Waterways

A perfect way to appreciate the glories of winter is to slip on cross-country skis and glide into the night when even a thin crescent of moon is enough to overlay the glistening snow with soft shadows from the trees.

Michigan winters: They’re epic, they’re beautiful and they can leave even the most seasoned native wishing to be somewhere else. When blizzard conditions and ice-slick roads have you feeling a touch of cabin fever, go somewhere — and let a good book take you there. Here are some great winter reads with Michigan roots to accompany you on your armchair travels.

Much more than a vintage car collection, Gilmore Car Museum celebrates America’s love affair with the automobile and car innovations that changed how people live, work and play. 

Though color trends may come and go, white remains a top contender. The neutral hue is easy on the eyes and plays well with others wherever it lands, from your bedding to your kitchen countertops.

When fresh snow covers the ground around Hillman, it’s not unusual to see a group of enthusiastic revelers in a carriage drawn by a team of Belgian draft horses on the grounds of Thunder Bay Resort. Their unique sojourn takes them 2½ miles through the wooded countryside to a cozy abode called the Elk Antler Cabin, where a roaring fire and a mouth-watering dinner await.

Generations ago, train travel was a primary means of transportation around Michigan. Yet, many children today have never experienced the adventure of riding the rails with the clacking of the wheels on the tracks, the faint smell of the locomotive’s exhaust and the feel of wind in their hair while aboard the open gondola car.

Commercial cultivation of cranberries is on the rise, and wild food enthusiasts are heading out into bog land in search of its wild counterpart. Thousands of years ago, glaciers scraped across the land, carving deep crevices that filled with water and glacial debris. Those crevices became the bogs we know today, which is where you will find the wild cranberry. 

On any busy summer day, visitors fill the tiny Jampot shop in Eagle Harbor waiting patiently to purchase wild berry jams, hearty fruitcakes, savory baked goods and confections handmade by the monks of the Holy Transfiguration Skete, Society of Saint John.

One way to maximize a waterfront property is with a deluxe bathtub that faces a lake, a river or any other soothing scenery. Whether you’re planning a renovation or a new build, this striking feature offers a modern take on an old classic that’s back in the game for good reason.

Land conservancy building accessible trails in northwest Michigan. In 2017, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy opened its first universally accessible trail, and for the first time in 43 years, de Bruin was back in her old stomping ground, propelling herself along the 0.6-mile Overlook Trail near Mount Baldy and toward the second of two scenic overlooks where she could scan the dunes and feel the lake breeze.