The Mitten State of Mind: One Thing to See or Do in All 83 of Michigan's Counties, Pt. 2

Turnip Rock rises from the waters of Lake Huron just off Port Austin in the Thumb (Photo: Dantesattic / Getty Images)

The Mitten State of Mind: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Michigan is full of majesty, mystery, and might, each of which comes in many forms. From the classic architecture of Detroit to the pristine waters of the Grand Traverse Bay; from the perpetually awe-inspiring sight of the Mackinac Bridge to the far-flung forests of the Keweenaw Peninsula; from the sunset-soaked sands of the west coast to the lighthouse-lined shores of the east coast, there is no shortage of inspiration to be found.

This three-part series highlights just some of what the Mitten State has to offer, county by county. Welcome to Part Two, which covers 32 counties alphabetically, from Hillsdale to Muskegon. Let’s get started.

Hillsdale

Head off the beaten path in Hillsdale County by setting your phone’s GPS for the Tri-State Marker just north of Billingstown, Ohio. The spot where Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio come together is literally marked by a rock on the side of a dirt road. That may not sound all that riveting, but you’ll definitely be the only person in your circle who can say they’ve been there. After a quick photo sesh with the marker, head back up the road to La Tierra Sanctuary, a 38-acre property containing easy-to-access hiking trails.

SEE ALSO: Three States for the Price of One: This is the Place Where Michigan, Indiana, & Ohio Meet

Houghton

As the second-northernmost county in all of Michigan (south only of Keweenaw County, which we’ll get to in a moment), Houghton County is home to Michigan Technological University and a whole boatload of nature. Portage Lake is a great spot to get your paddle on in the summer and Mont Ripley has the droi… er, slopes you’re looking for when the snow flies, but if you want to truly immerse yourself in the area’s natural beauty you might consider signing up for a guided tour with Upper Peninsula Tours. Specifically, take a peek at the Copper Country Falls Tour.

SEE ALSO: Return to da U.P.: Over the Mighty Mac and Through the Wood

Huron

This one’s easy. If there is one thing to see or do in Huron County, it’s Turnip Rock in Port Austin. Found right at the tip of the Thumb, this natural oddity, as some have called it, is easily the area’s largest draw — so much so, that the Port Austin Area Chamber of Commerce claims questions about Turnip Rock account for 75% of the calls they receive. Summertime draws the most visitors (and you can turn to Port Austin Kayak for help planning a warm-weather excursion), but the place is just as enchanting, if not more, when covered in ice and snow.

Ingham

There are options here, but the State Capitol feels kind of like an obligatory choice when it comes to Ingham County. The building, which is the third to serve as Michigan’s Capitol, was dedicated on Jan. 1, 1879 — more than four decades after the Great Lakes State joined the Union in 1837. Over a century later, in 1992, it was designated a National Historic Landmark. Self-guided tours are a popular way to see the place for yourself.

Tawas Point Lighthouse can be found on a hang nail-esque spit of land in Iosco County (Photo: Flickr)

Ionia

All right, we’ve got a slightly different recommendation for Ionia County. Are you ready for it? I don’t know if you are, but here we go anyway. Just south of the city of Saranac, along Grand River Avenue, you will find on the side of the road — drumroll, please — the first-ever roadside picnic table. Placed there by a county engineer in 1929, the idea quickly spread across the state, and eventually the nation. It seems mundane nowadays, but was a significant development before truck stops and rest areas existed.

Iosco

Welcome back to the northeastern portion of the Lower Peninsula, where, in rural Iosco County, you’ll find a nifty little peninsula that is sometimes referred to as the Midwest Cape Cod (at least according to Google Maps). This hang nail-esque spit of land is home to Tawas Point State Park, where visitors can camp overnight, swim in the shallow waters of the bay, make use of the sandy trails along the point, and get a good look at the migratory birds that stop over in the spring and fall.

Iron

Strap on the skis when you head up north to Iron County and Ski Brule, a winter playground with a 30-acre snowboard terrain park; 14 miles of tracked and groomed ski trails, in addition to Nordic trails prime for snowshoeing; and a host of duplexes and luxury log chalets. If you’re not exactly a sorcerer of the slopes (which I totally didn’t just make up), this literal winter wonderland also offers ice skating, sleigh rides, and a ton of programming geared toward kids. And, if for some reason you want to pop over to Wisconsin for a jiffy, the border is less than a mile away (although you’d have to hike through the woods and cross the Brule River).

