TripSavvy Says Michigan is Great for Outdoor Enthusiasts — They're Not Wrong

Round Island Lighthouse (Photo: Aaron Burden)

Round Island Lighthouse (Photo: Aaron Burden)

*Post updated on Feb. 23, 2023

At the start of 2020, national travel publication TripSavvy declared Michigan an “underappreciated outdoor playground,” naming it the year’s top travel destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Provided this planet is full of all kinds of natural wonders, anyone unfamiliar with the Great Lakes State might balk slightly at such a designation. But those of us “in the know" aren’t the least bit surprised.

From the shores of Isle Royale in the farthest reaches of the Upper Peninsula, all the way down to Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan is packed full of natural (and easily accessible) beauty, a good chunk of which has been documented right here on this site over the past few years.

Whether you’re itching to hit the beach or the slopes; check out a historical site or a music festival in the middle of the woods; drive a scenic highway or to the last bastion of civilization on the edge of an awe-some body of water, Michigan’s got you covered — and so do we.

The following list does not cover all of the natural beauty the Great Lakes State has to offer — noticeable omissions include Kitch-iti-kipi, the state’s largest freshwater spring, and Turnip Rock in Port Austin, among others — but it does include enough outdoor inspiration to at least get you started. Even if you’ve seen/experienced every single thing below, I can guarantee you this: Michigan’s always got something else up its sleeve.

Let the wandering begin…

Statewide

Northern Michigan

Kayaking on the Little Manistee River

Kayaking on the Little Manistee River