March 28, 2024

Beautiful by the Alphabet

Oct. 16, 2015

From A to Z, we’ve got it all. It would be easy to use the entire alphabet to describe great things to do, see and appreciate in our region, but for the sake of this particular issue, we’ll stick with what’s SO BEAUTIFUL about northern Michigan.

Sunsets – You’ll find them all along our shoreline, where the sun drops into Lake Michigan in a host of ever-shifting colors. Little Traverse Bay is known as the Home of the Million Dollar Sunsets, while Leland was voted one of the Best Places to Watch a Sunset by USA Today. The magical bonus: our easy accessibility to Lake Huron. In just a few hours, you can drive to the other side of the state, watch the sun rise over water, then drive back here to watch it set over water — all in the same day.

Outdoor Sports – An active lifestyle is a northern Michigan lifestyle. There are so many outdoor activities to enjoy and it’s easy to find those that maximize the beauty of our region. There are endless opportunities for taking in scenic vistas by walking, bicycling, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, sailing, canoeing and kayaking — just don’t forget your camera.

Beaches – Speaking of that shoreline, it’s also host to beaches of every shape and size, from small secret spots to big parks like Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore and Petoskey State Park. If you’re looking for water views, this is where you’ll find them, from rocky promontories to picture-perfect stretches of sand, and all meeting our clear fresh waters.

Eats – You can’t go wrong during either (or both?) Traverse City’s and Petoskey’s Restaurant Weeks, nor at the hundreds of ambitious restaurants that make our region a Top Ten foodie destination!

Autumn – New England is often cited as the best place in the U.S. to view the changing leaves, but we’re catching up fast. M-22 throughout Leelanau County was just named by USA Today as the “Best Fall Drive for Colors!”

Universities – What better place to get your higher education than surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery and amenities in the country? Study at Petoskey’s North Central Michigan College and you’re just a short drive or bicycle ride away from lakefront dunes and the picturesque Gaslight District downtown. Choose Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City and you’re right next to the Dennos Museum Center for beautiful art and music — and the Grand Traverse Bay waterfront. Just don’t blame us if you get distracted from your studies.

Traditions – The longer you’re here, the more you’ll become part of your community, and each has its own beautiful traditions. Whether it’s the place you have to go every summer for ice cream, the spot you return to each year for Fourth of July fireworks or the place you always buy your Halloween pumpkin or holiday tree, these are the things that bring beauty to everyday life.

Ice – Once winter hits our state, those beaches turn to ice, beautiful in a whole different way. We’ve got ice boat competitions, curling, and several small-town winter festivals. The variety is incredible. Photographers get to shoot a brand new landscape, where strange formations cover waterside buoys, and icicles make everything look exotic. The more adventurous can go ice caving or ice climbing along our shorelines and waterfalls.

Ferries – Big cities may have their subways and complex bus routes, but northern Michigan has beautiful ferries. In the summertime, the glossy white boats from Mackinaw City make every trip to Mackinac Island feel like a vacation. The old-school beauty of the Emerald Isle ferry gets you to Beaver Island in two hours and Lake Charlevoix’s Ironton Ferry offers historic beauty on a cable ferry built in 1926.

Upper Peninsula – Our region is the perfect jumping-off point for beauty of the more rugged kind — the remote sights of the U.P. Don’t miss the beautiful highlights just a short drive away: rustyred Tahquamenon Falls, the endless scenic stretches of US-2 and the impressive colors and formations of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Legends – Northern Michigan has its share of legendary tales and sights, including the fascinating stories of the Odawa Indians, the history of the glamorous jazz clubs of Idlewild, the classic Victorian beauty of Bay View’s architecture and the beautiful words penned by local legend Ernest Hemingway, but what’s really legendary are the spectacular memories you’ll make Up North, whether you’re a long-time resident or just passing through.

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