Isabella

Given that we’ve focused a bit on Michigan’s ski and snowboard resorts already, why not give a shout out to one of the state’s award-winning golf courses? Bucks Run Golf Club, found in the eastern portion of Isabella County, just outside Mount Pleasant, stepped onto the scene in July 2000, with famed course architect Jerry Matthews transforming what was once a mining quarry into the beautiful, riverside course that exists today. Bucks Run features an 18-hole championship golf course, a rustic clubhouse in which you’ll find the Quarry Grill, and Bucks Run Putting Island, an 18-hole mini golf course on an island. However, if you’re not in the mood to play the course Golf Digest’s Places to Play list awarded 4.5 out of 5 stars in 2006, you could always go and make a donation at nearby Soaring Eagle Casino.

Jackson

I couldn’t, in good faith, make a recommendation for Jackson County without turning to my friend, Aaron Dimick, president of People for the Parks & Trails of Jackson, Michigan, and all-around Jackson, Michigan, expert and enthusiast. Here’s what he had to offer: “I’d say my personal favorite thing to do is ride bikes on the Falling Waters Trail. But, I’d say the biggest attraction in Jackson County is the Cascades waterfall.” Aaron also informed me that the growing network of pedestrian trails are a big draw for visitors.

Kalamazoo

In Kalamazoo County, it would probably be a crime not to go with the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum. Part-museum, part-amusement park, the Air Zoo is a world-class science education center with more than 100 rare aircraft and spacecraft found right next to the airport in the city of Portage. The Flight Innovation Center has amusement park-style rides for the kids (and kids at heart, I suppose), and anyone looking to test out their pilot skills can take advantage of the wide array of flight simulators on offer.

View of Copper Harbor in Keweenaw County, as seen from the Isle Royale Queen IV (Photo: Flickr)

Kalkaska

This northern county in the Lower Peninsula is Michigan, au natural. Kalkaska County is perfect for those who love small inland lakes, rivers just begging to be kayaked, hiking and biking and all things outdoors. A good spot to take a walk in the woods and breathe in some of that fresh air is in the Skegemog Lake Wildlife Area. Found in the northeastern corner of the county, this 3,300-acre reserve is filled with northern peatland, conifer and hardwood swamp, forest and open grassland, and more than seven miles of shoreline along Skegemog Lake and the Torch River. Over five miles of trails allow visitors to explore at their leisure.

Kent

Here’s another county that lends a (semi-)obvious choice: the renowned Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Featuring tropical conservatories, arid indoor gardens, natural wetlands, a Japanese rock garden, and works of art by well-known names like Auguste Rodin and Ai Weiwei, Frederik Meijer is a cultural touchstone in West Michigan that even helped land Grand Rapids on The New York Times’ list of 52 Places to Go in 2016.

Keweenaw

Simultaneously Michigan’s least populous county and its largest by area, Keweenaw is all the way at the tippy top of the Upper Peninsula and includes one of the least visited national parks in the country. While Isle Royale National Park makes for an obvious choice here, there’s something to be said for Copper Harbor, too (which you would have to visit on your way to the park, anyway). I mean, who wouldn’t want to visit Michigan’s northernmost permanently populated community, especially in the fall when those colors are popping?

SEE ALSO: That Time We Traveled to the Tippy Top of the Keweenaw Peninsula

Lake

The Manistee National Forest covers a majority of Lake County, making it another one of Michigan’s outdoor playgrounds. There are several campgrounds within the county’s borders, including Bear Track and Old Grade in the northern half, and a number of stops along the Pere Marquette River down in the southwest corner, such as Gleason’s Landing and Bowman Bridge. Hiking and biking and fishing opportunities obviously abound, but one other attraction that deserves mention is the Shrine of the Pines, a unique museum that holds the largest collection of rustic pine furniture in the world.

Lapeer

In the middle of the thumb is where you’ll find Lapeer County and its crown jewel: Lake Inn on the northern shore of Lake Nepessing. This family-owned destination restaurant and bar has been welcoming locals and visitors into its cozy, “Up North”-like atmosphere for over seven decades. Open year-round, Lake Inn has an expansive menu offering just about any kind of American fare you might be after, as well as a healthy selection of Michigan craft beers. While sitting down for dinner and drinks on the restaurant’s large outdoor deck (complete with tiki bar) is a delight unto itself, you might even work up that appetite a bit by first getting in a round of golf at Lapeer Country Club, which is open to the public.

Leelanau

Home to possibly the most beautiful stretches of lakeshore in the Lower Peninsula — including Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore — Leelanau County is quintessential Northern Michigan. While the national lakeshore is an obvious draw, there is a small area in the city of Leland known as Fishtown that also deserves your attention. The historic commercial fishing village boasts shanties, smokehouses, shops, and all the fishy smells you could ever dream of. Visiting feels like being transported to another time.

