*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

• Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall, Which Great Lake is the Greatest of All? — The Great Lakes, Ranked

• 7 Michigan Cider Mills That’ll Help You Get in the Autumn Mood

• 5 Michigan Locations Associated with Creepy Urban Legends

• Drive-In Movie Theaters Around Michigan That Would Love to See Your Face Right Now

Northern Michigan

• 7 Must-Do’s for Your Trip to Northern Michigan This Summer

• Charlevoix County

  • Your Guide to Daytripping on Beaver Island

  • A Unique Music Festival, Smack Dab in the Middle of Lake Michigan

  • Beaver Island Music Festival: 3 Melodious Days in the Middle of Lake Michigan

• Grand Traverse County

  • Traverse City & Old Mission Peninsula: An Afternoon

  • 3 Wineries in Northern Michigan That You Should Visit Before the Cold (Really) Sets In

• Leelanau County

  • Something Smells Fishy Here: A Stop in Leland’s Fishtown

• Manistee County

  • The Michigan Day Trip Tour, No. 2: Kayaking on the Little Manistee

• Oceana County

  • The Michigan Day Trip Tour, No. 8: A Picture Perfect Day in Pentwater

• Wexford County

  • The Rustic (& Affordable) Northern Michigan Skiing Experience You Need in Your Life

Southeast Michigan

• Hillsdale County

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

• Saginaw County

  • The Bavarian Christmas Wonderland Sitting in Michigan’s Backyard

• Washtenaw County

  • The Michigan Day Trip Tour, No. 7: At Home in Ann Arbor

• Wayne County

  • Step Back in Time During Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village

  • Summertime in the City: Ideas & Inspiration for Your Day Trip to Detroit

Upper Peninsula

• Alger County

  • 13 Reasons Why You Need to Visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

• Chippewa County

  • The Michigan Day Trip Tour, No. 5: Sault Ste. Marie & The Soo Locks

  • U.P. Adventures: A Stop in Paradise, Tahquamenon Views, & Superior Trails

• Houghton/Keweenaw Counties

  • That Time We Traveled to the Tippy Top of the Keweenaw Peninsula

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

  • Return to da U.P: Rum Slushies, Rocket League & a Trip to the Gay Bar

• Mackinac County

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

  • No Matter the Season, This Highway in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is Worth the Drive

  • The Michigan Day Trip Tour, No. 6: St. Ignace, Gateway to the U.P.

West Michigan

• Kent County

  • Ada: Scenes From a Small West Michigan Town in Early November

• Muskegon County

  • The Michigan Day Trip Tour, No. 3: Wandering Around White Lake

• Ottawa County

  • The Michigan Day Trip Tour, No. 1: Ottawa County’s Kirk Park

  • 10 Hours in Grand Haven, Coast Guard City USA, As Told in 10 Photos

-LTH