This is kind of a weird one, I know. But the Travel forum loves these odd, vague threads.

I have no reason to go to Michigan. But I'm stewing on an Alaska trip and after that, Michigan would be my 50th state to visit. So I kind of need to go to check it off the list.

But as I said, I don't have any specific reason to visit Michigan, so where should I go when the time comes?

Isle Royale would obviously be a choice destination in the correct season. But, where have y'all been in America's mitten that you would recommend going? We are pretty varied in our activities, so it could be hiking off the grid or exploring a city (or both).

Looking forward to what y'all can sell me on.

Mackinac Island up by the bridge to the UP
Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau - Unique Mackinac Island, MI Vacation

Sleeping Bear Dunes NP on the west side of the state
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Greenfield Village in Detroit for some historical stuff

Kensington Metro Park out near Milford if you want somewhere to hike near Detroit

That's about all I got after living there for about 18 months in the mid-90s.

Traverse city and anywhere NE or NW from there. Beautiful!

My family visited Traverse City a few years ago in the summer, and we loved it!

Floated the Platte River, visited Sleeping Bear Dunes, hung out and listened to music at the food trucks at the Little Fleet, explored the cute downtown area, played a low-key but beautiful golf course. Really cool place.

Stayed at Bay Harbor - really nice and great golf course!

Greenfield Village is world class.

I'll second Traverse City as a good place to operate from.

Mackinac Island - no cars - only horses and your two feet to get around

Sleeping Bear Dunes NP - your mind cannot understand being on the beach and looking at fresh water to the horizon

Sault Ste. Marie and the locks across from Canada - they used to drag boats through town between Lake Superior and Lake Huron until they build these locks

The Music Museum there is very worthwhile.

The Edmund Fitzgerald museum up toward Canada is very interesting particularly if you know the song

All accessible each day from TC.

Canada

Ready to pull the trigger on this one, so here's a bump if anyone has input.

Additional question for any suggestion: Where do y'all fly into (especially for the various northern destinations)

CDub06 said:

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Ready to pull the trigger on this one, so here's a bump if anyone has input.

Additional question for any suggestion: Where do y'all fly into (especially for the various northern destinations)

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A vendor of mine has a summer place up near Charlevoix and he connects into Traverse City from Ohare. Then drives.

Travel to the Upper Peninsula (UP) during July. Fly into Marquette and drive all the way up to Houghten-Hancock. Rent a lake house off of Lake Superior.

Making the trip to TC area from Minnesota this July during cherry festival week. Really looking forward to it, summers up north are just too great!

How's that cherry festival?

Never been this will be the first time

Only driven through, but Petoskey and Charlevoix MI seem like a badass little towns.

Traverse City is a beautiful place as well.

You can also fly into Pellston, with a connection in Detroit.

Petoskey is awesome. So is Harbor Springs. Love it up there.

Alright, I think I've got it planned out.
R/T through Traverse City.
2 Nights in Traverse w/ Sleeping Bear Dunes
1 Night at the Island House on Mackinac
2 Nights in Munising w/ Pictured Rocks

A bit of driving, but not too bad. Thanks for the help, y'all.

David Happymountain said:

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Only driven through, but Petoskey and Charlevoix MI seem like a badass little towns.

Traverse City is a beautiful place as well.

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Some of my family has lived in Charlevoix since the 40's. It is a beautiful town and definitely worth a stop. It is right on Lake Michigan and the downtown area has several bars/pubs right on the water (connecting lake).

I second the recs for Sleeping Bear Dunes and Mackinaw Island. There are also several good wineries near Traverse City.

You can also check out the Ironton Ferry that connects Charlevoix and Boyne City. It's supposedly the shortest ferry trip in the world. Boyne City is another good place to stop for a bite - sits on Lake Charlevoix.