As two Michigan natives, it has been an absolute pleasure to move away from Michigan. We’re not dissing Michigan, it just has allowed us to explore our home state with fresh eyes as a tourist would and should. So after years living in the Mitten and numerous trips back each year, we feel we can safely proclaim the best places to visit in Michigan! Keep reading for all of the details.
Mackinac Island
It feels like every Michigander has been to Mackinac (Mack-i-naw) Island making it one of the most popular places to visit in Michigan. This island doesn’t have cars and is only available to visitors via ferry. Once on the island, you can gorge on fudge, take horse drawn carriage tours, go bike riding and more. It is a charming and delightful Michigan vacation.
Detroit
Guys, let me tell you, Detroit gets a bad rep. We’ve all heard the doom and gloom that comes out of Detroit, but it’s more than a few bad headlines. It’s one of the largest cities in Michigan with plenty of things to see or do.
First, they have an amazing art museum that is worth a visit. Second, there is some really cool history in Detroit in terms of the automotive industry that you can see at the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, which every Michigan kid has visited with a class trip at some point. This historic village takes people back to an earlier time with reenactments of 19th century life. Don’t forget to try some Detroit style pizza before you leave – the best pizza style in the United States. If you disagree with that statement, feel free to buy us a different pizza to compare it to 😉
Traverse City
Traverse City is probably the most touristy city in all of Michigan, in a good way. The city is situated between the beautiful Lake Michigan beaches, groves of apples and cherries, rolling hills dotted with vineyards and winding roads covered in colorful trees. It is a great vacation destination because there are so many things to do all within short driving distances. It has become a popular place to visit in Michigan for bachelor and bachelorette parties, due to the wineries and breweries. It’s also a great romantic getaway for couples due to the beautiful natural scenery and romantic rustic settings.
Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is a rapidly growing destination in Michigan. As it is the second largest city in Michigan, there are plenty of activities to do. First, Grand Rapids has a wild amount of breweries! Like lots. Beyond drinking, there are some great museums including a nice art museum with great base collections and some neat rotating collections, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. But our favorite place to visit is the Frederik Meijer Gardens, a beautiful botanical and sculpture garden.
Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth is like stepping into an imagined version of Germany. This town is modeled after an old-timey German village, with Tudor style buildings, water wheels, lederhosen and more. It’s a cool touristy town with plenty to do. There is the largest Christmas store in the world, Bronner’s, riverboat cruises, wine tasting and more. It’s a great place to visit in Michigan if you have a weekend to spare, especially in the fall or winter as many of the activities are indoors.
The Woods
While “the woods” is not exactly a place to visit in Michigan, this is an iconic Michigan vacation, one that every Michigander has likely taken and one that we think you should take too. For this trip, you must rent an ATV or snowmobile, depending on the season. Then explore days and days of trail riding. We think the best place to do this (and the place that we revisit every year) is Hiawatha National Forest in the U.P. However, there are also plenty of trails in the northern section of Michigan as well. Towns like Grayling, Petoskey and Munising have lots of gear outfitters for just such a vacation.
A Lake Michigan Beach
We absolutely love Lake Michigan! It’s our favorite of the Great Lakes! So it’s no wonder that a visit to the Great-est Lake makes our list of best places to visit in Michigan. Some of the best beaches in Michigan include those in South Haven, Holland, Grand Haven, Saugatuck, Muskegeon and Pentwater.
Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park is the only National Park in Michigan – and it is actually closer to Minnesota than Michigan. Getting to Isle Royale involves taking a ferry or seaplane from the Keeweenaw Peninsula. Once on the island, you can hike a camp to your hearts content. There are wolves and moose on the island and with the rugged nature, you’re more likely to spot those animals up close and personal here than you are anywhere else in the United States.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park
While it isn’t the biggest waterfall in Michigan, it may be the more impressive. Tahquamenon falls is beautiful and big. A large main falls with a great viewing area, the waterfall is worth a visit and is one of the most popular places to visit in Michigan. Additionally, the state park is quite nice, with a brewery on site.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Pictured Rocks is probably one of my favorite places on the planet, which also makes it my top place to visit in Michigan. This National Lakeshore is a gorgeous shoreline of limestone cliffs. These cliffs are great to visit from both the shore and the lake. Additionally, there are some great sand dunes and nice sandy beaches to explore as well. It’s a great place to visit and the one place to visit in Michigan that we recommend to everyone!
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Rolling sand dunes and turquoise waters – no it’s not the sea – it’s Lake Michigan. Sleeping Bear Dunes is a beautiful section of lakeshore, near Traverse City. The massive dunes feed down into the shockingly blue waters of Lake Michigan. In the park, you can climb the dunes, play in the water and take scenic drives along the lakeshore. It’s a great Michigan day trip.
We hope this list of places to visit in Michigan has inspired your next Michigan vacation. For all of our Michigan articles, check out this page. If you have any comments of questions, please leave them in the section below and we’ll be happy to get back to you.
