Michigan Top 5

Beaches are cool and Michigan has plenty. In fact, Michigan has more coastline than any other state this side of Alaska, and it’s all surrounded by fresh water, where you can swim with your eyes open!

There are some 12,000 miles of trout streams in Michigan, ranging from narrow creeks to fast-flowing rivers. Some shine more brightly than others.

Michigan is snowmobile country. There are 202,000 registered snowmobiles and an estimated additional 50,000 that are unregistered and just used on private property. Snowmobiling...

Picking five top trails for hikers and bikers is a challenge, so I took it to Paul Yauk, DNR trails coordinator. Here are five trails Yauk says are exemplary.

There is no shortage of gems among Michigan’s state parks and recreation areas. Here are five.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula waterfalls range from picturesque to spectacular and though many are off the beaten path, some of the most beautiful can be easily accessed from paved roads.

Michigan is among the steelhead-fishingest states in the Union. The plentitude of cold-water rivers and the presence of Great Lakes on six sides make the marriage of Michigan and steelhead blissful.

Most folks think of camping as a three-season activity in Michigan: It’s a fine excursion in spring, summer and fall, but crazy in winter. Who wants to pitch a tent when the thermometer reads below freezing or there’s a foot of snow on the ground? 

Is there anything more satisfying than stopping to refuel at a delightful café while pedaling a scenic rail-trail? Or picking up homemade treats at a farmer’s market and staging a two-wheel picnic? Which is more enjoyable — burning the calories or consuming them?

Spring migration is one of Michigan’s best opportunities to view wildlife, a time when you encounter not dozens or even hundreds but often thousands of birds and waterfowl.