Michigan Overview
Table of Contents
Story and photos by Amy Piper (unless otherwise indicated)
As a native Michigander, born and bred, I can’t wait to share my home state with you in the hope that you’ll visit us. The state’s motto tells it all.
“If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.”
Where is Michigan?
Michigan, in the Midwest region of the United States, has two peninsulas connected by the Mackinac Bridge. At five miles long, the Mighty Mac is the largest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.
Terrain
Michigan’s official nickname, the Great Lakes State, announces one of its most vital features – four of the five great lakes touch the state. Lake Superior borders the northern edge of Michigan‘s Upper Peninsula. Lake Huron provides the northeastern shore, while Lake Michigan takes up the entire west shoreline. Lake Erie is the southeastern coast. From any point in Michigan, you’re never more than 85 miles from one of the Great Lakes. With 3,300 miles of freshwater shoreline, the most in America, Michigan has plenty of water fun to keep you busy.
In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower Peninsula, forests are abundant, perfect for getting off the grid and taking a hike.
Climate
In Michigan, you’ll find all four seasons, sometimes all in the same day. The weather frequently changes, so be prepared to dress in layers on your Michigan trip.
No matter the season, you’ll find lots of fun activities. During spring, you can stop and smell the tulips and experience some Dutch culture at Holland’s tulip festival.
In summer, parts of the Lower Peninsula can reach the upper 90s, so a day at one of Michigan’s beaches is in order. As temperatures cool, Michigan is an excellent place for some fall leaf-peeping. The “Tunnel of Trees” along historic M-119 makes the perfect place to see the full impact of Michigan’s fall. Finally, Michigan also has the nickname the Winter Wonderland. In northern Michigan, snow and sub-zero temperatures make snowmobiling and cross-country skiing popular activities. It’s also a surprisingly beautiful time to visit some of the Great Lakes shorelines, where the winds, ice, and snow create stunning ice formations.
Michigan’s Major Cities
Michigan’s top three major cities are Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Lansing. However, some of the smaller towns make some of the best vacations. In addition to the big cities, you’ll want to visit Traverse City, for the National Cherry Festival, and some of the west coast beach towns, like Charlevoix, Petoskey, and South Haven. Another must-see is Mackinac Island.
Detroit
Detroit is Michigan’s largest city, also known as the Motor City. With a strong automotive history, the city is home to many highway firsts. It has the world’s first urban freeway, the first concrete highway mile, and the first three-color four-way stoplight.
Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan’s second-largest city, is just an hour away from my hometown of Lansing, so it’s one of my frequent weekend getaways. The craft beer scene resulted in USA Today naming Grand Rapids, Beer City USA. Overall, Michigan’s craft beer scene is number five in the United States.
Lansing
Lansing is Michigan’s capital city and my hometown. It’s centrally located in east to west within the state so that you can quickly reach many popular destinations. It’s a great home-base to take weekend getaways. Be sure to take in Michigan’s state capitol building when you’re in Michigan. In 1992, they designated it a National Historic Landmark.
History
Events and museums throughout Michigan illustrate its history. You can learn about Native American history in St. Ignace at the Museum of Ojibwa Culture, which includes exhibits that tell the story of Father Marquette.
Colonial Fort Michilimackinac, located in downtown Mackinaw City, is the site of one of the most extended continuous archaeological digs in North America. This is the place to see archaeology in action.
History buffs will want to explore Mackinac Island’s Fort Mackinac. History comes alive here with re-enactments and demonstrations. The fort is a military compound with significant history from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, and the currently interpreted 1880s. The fort has 14 restored buildings, including the oldest building in Michigan.
To learn more about Michigan’s automotive history, The Henry Ford Museum is full of automobile history. The museum contains a car collection that represents cars from around the world. Some must-see exhibits include President Kennedy’s Presidential limousine and the Rosa Parks bus. Greenfield Village is a 200-acre site created from a collection of about 100 historic buildings Henry Ford reconstructed in Dearborn from locations throughout the United States. Here you can ride in a Model T and a Model AA Bus. To see what’s happening in today’s car industry, visit the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, an actual working factory that today manufactures Ford F-150 trucks.