Fishtown, located in Leland, Michigan, in Leelanau County, will transport you to a different place and time (Photo: Flickr)

Lenawee

Start your engines (!), because the obvious choice in Lenawee County is Michigan International Speedway. The NASCAR-owned race track is recognized as one of motorsports’ premier facilities, and also one of its fastest due to its wide, sweeping corners; long straightaways; and lack of a restrictor plate requirement (just don’t ask me what that means!). The track hosts various races and events throughout the year, including the NASCAR Cup Series, the MHSAA cross country finals for the Lower Peninsula, and the annual country music extravaganza that is Faster Horses.

Livingston

Fans of fall, unite! Because Livingston County, which is sandwiched between Lansing and Detroit, is home to a number of destinations that simply scream “autumn.” Chief among them is the Parshallville Cider Mill, one of the few water-powered mills still in operation in Michigan. The mill, built in 1869, is open to the public from Labor Day weekend through mid-November each year, offering all of the traditional fall favorites (freshly-pressed cider, spiced donuts, etc.). Two other names to know in the area are Spicer Orchards in Fenton and the Schell Family Farm in Pinckney, part of which transforms into the bone-chilling Ghostly Grove when spooky season rolls around.

SEE ALSO: 7 Michigan Cider Mills That’ll Help You Get in the Autumn Mood

Luce

The Upper Falls found along the Tahquamenon River are technically located within the borders of Luce County, but since we pinpointed Tahquamenon Falls State Park as the top attraction in neighboring Chippewa County (within which it is mostly contained), the nod here goes to a different kind of attraction: Oswald’s Bear Ranch in Newberry. The ranch, which doubles as an educational facility, allows you to (safely) get up close and personal with black bears who have been rescued from various harmful circumstances. It’s the largest bear-only sanctuary in North America, providing a truly unique learning opportunity for visitors.

Mackinac

I don’t necessarily want to, but it does feel somewhat obligatory to list Mackinac Island as its namesake county’s top attraction. It’s also hard to deny the island’s magnetism. Home to historic forts, natural features like Arch Rock, a hotel that couldn’t be grander, more horse-drawn carriages than you’d know what to do with, and, of course, that world-famous fudge, let us not deny Mackinac’s day in the sun just because it’s cliché.

SEE ALSO: If Mackinac Island Were 9 Photos, It (Probably) Would(n’t) Be These

Macomb

Let’s get early 20th century with it, and pay a visit to the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Macomb County’s Grosse Pointe Shores. Designed by famed architect Albert Kahn and built in 1927, the former home of Henry Ford’s son Edsel is an architectural sight to behold along the shore of Lake St. Clair. Prior to its construction, Kahn and the Fords traveled to England for design inspiration, eventually taking their cues from the rural Cotswolds region. The house, now a museum, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Manistee

Found along the lakeshore in Northern Michigan, it would be easy to point to Manistee County’s beaches as its most prominent feature — and they truly are — but I’m going to take this one in a slightly different direction and recommend a visit in the colder portion of the year. That’s because every December the City of Manistee hosts a wintertime extravaganza known as Sleighbell Weekend, featuring a festival of trees, a Christmas/winter-themed play at the historic Ramsdell Theatre, and the famous (in my mind, at least) Victorian Sleighbell Parade, among other events.

SEE ALSO: Summer Fun in Northern Michigan: A Quick & Easy Kayaking Trip Down the Little Manistee River

The Secret Garden on the grounds of Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel can be tricky to find, but contains plenty of rewards for those who seek it out (Photo: Aaron Burden)

Marquette

Here in the heart of the U.P. lies a treasure trove of natural wonders from which it is difficult to discern just one or two things to put on your list. But gun to the head? I suppose I might go with hiking up Sugarloaf Mountain just outside the city of Marquette to take in one of the most amazing views you’ll find in the entire Upper Peninsula. The hike itself, which is very short, was described by one native “Yooper” on michigan.org this way: “With century old trees and ancient rock outcroppings, this trail reminds me of a few of the better hikes I’ve done in the rainforests of Australia. It really is a gorgeous area.”

Mason

Ready to head back to the beach? Grab your swimsuit and a towel, because in Mason County it’s Ludington State Park that should be on your radar. As Saturday Night Live’s Stefon might say, “This place has everything”: three campgrounds, scenic sand dunes, several miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, an extensive trail system, the iconic Big Sable Point Lighthouse …and MTV’s Dan Cortese? Oh wait, no, that’s Stefon getting in my head again. Anyway… just to the north of the state park, you’ll also find Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area, a 3,500-acre reserve sporting plenty of picturesque sand dunes of its own.

