A self-taught architect with no formal training once stacked Lake Michigan boulders into homes so whimsical that locals still call them gnome houses, hobbit houses, and mushroom houses depending on who you ask. Mushroom House Tours in Charlevoix is how most visitors actually get to see them up close, riding in electric GEM cars through the winding streets where these stone curiosities have sat since the early-to-mid 1900s.
The homes were the life’s work of Earl Young, a Charlevoix native who spent decades building more than two dozen structures using fieldstone, boulders, and cedar shake roofs shaped to look like they grew straight out of the ground. Since the houses are privately owned and closed to the public, this tour has become the go-to way to actually learn their stories, and it has consistently ranked as the top thing to do in town.
What Makes The Tour Worth It
The 50-minute ride covers all of the roughly 26 to 28 known mushroom houses scattered around Charlevoix, which is more ground than you’d comfortably cover on foot in the same amount of time. Riding in an open-air GEM car instead of walking means you get close, unobstructed views of rooflines and stonework that are easy to miss from a passing car.
Guides come loaded with anecdotes about Earl Young himself, a man who reportedly never finished college and never worked from formal blueprints, instead sketching ideas and building intuitively with local stone. Names like the Mushroom House, the Boulder Manor, and the Thatch House come up throughout the ride, each with its own quirks in roofline, chimney work, or window placement that make it distinct from the next.
What sticks with people afterward isn’t just the architecture, it’s how genuinely into the subject the guides are. Guides are frequently singled out for making the history feel personal rather than recited, weaving in local lore about the town alongside the Earl Young material. A virtual tour add-on is also included with the GEM car ride, giving you a way to revisit the homes or see interior details of a couple of the houses that aren’t visible from the street.
Atmosphere & Setting
This is entirely an outdoor experience, and the GEM carts themselves have heat and doors, so the tour runs comfortably even when a Northern Michigan breeze rolls in off Lake Michigan. There’s no formal building or exhibit hall involved beyond the small departure spot, called the Shroom Shack, tucked inside the Treasure Chest Building on Park Ave.
The neighborhoods you pass through are quiet, tree-lined, and residential, which adds to the feeling that you’re peeking into someone’s actual life rather than touring a museum piece. Charlevoix’s downtown and marina are just a short walk from the departure point, so the tour fits naturally into a longer afternoon of wandering the town.
Other Considerations
How much does it cost? GEM car tours start around $29 per person, and a standalone virtual tour option starts around $15 if you’d rather skip the ride.
Can I go inside any of the houses? No, the mushroom houses are private residences, so this tour and other self-guided walking routes are viewed entirely from outside.
Is it good for kids? Families do bring children along, since the ride itself is short, seated, and doesn’t require much walking, though the appeal leans more toward architecture and history buffs.
Should I book ahead? Given the tour’s popularity and the fact that each GEM cart holds a limited number of riders, reserving a spot in advance, especially during the busy summer season, is a smart move.
Mushroom House Tours
📍 106 Park Ave, Charlevoix, MI 49720
Website: https://www.mushroomhousetours.com/