Lansing, Michigan’s capital city, is another excellent place to expand your knowledge of automotive history. Visit the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum, the world’s only museum devoted to Oldsmobile and REO automotive products. It also recounts the story of Lansing’s role in the United States’ transportation industry.
Detroit, aka Motown, is the perfect place to learn more about Michigan’s music history. Berry Gordy’s Motown had 180 Number One hit songs, by artists like Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Michael Jackson & the Jackson 5, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Lionel Richie & the Commodores to name a few. To learn more about Michigan’s music history, visit the Motown Museum in Detroit.
11 Must-Do Activities in Michigan
- Discover the Pictured Rocks National Shoreline.
- Drive the Mighty Mackinac Bridge over the Straights of Mackinac.
- View a fantastic sunrise on Michigan’s sunrise coast over Lake Huron.
- Visit some of Michigan’s 126 lighthouses, the most of any state in the nation.
- Eat cherries at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City.
- Taste some wine on Old Mission Peninsula.
- Search for Michigan’s state stone, the Petoskey stone, along the shores of Lake Michigan in Petoskey State Park.
- Grab a beer with friends in Beer City, USA (Grand Rapids.)
- Stop and smell the tulips at the Tulip Festival in Holland.
- See the state capitol in Lansing.
- Explore the Henry Ford Complex in Dearborn.
Where to Stay in Michigan?
Mackinac Island’s (pronounced MACK-in-awe) Grand Hotel, a four-star resort and National Historic Landmark, sits on a cliff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. Today, of Mackinac Island’s million-plus annual visitors, 130,000 stay at the Grand Hotel.
While you’ll find a lot to do on the grounds of the Grand Hotel and the rest of the island, you’ll be surprised how difficult it is to pry yourself from the peace of relaxing in the white rocking chairs on the world’s longest front porch. Gazing at the stunning view of the Mackinac Bridge, taking in the fresh air, and the motion of the rockers is a fantastic stress reliever.
Some other unique places to stay include the Cherry Tree Inn and Suites in Traverse City, and the Foundation Hotel in Detroit.
What to Eat in Michigan?
Michigan is second to California in the variety of crops produced. You’ll find a variety of dishes highlighting the peninsulas’ bounty. The 45th parallel runs through northern Michigan, making the climate for growing grapes similar to France’s wine regions of Bordeaux. The plethora of crops and the bounty of the Great Lakes contribute to the Great Lakes State’s big flavor.
Some food and drinks you’ll want to try in Michigan include:
- Lake Superior Whitefish in Northern Michigan.
- Pasties in St. Ignace.
- Fudge on Mackinac Island.
- Cherries in Traverse City.
- Wine in Old Mission Peninsula.
- Detroit-style pizza in Detroit at Buddies, the original Detroit-style pizza.
- Coney Islands in Detroit.
- Vernor’s Ginger Ale, throughout Michigan, the nation’s oldest soda pop.
Learn More About Michigan
To learn more about Michigan, check out the Michigan chapter of Midwest Road Trip Adventures: Highways and Byways, where you’ll not only discover my four favorite Michigan road trips, but you’ll also see what the 11 other Midwest states offer. (If you decide to pre-order, please support Michigan by choosing Amy Piper – Michigan.)
Amy Piper is a writer, photographer, and explorer with an affinity for luxury travel and food adventures. She is the founder and publisher of Follow the Piper and author of the Michigan Chapter in the anthology, Midwest Road Trips Adventures. Amy’s work has appeared in Collectible Automobile, Great Philippines Expedition, Savvy Retiree, Shop Local Lansing, Links and Libations, and Food, Wine, and Travel Magazine. She is a contributor to more than 29 publications. She’s spoken on travel writing success panels, and you can find her interviews on Great Escape Radio and Happy Trails Hiking podcasts. She’s also a board member of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA.)