Mecosta

This central-ish, not-quite-Up-North county is home to one of Michigan’s most unique museums, which truly should be more well-known than it is. The name might throw you, as it did the first time I came across it, but the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University is all about contextualizing the inhumanity and cruelty of the Jim Crow era, as well as painting a clear picture of the ways racism still infects American society today. It’s a must-visit in the same way I believe Ava DuVernay’s documentary “13th” should be mandatory viewing for all Americans.

Menominee

At the very bottom of the Upper Peninsula is where you’ll find Menominee County, the last bastion of civilization before crossing over into Wisconsin (#jokes). Along its southwestern flank, just south of where the Cedar River empties into Green Bay, one of Michigan’s premier state parks awaits. J Wells State Park, named after a pioneering lumberman who served three terms as mayor of Menominee around the turn of the 20th century, is 678 acres of fun. The park contains three miles of sandy shoreline, a modern campground, rustic cabins, and a lodge that sleeps ten — not to mention picturesque views of the bay.

Midland

Next to Bay County in the crook of the Thumb, Midland County is home to Dow Gardens, a 110-acre property comprised of various gardens, the nation’s longest forest canopy walk, a playground, a conservatory, and the historic Pines Home, the former residence of entrepreneur Herbert Dow. The gardens are renown for the thousands of annuals and perennials that bloom each year, but even if you’re some kind of psycho who doesn’t like flowers, there’s much more nature to go around. And it’s all accessible for very cheap: annual passes cost just $20.

A short hike grants you access to this spectacular view from atop Sugarloaf Mountain in the Upper Peninsula’s Marquette County (Photo: Flickr)

Missaukee

Lake City is the place to be when it comes to Missaukee. The county seat wraps around the eastern shore of Lake Missaukee, inviting visitors into its charming embrace with that “Up North”, small town feel you can’t help but fall in love with. Life on the lake is the main attraction, of course, but in the downtown area you’ll find quaint little spots to grab a bite like Lake City Family Diner, The Patio on Main, and Rustic Hog Barbecue (formerly Frontier BBQ). There are plenty of Airbnb listings in and around town for those looking to stay a while.

Monroe

In between Detroit and Toledo, Ohio, in the southeastern corner of Michigan, is a rural stretch of land named after President James Monroe. The fifth president’s namesake county was the second to be established in the Michigan territory, all the way back in 1817 (the same year the University of Michigan was founded, mind you), and, since 1935, it has been home to the only state park along Lake Erie: Sterling State Park. The 1,300-acre site is best known for its walleye fishing, three lagoons, and mile-long sandy beach.

Montcalm

We’re headed to the farm in Montcalm County — specifically, Frugthaven Farm in Greenville. When the former Klackle Orchards’ 600-some acres were auctioned off back in 2019, April and Michael Petersen were determined to keep the community’s orchard tradition alive. Frugthaven (frugt being the Danish word for fruit) may not have all the bells and whistles of its predecessor, but it still has the most important pieces: 40 acres of apples, 20 acres of pumpkins, and a market selling coffee, hard cider, and those mouthwatering Klackle doughnuts.

Montmorency

What do golf, elk, and murder mysteries have in common? Answer: they’re all on tap at Thunder Bay Resort on the eastern edge of Montmorency County in Northern Michigan. Golfers can take advantage of the resort’s stay-and-play package (which can also be bundled with rounds at other area courses). Animal lovers/wildlife enthusiasts/whatever-you-want-to-call-them can climb aboard a horse-drawn sleigh or carriage, take a ride to the resort’s elk preserve, and then be treated to a five-course meal. Lastly, Thunder Bay’s Murder Mystery Weekends give guests the chance to take part in a real-life version of Clue.

Muskegon

There are numerous options we could go for here, such as the USS Silversides Submarine Museum or the Hackley and Hume Historic Site, but it would be kind of impossible not to opt for Michigan’s Adventure, the largest theme park in the state. Halfway between Muskegon and Whitehall, the park contains over 50 rides, including seven rollercoasters (headlined by the wooden coaster Shivering Timbers), as well as Wildwater Adventure Park, the outdoor water park that inspired the catchy jingle “two parks for the price of one” (if you know, you know).

SEE ALSO: Daytripping In West Michigan: Things to See & Do Near White Lake

-LTH