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.
Read MoreWhile it could nearly be considered part of West Michigan, Pentwater still gives off that “up north” kind of vibe, and it is for that exact reason that people come from all over to take it in. It’s the kind of place you visit to quiet your mind, to let life slow down for a little bit.
Read MoreMost everything you’ll want to see or do is within walking distance (given that you consider 30 minutes or less to be walking distance), and if you can swing it, it truly is best to leave the car parked for most of the day. It’s a well-known fact that parking in Ann Arbor comes with a high degree of difficulty, regardless of the season. Perhaps that’s why the blue buses are free not just for students but for everyone? Could be.
Read MoreFrom the Porcupine Mountains to Pictured Rocks, and a whole heck of a lot in between, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is filled with plenty of treasures for travelers to explore. As anyone who has been up there could tell you, it’s truly a world unto itself. While there is much to see and do beyond the bridge, it all gets started with the first city you run into after crossing the Straits of Mackinac: St. Ignace.
Read MoreIt seems odd for a city to be 150-plus years older than the state within which it’s located, but that’s exactly what you get with Sault Ste. Marie, which was founded — get this — 169 years before Michigan joined the Union in 1837. By virtue of its founding in 1668, the Soo is the oldest city in the Great Lakes State, while fellow Upper Peninsula stalwarts St. Ignace (founded in 1671) and Marquette (1675) aren’t too far behind.
Read MorePerpetually out shined by a certain southern city of the same name, Nashville, Michigan, has probably never been on your radar. Like a number of other Michigan communities named after much more recognizable places (e.g. Athens, Holland, Moscow, Paris), the village, which is located in the eastern portion of Barry County, is a tiny, tiny community. But that doesn’t make it any less interesting.
Read MoreTravel doesn’t always have to be about wandering far and wide; sometimes it can be as simple as checking out an unexplored swath of your own backyard. That was the plan on a recent weekend, when my girlfriend and I decided to check out a place along the Lake Michigan shoreline that I had driven by countless times, but had never stopped to explore before.
Read MoreMusic festivals are generally synonymous with a few things. Live music played at a high volume is a given, but other words and phrases and terms that might fit right in include: a weekend off the grid, lots of free spirits (or hippies, if you prefer), and perhaps a teensy bit of excessive alcohol consumption. The Beaver Island Music Festival has these things — but it also has a little something more.
Read MoreAmong the numerous outdoor activities you might partake in during a Michigan summer, one of the better options is getting out on the river in a kayak. Whether you’re looking to do a little fishing or simply float along at your leisure, it’s pretty difficult to beat a sunny day spent on the water.
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