We Started Lakeshore Because Northern Michigan Needed It.
Not a corporate pitch. Not a franchise. Just two people from Frankfort who saw a real problem and decided to do something about it.
Lakeshore Shuttle & Tours has been moving people around Northern Michigan since 2018 — golf groups to Arcadia Bluffs, wine tours through the Leelanau Peninsula, airport pickups, private events. We do it all out of the same place we call home, with drivers we know by name and vehicles we take care of ourselves.
How Lakeshore Got Started
The idea started with a frustration Ketty Zamora couldn't shake. She'd spent years in hospitality — eventually working on the executive team of one of the best golf courses in the country — and she kept watching the same thing happen: visitors to Northern Michigan's world-class golf courses and wine trails would arrive, fall in love with the area, and then spend the rest of their trip stuck on resort property because there was simply no way to get around.
No rideshare. No local transportation options worth recommending. Nothing that matched the level of the experience people were coming here for.
"Northern Michigan had the courses, the wineries, the scenery. It just didn't have the transportation infrastructure to connect people to all of it."
So in 2018, Ketty and her husband Dustin decided to fill that gap themselves. Dustin had been running his own business and was ready for something new. Ketty had the hospitality background and the firsthand knowledge of what visitors to the area actually needed. Together they built Lakeshore Shuttle from the ground up.
What started as a small operation grew quickly. By 2023, the business had grown enough that Ketty left her full-time job to run Lakeshore's administration full time. Today they run two 14-passenger Sprinter vans and a Lincoln Navigator, serve clients year-round, and have earned a reputation as the transportation company that Northern Michigan's most discerning visitors trust.
Who Calls Lakeshore
Our clients are not looking for the cheapest option. They're looking for the right one. Most of them are executives, business owners, and serious golf enthusiasts who've worked hard enough to take real vacations — and they want those vacations to feel like a genuine escape, not a logistics exercise.
They come to Northern Michigan for Arcadia Bluffs. For Crystal Downs. For the Leelanau Peninsula wine trails. For the kind of unhurried, genuinely beautiful experience that's hard to find once you leave this part of the state.
What they don't want is to rent four cars, designate a driver for every outing, or spend their trip managing Google Maps on unfamiliar roads. That's where we come in — and that's why we keep it private, keep it personal, and never overextend what we can actually deliver well.
We're casual people serving an elevated experience. No black suits. No corporate formality. Just a reliable ride and a driver who actually knows where they're going.
Local Isn't Just a Word for Us
Lakeshore Shuttle is based in Frankfort, Michigan — not Traverse City, not Grand Rapids, not anywhere else. We live here. Our drivers live here. When you book with us, the money stays in Benzie County and the people behind the wheel are your neighbors.
We hire local and we pay fairly. That's not a marketing line — it's a business decision we made early and have stuck to. The quality of the experience we deliver depends entirely on the people driving our vans, and you don't get good people by paying them badly.
We also operate year-round, which matters in a seasonal economy. Our team isn't a summer crew that disappears in October. We're here in January when the roads are icy and someone needs an airport run just as much as we're here in July when Arcadia Bluffs is fully booked.
The Vehicles
We run a tight, well-maintained fleet. No surprises, no mystery vehicles showing up on the day of.
Sprinter Vans — Up to 14 Passengers
Two 14-passenger Sprinters that handle everything from an 8-person golf group to a full wine tour outing. Clean, comfortable, and sized right for Northern Michigan's roads. For groups of 12 with extra luggage, we can attach a trailer.
Lincoln Navigator — Up to 6 Passengers
For smaller groups or when the occasion calls for something a little more refined. The Navigator is our go-to for airport transfers, smaller golf groups, and clients who want a quieter ride.
As Seen In
Ready for Your Ride? Let's Talk.
Whether you're planning a golf trip to Arcadia Bluffs, a wine tour through Leelanau, or just need someone reliable at the airport — we'd love to be your transportation company for the trip.
Call us at (231) 399-0231 or fill out a quick quote form and we'll get back to you fast.
