The top 12 places to visit in Michigan

Michigan’s mojo doesn't just come from its bustling cities. A big part of the magic is down to the state's beautiful beaches, lush forests and charming small towns. Visitors often are surprised to learn that four of the five Great Lakes border the state and that more than half of it is covered by timberland.

With so many wonderful options to choose from, it can be tricky for visitors to know where to start. Don't panic – you can start work on that must-visit list right now with our round-up of the best places to visit in Michigan, featuring everything from outdoor adventures to urban fun.

1. Detroit

Best place for art and nightlife

It’s hard not to fall for the infectious, can-do spirit of Detroit. The edgy public art scene meets you at every turn, from the multi-block, polka-dotted Heidelberg Project to the 100-plus murals remaking the warehouses of Eastern Market. Traditionalists can ogle one of the world’s best collections at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Come nighttime, the city rocks, and live music spills out of clubs like Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, a stuck-in-time jazz hotbed. Design hotels and homey restaurants in once-abandoned buildings add to the buzz.

Planning tip: Stretch your budget a little further by attending one of the free creative workshops in the Detroit Institute of Arts on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Attendance is on a drop-in basis and they're completely free. Check their online events calendar for details.

2. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Best place for days at the beach

One of Michigan’s most stunning national parks and top attractions, Sleeping Bear Dunes spreads across 35 miles of prime Lake Michigan shoreline. There are two main ways to absorb the true-blue lake views. One is the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, a 7-mile, one-lane, picnic-grove-studded loop. The other is the Dune Climb, which entails slogging up a 200ft-high sand pile. It will punish your leg muscles, but the summit view of panoramic, Caribbean-hued water is worth it.

The park’s 14 beaches and 100 miles of forested hiking trails provide more gorgeous vistas, and many families return here year after year to enjoy them. Also located in the park is Glen Haven Historic Village. Founded in 1857 as Sleeping Bearville, it's considered the best-preserved cordwood station on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and perhaps in the entire Great Lakes.

Detour: Nearby is the small but uber-cute town of Glen Arbor, which has a great beach, lots of shops and restaurants, and kayak and canoe rentals.

3. Traverse City

Best place for a fun weekend

It may only have about 15,000 residents, but Traverse City is northern Michigan’s “big” city, with superb restaurants and boutique stores to prove it. Beach lounging, parasailing, cycling bucolic trails and kayaking to breweries with outfitters like Paddle TC provide the action. 

Detour: Vineyards blanket the nearby Old Mission Peninsula, where ten wineries in 18 miles pour chardonnays and pinot noirs. The area has the same microclimate as France's Bordeaux and Italy’s Piedmont regions, and the results are equally delicious. Brys Estate and Peninsula Cellars show how it’s done, with bottles perfect for a beach picnic.

4. Mackinac Island

Best place for families

A zippy 20-minute ferry ride from the mainland, Mackinac Island is a petite charmer speckled with fudge shops, Victorian cottages and 18th-century hilltop forts. Cars were banned in the late 1800s, so all travel is by horse-drawn carriage or bicycle, enhancing the time-warp vibe. It only takes an hour to cycle around the island — it’s one of Michigan’s top experiences — but allow more time and detour to Fort Mackinac, where costumed interpreters fire cannons (always a big kid pleaser). Dine at the fort’s restaurant overlooking the harbor.

5. Isle Royale National Park

Best place for unspoiled wilderness

Morning fog wisps over the lake. You hear sloshing on the shore and see a moose plop in for a drink. A loon calls – or is it a wolf howling? Either is probable on Isle Royale, one of the least-visited national parks in the US.

The 45-mile-long island floats by its lonesome in Lake Superior, a three- to six-hour ferry ride from Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. The unspoiled forest has no roads – just 165 miles of hiking trails, 36 rustic campgrounds and one lone lodge. Treks range from the multi-day, island-spanning Greenstone Ridge Trail to the easy-but-dramatic Stoll Trail.

Planning tip: There is an option to stay on the island if you’re not camping. Rock Harbor Lodge, operated by the Isle Royale National Park, has panoramic views of Lake Superior, two dining options, and a store. Rent a watercraft and canoes at the park’s marina.

