In my opinion, there are a lot of must-see places in Michigan. In fact, I secretly think it’s one of the most underrated states in the country. It’s not necessarily a major tourist destination, but it should be. Have you ever seen the Pure Michigan commercials? They’re wonderful. I could ramble on and on about Michigan, but I won’t. Having lived here my entire life, I feel qualified to tell you about some of the must-see places in Michigan, and hopefully one day you’ll come and see them for yourself!
Snapshot Survey
1. "up North"
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If you’re from Michigan, you know exactly what I mean, and why this general area is one of the must-see places in Michigan. "Up North" is where everyone in Michigan goes on vacation, whether it’s Lake Michigan, Torch Lake, or Higgins Lake. We have a lot of lakes. I thought this was a common phrase to say until a few years ago. Alas, it’s just a Michigan thing. For the non-Michiganders out there, "Up North" basically means anywhere in Northern Michigan. If you come to Michigan, you need to go up north during your time here. What’s my personal favorite place up north? Higgins Lake. It’s beautiful.2. Sleeping Bear Dunes
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Sleeping Bear Dunes is a huge sand dune along the coast of Lake Michigan. While I’ve never personally been there, I’ve only heard amazing things about it. If you go though, be aware that it might stretch out to an entire day, but it might not. If that’s the case, you definitely have a lot more to check out in the area. When you run out of things to do, Traverse City is the way to go. It’s where the Sleeping Bear Dunes are located and another beautiful area in Michigan with plenty to do! You might even be there during the Cherry Festival!3. Port Austin
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Port Austin is a super tiny town with this amazing rock formation called Turnip Rock. It’s probably one of the coolest things I’ve seen in my life. It’s one of those things you’d expect to see in travel brochures, not the thumb of Michigan. On that note, if you go there you get to say you’ve been to "the thumb." I might be alone on this one, but that’s definitely something to check off the bucket list.4. Grand Rapids
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Grand Rapids is a cute little city; imagine Chicago on a smaller scale. You can also find something to do no matter the weather, something that can’t really be said for the rest of Michigan. There’s art, shows, and basically anything you can imagine to entertain yourselves with. I personally think it’s awesome because it’s a city with a lot to do but it’s also easy to find quieter areas.5. Mackinac Island
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Mackinac Island is another one of those places that I just assumed the rest of the country was familiar with. Apparently it’s also a Michigan thing. Mackinac Island is an island (obviously) between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. There are no cars; the only forms of transportation are bicycles and horses (I swear). Mackinac Island is known for its fudge, so if you ever get the chance to check it out, the fudge is a must! Besides the fudge, it’s a beautiful island with a ton of history. You may or may not feel like you’ve time-traveled to another era, but that’s part of the fun!6. Old Town-Lansing
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Old Town is the quirkiest part of my hometown and possibly the state in general, so I felt it needed to be included. I like to think of it as a hipster’s paradise. There’s always something weird or exciting going on there, so if you’re ever in Lansing and looking to find your inner hipster, Old Town is the way to go.7. Pictured Rocks & Tahquamenon Falls
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The Upper Peninsula could not possibly be ignored. The entire Upper Peninsula is beautiful, but the Pictured Rocks and Tahquamenon Falls areas are too gorgeous for words. It’s what you see in the Pure Michigan commercials. Enough said? I think so.8. Detroit
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Detroit is one of those places you have to go to in Michigan. I wouldn’t exactly vacation there, but I’ve spent enough time there that I feel like I can say you have to go there. It’s fun to go to concerts and sporting events, but it can be stressful (I may have spent 3 hours searching for food on a recent trip). It’s nice to see once or twice, to take in a sporting event or a concert. After you’ve done that, you’re set. You’ve officially been to Motown. Congratulations.9. Frankenmuth
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Frankenmuth is known as a «Little Bavaria» and while it definitely is that, I always think of it as a yearlong Christmas Wonderland. Bronner’s is the World’s Largest Christmas Store and it’s located in Frankenmuth. If you’re a Christmas fanatic (I can attest to this), you need to check out Frankenmuth and Bronner’s if you’re ever in Michigan. You will die and go to Christmas Heaven.Are you from Michigan? Have you ever been here? Do you think there’s anything I’m missing? If you think I’ve left something important out, let me know in the comments. I’m always looking for new places in Michigan to check out!
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