Where are your favorite travel destinations in Michigan? ✋ Asked, 6 Adventurous Michiganders recently, in their first #MIFavoritePlaces community campaign on Instagram.

With a goal to inspire and promote travel throughout Michigan, the group shares monthly favorite Michigan spots and activities. 

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@Cassondra.Wanders recommended some of her favorites: 

1️⃣ Mackinac Island

➡️ Plane spotting at the airport, Hike to Crack in the Island & Cave-of-the-Woods. Be sure to make your way to Fort Holmes, the highest point on the island. 🚲🐴

2️⃣ Frankenmuth

➡️ Cross the Cass River, via Holz-Brücke Wooden Bridge, walk the covered bridge or drive. Feel the German ambiance all throughout the village and stop to play at Heritage Park on the river. 🥨

3️⃣ Tawas Bay

➡️ See Tawas Point Lighthouse, located in the Tawas Point State Park. Also, hike out to Tawas Point via Sandy Hook Trail, if nature allows. Take a dip in Lake Huron at Shoreline Park. ⚓🌊

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Here are 3️⃣ trips we’ve done with the kids and had a blast, shared @mrswebersneighborhood.

🚘 Road Trip! 1️⃣ Kewenee Peninsula

Aka waaaaaay at the tippy top of Michigan. Sure, it’s a long drive, but believe me when I say it is worth it for the peaceful beauty and low crowds! A few favorite spots: Brockway Mountain, Fort Wilkins, Eagle Harbor Lighthouse, Quincy Mine, Chutes & Ladders playground in Houghton and SO much more. 🌲

🏠 Stay: Kick it old school and grab a no-frills cottage at Minnetonka Resort in Copper Harbor. With a kitchen, it’s a great spot for traveling families on a budget.

➡️ Across the state 2️⃣ Silver Lake Sand Dunes.

This destination has silly fun like the dune buggy rides {a bucket list must!}, a lighthouse, and gorgeous beaches. Nearby Lewis Farms is pretty epic for kiddos too with an enormous corn barn and plenty of friendly animals. 🐪

🏕 Stay: Try camping at @dunesharborfamilycamp for plenty of family fun like a pool and an adorable ice cream shop.

🚲 Close to home 3️⃣ Ann Arbor!

While we await their amazing museums to open up again, there is plenty of natural fun to take in, including tons of awesome hiking trails! We love tubing the cascades, playing at Gallup and County Farm Park playgrounds and eating 😬 So many great restaurants!

🏨 Stay: @webersannarbor. Make sure to grab a room facing the pool for easy snack breaks. 🏊‍♀️

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While this list changes often for me, said @frommichiganwithloveblog, lately I’ve been loving:

1️⃣ Muskegon!!

Oh my goodness, there’s so much renewal going on in downtown Muskegon! You need to RUN there to check it out. There are…
🖼 New art installations
🏟 A new convention center
🥘 New businesses (restaurants, breweries, boutiques & hello Western Market!!), but also plenty of historic preservation going on.
Two of my favorite spots are the Monet Garden and Shakespearean Garden.
And have you checked out any of Muskegon’s incredible beaches? 🤩 Wow!

2️⃣ Marshall!!

Did you know Marshall could have been our state Capitol? In fact, Marshall was so close it lost by 1 vote. Did you know Marshall had the infrastructure in place to take on the role of Capitol city? When visiting Marshall, stop by the “Governor’s Mansion” & “Capitol Hill”.
Don’t miss a tour of the Honolulu House, relaxing by the Brooks Memorial Fountain, and dining at @schulersrestaurant (bonus if you eat at Winston’s Pub!)

3️⃣ Saugatuck-Douglas!!

Whenever I visit @saugatuckdouglas, I feel so happy.
Whether it’s in summer when I can dine on the patio overlooking the river or go for a boat ride on the @starofsaugatuck, or in the winter when all the Christmas lights highlight the charm of the town, I just love this place!
There are great trails, great restaurants, great boutiques, great art and ogles of hidden gems to find. 💎 If you’re looking for a happy place to travel in Michigan, visit Saugatuck!

