WHY VISIT MICHIGAN

Sizzling beaches, sprawling forests, boutique vineyards, and buzzing cities: think Michigan is one big car factory? Think again.

Rising in the heart of the Great Lakes, this Midwestern state is split across two peninsulas, divided by Lake Michigan and linked by one of the world’s longest suspension bridges across the Straits of Mackinac.

Michigan has more natural features than it knows what to do with. Once used by fur traders and loggers, Michigan’s 300-plus rivers are now perfect paddling territory. Then there are the 5,149km (3,200 miles) of shoreline and 11,000 inland lakes, where you can hook hefty trout and monster salmon or take a cruise. Oh, and did we mention the 120,000 hectares (300,000 acres) of sand dunes?

Backcountry adventures await in Isle Royale National Park on Lake Superior, a craggy wilderness home to wolves and moose. In winter, thousands of miles of forested cross-country trails bring skiers out in force across the state.

Michigan has its share of urban chic too. Cosmopolitan Grand Rapids is an ultra-cool city with a thriving arts scene, farm-to-fork dining, and more than a dozen craft breweries. From there, it’s a handy half-hour jaunt to the sandy swimming beaches of Lake Michigan, where you can recline on shining shores, or flip a coin for the designated driver role on the lakeshore wine trail.

On the opposite side of the Lower Peninsula, Detroit may once have been associated with urban decay, but today, the state’s biggest metropolis is Michigan’s comeback kid. You’ll find the city’s downtown and inner-city neighborhoods revitalized by creative entrepreneurs and abounding with hip cafés, cocktail hangouts, techie start-ups, and urban farms.

WHAT TO SEE IN MICHIGAN

• Detroit: as one of the states hit hardest by the recession, the home of Motown and automobiles was knocked down and almost out with the collapse of the economy. Today, Motor City is on the rise with a surprisingly deep selection of amenities, attractions, and things to do. Downtown is undergoing a renaissance, with shiny new sports arenas, casinos, restaurants, and bars to keep visitors entertained. Detroit is an incredible value for the best enjoyed in the summer and fall. Catch a professional sports game, play at Campus Martius Park, or learn about the Titanic in the Henry Ford Museum.
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Michigan’s vast wilderness is the place to go if you want to experience the wild beauty of this state. One of the highlights is Pictured Rocks, a stretch of multi-color cliffs that run for 17 miles along the north coast of the Upper Peninsula. Hike on the North Country Trail to get to the thick of it or take a chartered boat cruise from Munising City Pier for a better glimpse of the striking rock formations. There are giant sand dunes to play on and 12 miles of sandy beach to wander.
• Mackinac Island: bridging the cultural gap between the Upper Peninsula and the rest of Michigan is Mackinac Island, an enchanting place where cars are forbidden and time seems stopped in the 19th century. A longtime summer getaway for the wealthy, the island is packed with stunning Victorian mansions that are now romantic bed and breakfasts, bars, restaurants, or some lucky soul’s home. Get around on foot, bike, or horse-drawn carriage, and be sure and check out Fort Mackinac, one of the only Revolutionary War-era structures left in America.
• Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village: the cultural gem of Michigan is found in Detroit, the one-time home of Henry Ford, the father of automobiles. His legacy is a repository of American industrial heritage, a 12-acre site with dozens of fascinating vintage aircraft, cars, and other motorized vehicles. Visitors can see the actual production and evolution of the F-150 truck in the Ford Rouge Factory Tour or catch an IMAX movie in the state-of-the-art theater. A real highlight is Greenfield Village, a collection of 100 original historic homes and shops of famous inventors from around the US and the world. Ford himself transported structures like Thomas Edison’s laboratory and a bike shop used by the Wright Brothers.
• Detroit Zoo: one of the finest zoos in America, the facility is modern and the setting is lush and clean. It contains all the expected creatures from around the world in well-designed habitats, as well as some unexpected delights such as the world’s largest polar bear exhibit, called the Arctic Ring of Life. A free-flying bird aviary and butterfly garden are other highlights of this family-friendly attraction in Detroit.
• Western Michigan Beaches: with its huge coastline, you can bet there are some nice beaches in Michigan. The western shore is the cream of the crop, with lovely options from Mackinaw City to Warren Dunes. State parks provide cheap, easy access to the beaches and natural highlights, such as Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Ludington State Park. The dunes along the coast are sensational, and the sand is sugary soft. Towns like Traverse City, Holland, and Ludington are charming, historic places to base yourself if you don’t go the camping route.
• Ann Arbor: home to the University of Michigan and its huge student population, Ann Arbor is a lively college town. The pedestrian-friendly downtown has a strong artistic inclination and endless places to eat, drink, and shop. There are 147 public parks in the city, as well as though the campus, offering an ideal blend of nature and society. Ann Arbor is particularly active in the fall when football season is in full swing and the weather is at its finest.

WHEN TO GO TO MICHIGAN

The best period to visit Michigan is from May to September.

The southern and northern parts of Michigan have different climates, divided roughly around the central section of the Lower Peninsula. In the Upper Peninsula and along the lake shore, the weather is more severe. Winters are longer and colder in the north, and summers are shorter and milder. There is more precipitation in the upper regions as well, particularly during the long winters. In general, you can expect rain or snow at any time in the year, with a slight peak in April and May.

Summers are the warmest month of the calendar, with daytime highs in the low 80’s (°F) between June and August. There is an average of 30 days with severe thunderstorms per year in Michigan, and occasionally these storms produce tornados. This mainly happens in the far southern portion of the state, where an average of 17 tornados form each season. In the Upper Peninsula, summers are about 10°F cooler and the humidity is lower.

