Michigan
TRAVEL GUIDE

Loading...
Michigan GALLERY

Flanked by four Great Lakes and with 2,000 miles of shoreline (even more than California), Michigan is divided into two peninsulas—the Lower, which resembles a mitten and is the more densely populated, and the Upper, which is more rugged and rural. Ask a Michigander where he or she lives, and directions will likely be given using the palm of their hand, with the south-central part of the state known as "the Thumb."

Lakes play a part both in the state's psyche and its recreational possibilities, which are both legendary and numerous. In summer, popular choices include canoeing, fishing, swimming, sailing, scuba diving, water skiing, and camping. In winter, trails welcome snowmobilers, skiers, snowshoers, and dogsledders. The state is also blessed with dramatic topography, includin... Read More

Flanked by four Great Lakes and with 2,000 miles of shoreline (even more than California), Michigan is divided into two peninsulas—the Lower, which resembles a mitten and is the more densely populated, and the Upper, which is more rugged and rural. Ask a Michigander where he or she lives, and directions will likely be given using the palm of their hand, with the south-central part of the state known as "the Thumb."

Lakes play a part both in the state's psyche and its recreational possibilities, which are both legendary and numerous. In summer, popular choices include canoeing, fishing, swimming, sailing, scuba diving, water skiing, and camping. In winter, trails welcome snowmobilers, skiers, snowshoers, and dogsledders. The state is also blessed with dramatic topography, including waterfalls in the Upper Peninsula and towering dunes near Lake Michigan. Growing wine-country regions exist near Traverse City and Grand Rapids.

Lovely resort towns, from Traverse City to Saugatuck, overflow with lakeside inns, boutiques, and antiques shops. Yet Michigan has its share of big cities, too, including the Furniture City (Grand Rapids), the Capital City (Lansing), and the better-known Motor City (Detroit). All have vibrant arts and culture, excellent restaurants, neighborhoods with character, and tourist attractions.

Guidebooks for Every Journey

Fodor's Travel AwardThe 100 Most Incredible Hotels in the World in 2026

FODOR'S FINEST

The Best Hotels in the USA

Detroit

The story of Detroit has long been one of extremes: from its role as an early 20th-century industrial titan to a symbol of 21st-century urban...

Grand Rapids

Familiarly known as the "Furniture City," in recognition of its 19th-century beginnings as a furniture manufacturing center, Grand Rapids is Michigan's second-largest city. Home to...

Saugatuck

Saugatuck is a well-known art colony at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River and along the Lake Michigan shoreline that attracts visitors from Detroit and...

Copper Harbor

Nestled at the top of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Copper Harbor is the Upper Peninsula's northernmost village and the site of one of the Midwest's oldest...

Traverse City

Once a major lumbering center, Traverse City is now the hub of a flourishing cherry-growing community and wine region. It is also northern Michigan's unofficial...

Grand Rapids and the Heartland

The city of Grand Rapids occupies a region rich with culture. Fine-art museums, elaborate lumber baron estates, headliner concerts, and the state’s only professional ballet...

The Upper Peninsula

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula isn’t a place you come to accidentally. It’s a vast, unspoiled landscape, waiting for travelers to experience the slower pace of living...

Traverse City and Wine Country

For over a century, the Traverse City area has been known as the nation's Cherry Capital, producing much of the world's crop of the deliciously...

All Destinations
Expand All Collapse All

Copper Harbor

Grand Rapids and the Heartland

Traverse City

Detroit

Saugatuck

Traverse City and Wine Country

Grand Rapids

The Upper Peninsula

SEE ALL

Our worldwide travel correspondents bring you the best and most up-to-date coverage of over 7,500 global destinations.

Shop Now

Fodor's American Spirits: Exploring the Best Wineries, Breweries, and Distilleries in the USA
For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel...

View Details
  2. Destinations
  3. USA
  4. Michigan