenir to commemorate your visit, the only trouble will be choosing just one. You’ve got the internationally known Bracelet Babe, who recently set up shop right here in Tourist Lane. There’s also an adorable shop run by Gwen, who is the wife of the world’s best waffle maker (sorry Levi), Pete from Pete’s Place.
Photo found online from https://www.emrvacationrentals.com/blog/fishermans-wharf-victoria-bc/
From the docks of Tourist Lane, you can catch a ride to Get Lost Lodge. This is owned by my soon to be brother-in-law (he’s a catch, ladies but alas, he’s taken too). On this lovely parcel of land, you can stay in the renovated lodge, curl up in one of the cabins, or just pitch a tent in one of the clearings that allow an unfiltered view of the stars. You’ll meet people from all over the world at the little lodge we love. Make s’mores on the back porch, enjoy an incredible meal made by our in house, spectacular chef, Levi Bright (it’s a family business everyone), or soak under the night sky in our luxury hot tub.
Wedding, bachelorette party or birthday? We’ve got you covered. Our lodge offers fully functional facilities for team building events or whatever celebration coming up on your calendar.
I came here as a bonified city girl and I can tell you, with no hesitation, this small town has captured my heart (okay, so have the Kellers) and I don’t miss the traffic or noise or crowds one bit. Being here feels like I’m living amongst my closest friends.
We’ll zip you back to the island for Sunday Samplers, a wonderful, weekly market that features all of Smile’s favorite vendors. Come and see us in the summer for boating, paddle boarding, or biking. Visit in spring for a tour of our local eateries. Or join us in the winter when the mountains are covered in snow and the fire is always roaring. Whatever your interests, we’ll have something here that makes you SMILE.
From the “queen of sweet romance” (Falon Ballard) Sophie Sullivan, comes a small-town, opposites-attract romance about two people who end up with more feelings than they bargained for after pursuing a summer fling.
Charlotte “Charlie” Ashford has worked hard to become her own person. Tired of living in the shadow of her famous parents, she gladly left behind a life of glitz and glamour to pursue her true passion: becoming a counselor. However, when a viral video upends Charlie’s plans, she wonders if the real key to discovering herself is through her late father.
Grayson Keller has finally found his footing. He’s settled in one place, surrounded by family, and secure in his business. By his third summer as owner, Get Lost Lodge is showing a steady profit and seeing its fair share of repeat visitors. Whatever happens, Grayson is perfectly content with his quiet life and careful heart. That is, until he meets Charlie, who he can’t seem to get out of his head.
On the surface, Charlie and Grayson seem to have nothing in common more than a growing attraction that neither of them can fight. Trusting each other isn’t easy. They’ve both been hurt before, and they’re not looking for anything serious. The solution is easy: they’ll date, have some fun, and walk away unscathed. Right? Or, maybe this once, they can see past the hurt to what, or who, is on the other side waiting for them.
Romance Comedy | Romance Small Town [ St. Martin's Griffin, On Sale: February 10, 2026, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781250875877 / eISBN: 9781250875884 ]
SOPHIE SULLIVAN is a Canadian author as well as a cookie-eating, Diet Pepsi-drinking, Disney enthusiast who loves reading and writing romance in almost equal measure. She writes around her day job as a teacher and spends her spare time with her sweet family watching reruns of Friends. Ten Rules For Faking It is her romcom debut novel, but she's had plenty of practice writing happily ever after as her alter ego, Jody Holford.
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