Al Parker | Author

A Bridge to the Past

Sept. 24, 2022

Northern Michigan is home to a wide variety of historic bridges, some very high profile and others tucked away from the public eye. Whether you’re a pontist—aka someone who loves bridges—or just a casual appreciator of these feats of creativity and engineering, read on f... Read More >>

General Stores of the North

Sept. 17, 2022

While many NoMi residents would delight if a Trader Joe’s came north of Grand Rapids, we also know we’re pretty darn lucky to have some amazing general stores in our backyard. These shops stock everything from baseball caps to fresh cherries to decadent cappuccinos, all with a... Read More >>

The Scoop from the Gaming Floor

Sept. 3, 2022

Game time doesn’t just happen on the field…it happens at poker tables and at slot machines too. We asked the gaming experts of the North what’s new at their properties, what has changed in the last few years, what to look forward to this fall, and how they are connectin... Read More >>

Learning Outside the Box

Aug. 27, 2022

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” 

That’s what Mark Twain said, at least. Perhaps he understood that not all education has to take place in a typical brick-and-mortar school building in a residential neighborhood. Several northern ... Read More >>

Farmer’s Bounty

Aug. 13, 2022

August is a busy time for northern Michigan’s farm stands and markets, where wares include fresh fruits and vegetables, artisan cheeses, eggs, meat, condiments, baked goodies, jams, chocolates, bath and beauty products, honey, popcorn, maple syrup, and more. 

“No ... Read More >>

Nothing Plain about Plein Air

Aug. 6, 2022

(Featured painting by Spencer Meagher)

Artist Crista Pisano is looking forward to packing up her paints and palettes and venturing to Traverse City when Crooked Tree Arts Center hosts its fifth annual Paint Grand Traverse, Aug. 14-20.

“The Paint Grand Traver... Read More >>

Home Plate Hosts

July 30, 2022

For almost two decades, Susan and Richard Fall have been inviting complete strangers—men ages 18 to 25 or so—to move into their Traverse City home for a few months.

Pandemic or no, the Falls, along with sons Gage and Cole, have eagerly offered free room and board to th... Read More >>

Conservancy Check-in

July 16, 2022

With so much natural beauty around us, northern Michigan is fortunate to have multiple community-based, nonprofit land conservancies dedicated to the stewardship and protection of lands for the public to enjoy. Northern Express caught up with three of them to hear about exciting ... Read More >>

This Week at Cherry Fest

July 2, 2022

After months of anticipation, northern Michigan is hip-deep in the 2022 edition of the National Cherry Festival.

It’s almost impossible to see and do everything that’s happening at the celebration, but we’ve put together a day-by-day agenda of some of the fan fav... Read More >>

The Wind Beneath the Blue Angels’ Wings

June 25, 2022

Crowds gather along Grand Traverse Bay to gaze into the sky for the biggest beach bash of the year. A voice shouts, “There they are!” Cameras rise in unison, and the thundering roar of the F-18 Super Hornets announce the bold arrival of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

While... Read More >>

Studio Scenery

June 4, 2022

Anyone can stroll the main drag of a northern Michigan town like Petoskey, Gaylord, or Traverse City and find art galleries overflowing with impressive works.

But for those who want some adventure—and to stretch their legs—Northern Express found a few “o... Read More >>

Grow Ops

April 16, 2022

Northern Express is at Heritage Farm Company, a marijuana growing facility in Manistee County where some 2,000 hearty plants are thriving under high-tech lighting and highly-monitored environmental conditions in the farm’s 15,000-square-foot grow room.

Charlie ... Read More >>

Mud Season

March 26, 2022

Some call it “The Mud Season,” giving the brief window between the end of March and early April the lofty status of a fifth annual season. It’s a term used by ski resorts to describe the time when skiing and snowboarding wind down and golf cranks up. Skiers cope with onc... Read More >>

Real Estate Pros Share Their Secrets

March 19, 2022

March Madness is underway on college basketball courts, but it’s also happening here in northern Michigan. It’s that heady, springtime feeling that hits homeowners who are interested in selling their houses. Northern Express reached out to real estate experts across the region... Read More >>

Traverse City's Lil Bo

Feb. 19, 2022

Jenni Scott wipes down the already-gleaming bar, then draws an ice-cold beer for one of her regulars before taking a break to talk about running one of Traverse City’s historic watering holes, Lil Bo.

“It’s been a blast,” the TC native says with a smile. &l... Read More >>

Book Now for Summer

Jan. 22, 2022

Maybe the white stuff outside your window has you dreaming of a trip to the Caribbean this winter. By all means, we won’t stand in your way. But one thing we find when showcasing some of our best summer travel ideas in our summer issues is this: Most are already booked out a full ye... Read More >>

The Need for Speed

Jan. 8, 2022

If you’re suffering from the winter blahs, you might want to check out a couple of adrenaline-charged events in January and February.

Keiser Boys Motorsports is hosting the Snowflake Derby at Northern Michigan Speedway in Elmira on Jan. 15. Four weeks later on Feb. 12, this ... Read More >>

Josh Burnham’s Big Week

Jan. 1, 2022

Being born on St. Patrick's Day, you could almost predict that Josh Burnham would be Irish – Fighting Irish, that is.

The Traverse City native, who turns 18 in March, is starting classes at the University of Notre Dame this week, after a stellar football career at the high s... Read More >>

A Michigan Christmas Classic: Honey Baked Ham

Dec. 18, 2021

With a flaming propane torch in his left hand and a scoop full of white sugar in his right, Mike Muzljakovich spends hours every week adding the delicious sweet glaze for which Honey Baked Ham is known to the hundreds of hams he sells weekly at his shop.

After the sugar is caramel... Read More >>

A Night at the Local VFW

Oct. 30, 2021

We’ve all got an opinion about America’s wars, politics, and place in the world. On the heels of the United States’ recent withdrawal from Afghanistan and ahead of Veterans Day 2021, Northern Express thought it a worthwhile time for all of us to pause the bickering a... Read More >>