Elk Rapids, Michigan
Elk Rapids is a village of 1,624 people in Antrim County, Michigan.
Why visit Elk Rapids
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 14 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Elk Rapids Cinema, Hughes House, Elk Rapids Area Historical Museum and Elk Rapids Day Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; February lows average 16°F.
Weather in Elk Rapids
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Elk Rapids
Elk Rapids is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village is the largest incorporated community in Antrim County, with a population of 1,529 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Elk Rapids Township, in the southwest of Antrim County, and is on the shore of Grand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan. Elk Rapids is located about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Bellaire, the county seat, and about 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Traverse City, the largest city in Northern Michigan.
From the Wikipedia article Elk Rapids, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks4
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Hughes House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in Michigan, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Elk Rapids Marina on Elk Lake
Marina and boat launch
118 North Bridge Street, Elk Rapids
Restaurants and cafes14
Masala Magic by Anita
Restaurant · Indian
115 Ames Street, Elk Rapids
Mo,Th,Fr,Sa 11:30-20:00; Su 12:00-19:00
Riverwalk Grill
Restaurant · Sandwich, Burger, Seafood, American, Salad
106 Ames Street, Elk Rapids
Mo-Th,Su 11:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:00
Shorts Brewing Company
Bar and pub · 0.4 mi
211 East C Loomis Industrial Park Drive
Mo-Fr 12:00-20:00; Sa-Su 11:00-21:00
Cellar 152
Restaurant · Sandwich, Burger, American · 0.5 mi
152 River Street
Tu-Th 11:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00
Happy Camper Coffee Co.
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Sandwich · 0.5 mi
212 River Street
Mo-Fr 06:30-02:00; Sa-Su 07:30-14:00
Kolu's Eatery
Restaurant · Barbecue
133 Ames Street, Elk Rapids
Tu-Su 04:00-20:00
2 more on the map.
History
The first settler in the Elk Rapids area was Abram S. Wadsworth, from Connecticut. Wadsworth platted the area in 1852, calling it Stevens. A post office opened in 1854. In 1858, Wadsworth renamed the area to Elk Rapids, after finding a pair of elk antlers near the mouth of the later-named Elk River. In 1863, Antrim County was organized, and Elk Rapids was made the county seat. However, the seat was moved to the more centrally located Bellaire in 1879. In 1892, Elk Rapids became a station on a spur of the Chicago and West Michigan Railway. The town was incorporated as a village in 1900.
From the History section of Elk Rapids, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship7
Elk Rapids First Methodist Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare1
McLaren Northern Michigan – Elk Rapids Family Medicine
Clinic and pharmacy
124 Ames Street, Elk Rapids
Map of Elk Rapids
53 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 16°F | 1.8 in |
| Feb | 31°F | 16°F | 1.2 in |
| Mar | 41°F | 22°F | 1.4 in |
| Apr | 52°F | 31°F | 2.8 in |
| May | 66°F | 43°F | 3.0 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 52°F | 3.0 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 58°F | 2.8 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 58°F | 3.3 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 51°F | 3.6 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 41°F | 4.0 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 32°F | 2.4 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 24°F | 2.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Old Mission 3Ssw (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Antrim County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2025-07-22: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Antrim County Airport (ACB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Rapid City 7 mi southeast, about 11 min by car
- Bellaire 11 mi northeast, about 18 min by car
- Suttons Bay 13 mi northwest, about 21 min by car
- Traverse City 14 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Central Lake 14 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
- Chums Corner 20 mi southwest, about 32 min by car
- East Jordan 23 mi northeast, about 37 min by car
- Boyne City 29 mi northeast, about 47 min by car
- Charlevoix 30 mi north, about 48 min by car
- Cadillac 45 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Elk Rapids, Michigan (July 2019), Notorious4life ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC0
- At the Short's Brewing Company Production Facility in Elk Rapids. (20876925389), Senator Stabenow, CC BY 2.0
- Hughes House Elk Rapids Michigan 2011, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Elk Rapids First Methodist Episcopal Church, rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS043-E-218856 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-218854 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-218855 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-218859 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS022-E-48002 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-218857 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-218858 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Another Sunset 2 - Flickr - Kathleen Tyler Conklin, Kathleen Tyler Conklin, CC BY 2.0
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