6. Saugatuck

Best place for LGBTQI+ travelers

Known for its golden beaches, piney breezes, fruit pies and a welcome-one-welcome-all mindset, Saugatuck draws boatloads of vacationers. Oval Beach ranks among Michigan's best for its soft sand and psychedelic sunsets. For a dramatic entrance, take the clackety Saugatuck Chain Ferry from downtown, then follow the path up and over the dunes. Artists can seek out the century-old Ox-Bow school in the woods for painting, glass blowing and metalsmithing lessons.

Planning tip: LGBTIQ-friendly businesses proliferate in the area, including The Dunes, one of the country’s largest LGBTIQ+ resorts.

7. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Best place for kayaking and boating

This area of cliffs and caves shimmering with wild colors is the Upper Peninsula’s top sight. The optics come from blue and green minerals that streak the red and yellow sandstone into an artist’s palette of hues. See them from the water to get the full scope.

Pictured Rocks Kayaking and other outfitters can set you up to paddle among arches, caverns, waterfalls and rock formations with names like Lovers Leap and Flower Vase. If that’s too much work, take a seat on Pictured Rock Cruises or glass-bottom Shipwreck Tours as they glide by the marvels.

8. Grand Rapids

Best place for craft beer breweries

The second-largest city in Michigan, Grand Rapids has gotten its groove on thanks to beer. Around 25 craft breweries operate in the city proper, plus heaps more in nearby towns. Follow the Ale Trail to find your favorite. There are so many breweries around town that you can walk between many of them, and the bonus is the beers are relatively inexpensive. Vivant Brewery+Spirits is foremost among the lineup, pouring Belgian-style suds in an atmospheric old chapel.

Detour: When you're ready to get off the barstool, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park awaits, where you can nose through exotic landscapes and eyeball works by world-famous chiselers.

9. Keweenaw Peninsula

Best place for fall colors

The rugged timberland of the Keweenaw Peninsula sits at the very top of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The region was once the world's greatest copper producer, and Keweenaw National Historic Park tells the story. But what you’re really here for is the Brockway Mountain Drive, which climbs high in the sky.

The 10-mile jaunt shows off terrific views of Lake Superior and is particularly stunning in early October when the leaves flame bright. The outdoorsy towns of Houghton and Copper Harbor bookend the peninsula. Both have breweries, snowboarding, mountain biking and ferries that sail to Isle Royale.

10. Holland

Best place for camping

Yes, the city of Holland is named after its European counterpart, and tulips, clogs and windmills are a common sight in the Michigan version. Six million tulips are in bloom during the eight-day annual Tulip Time Festival which attracts over 600,000 visitors in early May. During the event you can catch performances of the klompen stampers (clog dancers) dressed in handmade Dutch costumes. A visit to the 200-plus-year-old windmill on Windmill Island Gardens is worth the effort at any time of the year.

Splash in the waves, fish off the pier, hoist a sail, admire fiery sunsets and snap photos of Big Red, the lighthouse that watches over the city’s beaches. But the ultimate place for sand and surf is Holland State Park.

Planning tip: Camping is a must for those who want to immerse themselves in this outdoor paradise, but if you prefer your home comforts, the city has some great hotels in the charming historic downtown.

11. Marquette

Best place for adrenaline-pumping sports

Want to explore the Upper Peninsula in all of its rugged, remote, independent-minded glory? Considered one of the prettiest towns in this part of Michigan, Marquette makes a perfect base for outdoor activities. It's the Upper Peninsula’s largest town and an adventure sports hotspot. Locals ski, snow bike and explore ice caves in winter, and kayak, rock climb and mountain bike in summer.

Much of the action happens at Presque Isle Park with its cliffs and forests jutting into Lake Superior north of downtown. Nearby Sugar Loaf Mountain offers easy hiking trails and glimpses of the northern lights. Everyone gathers at Black Rocks Brewery to discuss their feats and bruises afterward.

12. Ann Arbor

Best place for serious foodies

Sure, it has one of the best universities in the country and a popular football team, but what draws many people to Ann Arbor is the fantastic food scene. The 106-year-old Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market features 125 vendors selling fresh produce, food, flowers and more. Located in trendy Kerrytown, it’s across the street from Zingerman’s, one of the most famous delis in the state. Take your pick from a delicious selection of wines, charcuterie, olive oils and cheeses from around the world or order a sandwich to enjoy on their outdoor patio.

To get your blood pumping, rent a kayak and paddle the Huron River at Gallup Park or explore The Arb, the 123-acre Nichols Arboretum packed with pretty pathways and the world’s largest peony garden.