DAYTON ›› MIDWESTERN TRAVELER
MAGICAL Michigan
Northern Michigan offers visitors scenic beauty and one-of-a-kind experiences at every turn BY ERIC SPANGLER
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pril Carroll knows exactly why people vacation in northern Michigan. “It’s because it’s the most beautiful place in America,” says the manager of Visit Up North Vacation Rentals. “It’s magical.” Starting in the most northern portion of the state, the Upper Peninsula, one of the most beautiful sights to see is Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, one of the top attractions, says Tom Nemacheck, executive director of the Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore features sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, inland lakes, a deep forest and a wild shoreline. Hiking, camping, sightseeing and four-season outdoor opportunities are plentiful in this national park. One of the most popular summer activities is kayaking on Lake Superior in the Pictured Rocks area, says Nemacheck. There are a number of outfitters that can get visitors out on the water, he says. Another popular activity in the Upper
Headlands International Dark Sky Park in northern Michigan
Peninsula is watching ships pass through the Soo Locks and taking the Soo Lock tour, which takes visitors right through the busiest locks in the world. For those who are looking for a complete wilderness getaway Nemacheck recommends Isle Royale National Park, an archipelago in Lake Superior. Other top attractions in the Upper Peninsula are Mackinac Island and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, he says. Petoskey, nestled along the shores of Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, is a wonderful resort community packed full of history, Victorian architecture and beautiful, sweeping views. Some of the “must-see” attractions in Petoskey are the plays, operas, discussions and classes that are open to the public during the summer months at Bay View Association, Lavender Hill Farm in Boyne City, Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs, the Crooked Tree Arts Center, Little Traverse Conservancy
Northern Michigan offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation, like paddleboarding. preserves throughout the Petoskey area and the new Great Lakes Center for the Arts, says Diane Dakins, assistant director of the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau. The Petoskey area is also near to Charlevoix’s Earl Young homes, also known as “mushroom houses,” and the Headlands International Dark Sky Park, one of the first DAYTON MAGAZINE . June/July 2019
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