Michigan

Mitten-shaped Michigan is a marvelous mix of maritime history, Mother Nature’s magnificence, magical islands, memorable museums and much more. Boasting three national forests, a national park, numerous state parks, two national lakeshores, and three Great Lakes – Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Superior – Michigan is an oudoor lover’s paradise. Scattered over 38,000 square miles of Michigan’s Great Lakes, more than 3,000 shipwrecks have become intriguing underwater time capsules. The extremely cold, fresh waters of the Great Lakes have kept the wrecks remarkably well preserved. Scuba divers slip into the deep to see such gems as the ...

Mitten-shaped Michigan is a marvelous mix of maritime history, Mother Nature’s magnificence, magical islands, memorable museums and much more. Boasting three national forests, a national park, numerous state parks, two national lakeshores, and three Great Lakes – Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Superior – Michigan is an oudoor lover’s paradise. Scattered over 38,000 square miles of Michigan’s Great Lakes, more than 3,000 shipwrecks have become intriguing underwater time capsules. The extremely cold, fresh waters of the Great Lakes have kept the wrecks remarkably well preserved. Scuba divers slip into the deep to see such gems as the Bermuda, an 1880s schooner resting only 25 feet below the surface off Munising. Glass bottomed boats offer another way to see the eerie underwater world. Lining the shores are about 200 lighthouses that illuminated the night for seafarers. For a touch of the Old World, stop by Holland to enjoy its Dutch flavor or Frankenmuth for some German heritage. Turn back the clock at car-free Mackinac Island with its Grand Hotel, 18th century fort and popular fudge shops. See Motor City where Detroit automaker Henry Ford helped folks take to the road. Cross Mackinac Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, affectionately called the “Big Mac.” The bridge connects Colonial style Mackinaw City to the Upper Peninsula – known to many as the U.P., a special world in itself.

About the Expert

Jackie Sheckler Finch has written several guidebooks, including The Unofficial Guide to Campgrounds in the Great Lakes States, and four times she was named Travel Writer of the Year by Midwest Travel Writers Association.