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Some of @discovertc’s favorite places are: 
1️⃣ Traverse City (try not to be shocked 😜)
It’s hard not to fall in love with TC with its charming downtown, gorgeous vineyards, romantic lighthouse and plentiful views of the water with over 180 miles of beaches to explore. As nature lovers, our favorite thing to do is hit the TART trails or take scenic drives along the peninsula. Anyone visiting that wants to really explore the water, should definitely check out @twobrotherssailingadventures. Foodies & wine lovers should reach out to our friends at @tcwineandbeertours (they know how to have a good time 🍷🍻). And if you can only hit one shop, @westbayhandmade has all the local TC treasures you need to commemorate your trip. 

2️⃣ Petoskey

We loved exploring the Gas Light District’s quaint shops and their offerings of clothing, art, outdoor gear, and dining. On our way home, we swung by Petoskey State Park and found some Petoskey stones! 

3️⃣ Leland

Hiking, biking, scenic trails and the prettiest Michigan beach this Michigander has ever found. We spent a whole day at Van’s Beach hunting Leland Blues and playing in the soft sand. We had planned to hit Fishtown, but simply ran out of time. We are dying to go back and check out Manitou Island (& the weathered shipwrecked remains of the SS Francisco Morazan). 

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@lansing_area_littles also stepped up with her favorite city selections: 

1️⃣ Lansing (obviously ☺️).
There are so many things we LOVE about Lansing and so many wonderful places to explore. You could spend an entire day taking in the sights just downtown! Grab take out from one of our local restaurants and have a picnic at Rotary Park. The kids will love playing on the beach and exploring the Lansing River Trail. You can take it up to @myimpression5, which is one of our favorite places to play. Don’t forget to visit our State Capitol while you’re there! If you need an afternoon pick me up @strangematterco has got you covered with their delicious coffee and donuts!

2️⃣ Detroit
We grew up in Metro Detroit and love visiting the city any chance we get. The delicious food, beautiful sights and fun things to do keep us coming back for more. The DNR Adventure Center and the Detroit Riverwalk are perfect for a day of fun with kids. Check out The Belt for IG worthy pics, Campus Martius for fun happenings and if you have time, definitely visit Belle Isle! There are so many wonderful ways to spend a few hours, a day or even a weekend in Detroit!

3️⃣ Grand Ledge
If you’re a nature lover a day trip to Grand Ledge is a must! It always amazes me that places like this exist in MI. Fitzgerald Park boasts some of the most beautiful views I’ve seen. Home of “The Ledges,” it’s not to be missed. Lincoln Brick Park is another favorite, with awesome trails and ruins to explore. When you’re done hiking and exploring grab some dinner from @cuginositalian and some dessert from @flourchildbakery323 ❤️

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My favorite places feature some wonderful natural beauties, shared @allnatural.adventures. 

1️⃣ Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
🌊These rugged rock formations along the shore of Lake Superior provide some of the most beautiful views in the state.
🌊The scenic overlook of Miners Castle (pic 1) and the 1.2 mile out and back hike to see Miners Falls (pic 2) are perfect for families.
🌊 For the full view of the spectacular shoreline, hop on a boat ride with @picturedrockscruises (pics 3-4).

2️⃣ Tahquamenon Falls
✳️ Affectionately nicknamed “Root Beer Falls” for its rich, amber color, Tahquamenon Falls (pic 5) is the largest waterfall in the state of Michigan.
✳️ The 1.5 mile trail loop (pic 6) to the Upper Falls provides another great family friendly hike.
✳️ After exploring, grab a bite to eat at the cozy Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub conveniently located within this @mistatepark.

3️⃣ Holland
🌷With a quaint downtown area (pic 7) and gorgeous beaches along Lake Michigan, Holland is a classic small beach town.
🌷Stop by The Good Earth for breakfast or brunch, hike Mt. Pisgah Dune Boardwalk (pic 8), then relax at the Holland State Park beach and see the icon Big Red lighthouse (pic 9).
🌷 With tulips currently blooming, Holland’s @tulip_time festival will be in full swing the first week of May.

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