Winters are the most challenging season in Michigan. The Upper Peninsula can turn frigid from December through February when temperatures rarely break the 30°F mark and up to 160 inches of snow can fall. In Detroit, winter temperatures hover around the upper 30’s (°F) during the same period, but are still very cold and uncomfortable. Spring is known as the Mud Season because all the snow melts off in April, making the ground wet and slushy. Though the air starts warming up by the end of April, hikes in the woods are not advised in spring.

WHAT TO DO IN MICHIGAN

Get lost on a Great Lake island

The Upper Peninsula and northern part of Michigan’s mitten may have America’s best-untamed wilderness outside Alaska. However, the stars of Michigan’s scenic show are the islands that sit inside the Great Lakes. North and South Manitou is probably the best known, where you can snorkel around well-preserved shipwrecks and tour the lighthouse made famous in “The Legend of Sleeping Bear.” There’s also Isle Royale National Park, one of the least-visited parks in the system. Take a ferry out to see its timber wolves and moose. Those looking for a little more luxury can step back in time at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, where no cars are allowed and horse-drawn carriages still rule the streets.

Following is a list of typical festivals and celebrations in Michigan.

• North American International Auto Show: this rare January event happens each year to breathe some life into Detroit at the peak of Michigan’s brutal winter. All of the country’s major auto manufacturers unveil their new models at the biggest car show in the country. Besides admiring all the steel on display, there are special workshops, beautiful showgirls, and other special events over two weeks at Cobo Exhibition Center.
• Festival of the Arts: one of the most exciting arts festivals takes place in Grand Rapids every June. The event practically takes over downtown, bringing it to a standstill as hundreds of artists, craftspeople and vendors set up stalls to sell their creations. Live music, art competitions, storytelling, and activities for the kids make this festival a winner with families, as well as art aficionados.
• International Freedom Festival: Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Canada, are just a stone’s throw apart, and the city puts on a welcome show of neighborly respect each July to celebrate America’s and Canada’s independence days. From July 1-4, the two cities host a steady stream of parades, pageants, concerts, and events leading up to the big fireworks display on Independence Day. It’s one of America’s best Fourth of July celebrations, with awesome pyrotechnics over the Ambassador Bridge.
• Woodward Dream Cruise: the planet’s single largest car event happens in Detroit every August as 40,000 vehicles take to downtown Woodward Avenue for a 16-mile parade of engines and design. And this is not your ordinary family sedan. Most of the cars on display are beautiful 1950s and ‘60s hot rods, muscle cars, and cool vintage machines with a discernable macho edge.
• Celebration on the Grand: the big event each September in Grand Rapids happens right on the sunny banks of this city’s broad, flowing river. For three full days at the beginning of the month, visitors can enjoy a genuine local celebration with live music, food, children’s activities, and a superb fireworks display.
• Detroit International Jazz Festival: the home of Motown hosts one of America’s most impressive jazz festivals at the beginning of each September. Six stages are set up at the downtown Hart Plaza where both big-name musicians and local up-and-coming Michiganders keep the crowds enthralled for three straight days and nights. Side events include talks and workshops at the Jazz Talk Tent and fun for the children at the Kid Bop Area.

HOW TO REACH AND TRAVEL THROUGH MICHIGAN

Visitors who want to move around Michigan will need to have a car, with the exception of trips around downtown Detroit. Even the transport options between towns are somewhat restrictive, and most of the state’s attractions lie well outside the center of any big area. Taxis are helpful for going short distances around Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor.

Renting a car is the best option for anyone who wants to get out and see the sights of Michigan. All the major US rental companies like Hertz, Enterprise, and Thrifty are available at the airports and in the downtown region of every tourist town in the state. During the peak tourism seasons of summer and fall, it’s advised to book your vehicle as early as possible to lock down low rates and ensure you get the make/model you prefer.

It is possible to get between Michigan and Wisconsin by car ferry, with services traveling across the Great Lakes. They only operate during the warm months, departing mainly from Milwaukee and Manitowoc in Wisconsin and arriving in Muskegon and Ludington in Michigan.

The Amtrak train has three lines that pass through Michigan on their way to destinations on the American coasts. All three routes originate in Chicago and provide a scenic travel option for people coming from the Windy City. The Blue Water line passes through Flint, Lansing, and Kalamazoo, while the Pere Marquette line runs through St Joseph and Holland on its way to Grand Rapids. The main line is the Wolverine, which links Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Detroit, and Pontiac. The People Mover is the only inner-city train system operating in Michigan and provides a fun and cheap way to get around downtown Detroit’s many attractions.

For those without a car, the Greyhound bus offers the most convenient way to travel between towns in Michigan. The cheap and frequent routes cover most regions in the state, from where you can rent a car to move around locally. Within large cities like Detroit, mass transit busses move people between downtown and the suburbs at fares that are far lower than taxi rates.

Main airports are:

• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
• Gerald R Ford International Airport

GENERAL INFORMATION ON MICHIGAN

health tips & vaccination: none

local currency: US Dollar

local time zone: GMT-6,-5 (-5,-4)

electricity: [su_lightbox type=”image” src=”http://www.traveltv.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/A_plug.png”]type A[/su_lightbox] and [su_lightbox type=”image” src=”http://www.traveltv.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/B_plug.png”]type B[/su_lightbox] (120V – 60 Hz)

WHAT TO DO IN MICHIGAN

Typical food in Michigan

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Souvenirs from Michigan

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Source

http://www.thebesttimetovisit.com/
http://www.roughguides.com/
https://www.iexplore.com/