Leland Webcam – Fishtown Shanties and Lake Michigan

The Leland Webcam looks out from above The Cove’s riverside deck in Fishtown, the old commercial fishing village in Leland, Michigan, and follows the Leland River downstream to the harbor breakwater and the open water of Lake Michigan. Weathered gray shanties stand on pilings along the left bank, with a white fishing tug tied up at their docks. On the right, The Cove’s tables fill the boardwalk below the camera, and white motorboats sit moored where the river meets the harbor. A small light marks the end of the breakwater, and on clear days a low line of land shows on the far horizon. The current runs fast here and often churns white at the bottom of the frame. The camera faces west, so late-afternoon sun can flare across its dome, and the cleanest light usually comes around midday.

About Leland and Fishtown

Leland sits on a narrow strip of land between Lake Leelanau and Lake Michigan, and the Leland River, once called the Carp River, runs through the middle of the village to join the two. Native Americans fished at the river mouth long before European settlers built the present village around 1850. In 1854 Antoine Manseau, his son and John Miller dammed the river just upstream, raising the water level by 3.7 meters (12 feet). The village had 410 residents at the 2020 census and stands 177 meters (581 feet) above sea level.

Commercial fishermen moved onto the river in the 1870s, and a breakwater built in 1886, then improved in 1937 and 1966, gave Leland a sheltered harbor. At its peak, eight full commercial fishing businesses worked from here. The wood and shingle shanties in the frame were built to store and mend nets and to clean and sell fish, with net racks beside them and icehouses and smokehouses behind. Fishtown was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in January 2022, inside the wider Leland Historic District listed in 1975.

Since 2007 the nonprofit Fishtown Preservation Society has owned much of the village. That year it paid $2.7 million for eight shanties, two smokehouses and 61 meters (200 feet) of docks on the north side of the river, along with the fish tugs Joy and Janice Sue and their commercial fishing licenses. In 2016 it added two more shanties on the south bank. The Janice Sue dates from 1958 and the Joy from 1982, and both are still seen in action, so a tug heading out past the breakwater is one of the best things to catch on this camera.

The camera belongs to The Cove, a seasonal grill and bar at 111 West River Street that opens from early spring to late fall. Its best-known drink is the Chubby Mary, a Bloody Mary served with a smoked chub in the glass.

Weather and Climate in Leland

Lake Michigan sets the tone for Leland’s weather. Winters are cold and gray, with January highs around -1 C (29 F) and February lows near -6 C (21 F), and snow can cover the shanty roofs and docks. The Cove closes for the winter, so the deck below the camera sits empty and the river goes quiet. Spring comes slowly to the lakeshore: April highs average about 9 C (48 F), and May reaches 16 C (60 F).

Summer is mild, because the lake keeps the shore cool. July and August highs average about 24 C (74 F), with nights near 18 C (64 F), and this is when the deck is full and the boardwalk is busiest. September stays warm at around 21 C (69 F). October cools to 14 C (57 F) and is the wettest month, with roughly 123 mm (4.8 inches) of rain on average. Because the view points west over open water, clear evenings can end with the sun setting over the lake, though the low sun also washes out the frame for a while before it goes down.

Things to Do Near Leland

Fishtown itself is the first stop. Boardwalks run along the river between the shanties, several of which now hold small shops and food counters, and the Fishtown Preservation Society’s tugs tie up along the docks between trips. A short walk from the river, the Leelanau Historical Society Museum at 203 East Cedar Street keeps the county’s local history collection.

Manitou Island Transit runs its ferries to North and South Manitou Islands from 207 West River Street, on the same street as The Cove, though the National Park Service closed both island docks for the whole 2026 season, so no trips are running this year. Leland sits close to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and M-22 links the village with Northport, 18 kilometers (11 miles) to the northeast, and Glen Arbor, 29 kilometers (18 miles) to the southwest.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More northern Michigan harbors and Lake Michigan towns to keep an eye on:

• Traverse City Webcam
• Charlevoix Webcam
• Beaver Island Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Leland, Michigan located?

Leland is in Leelanau County in the northwest of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, on the narrow neck of land between Lake Leelanau and Lake Michigan. It lies on M-22, 18 kilometers (11 miles) southwest of Northport and 29 kilometers (18 miles) northeast of Glen Arbor.

What can you see on the Leland Webcam?

The camera looks west down the Leland River through Fishtown. Historic fishing shanties and a moored fish tug line the left bank, The Cove’s deck and the riverside boardwalk fill the right, and the breakwater, its small light and Lake Michigan close off the view. On clear days a low line of land shows on the horizon.

Who runs the Leland Cove webcam?

The Cove, the seasonal restaurant at 111 West River Street in Fishtown, runs the camera and streams it on its own YouTube channel. The camera sits above the restaurant’s riverside deck.

Does the Leland Webcam show the harbor?

Yes, at the far end of the view. The river opens into Leland’s harbor behind the 1886 breakwater, and boats moored in the harbor show beyond the last shanties on the right.

Does this webcam show Lake Leelanau?

No. Lake Leelanau lies upstream, behind the camera and above the dam. The camera points the other way, downstream toward Lake Michigan.

Is this the webcam for Leland, North Carolina?

No. This camera is in Leland, Michigan, on the shore of Lake Michigan. Leland, North Carolina, is a different town near Wilmington, more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) away.

What is the weather like in Leland, Michigan?

Leland has cold, snowy winters, with January highs around -1 C (29 F), and mild summers, with July and August highs around 24 C (74 F). October is the wettest month, with about 123 mm (4.8 inches) of rain on average.

Source: The Cove