Things to Do in Michigan
Ten stops running from an island that's banned cars since the 1890s to a wilderness so remote it holds one of the lowest visitor counts of any national park in the country.
Michigan splits properly distinctly between its two peninsulas, Motown's history and Great Lakes dunes on one side, remote wilderness on the other, connected by a bridge that's become a proper landmark in its own right. Ten stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site if you fancy testing what stuck.
Mackinac Island
An island in Lake Huron that banned motor vehicles in 1898 and never reversed the decision, horses and bicycles remain the only way to get around, giving the whole place a properly preserved, unhurried feel. The Grand Hotel, a sprawling 1887 Victorian resort with the longest porch in the world, remains the island's most recognisable landmark, earns a look even if you're not staying overnight.
Mackinac fudge shops line the main street, a proper local tradition rather than a tourist gimmick, several shops still make it fresh in the window daily using recipes going back generations.
Best time May-October, when the island is fully open
Address Mackinac Island, MI
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
A stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline holding some of the tallest freshwater dunes in the world, the Dune Climb, a steep 450-foot sand slope, draws visitors year-round for the climb up and the considerably faster run back down. The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive loops through the wider lakeshore, several overlooks offering sweeping views over both the dunes and the lake below.
The climb runs properly demanding in soft sand, pace yourself and bring water, this takes considerably longer and more effort than the modest distance suggests.
Best time June-August for swimming; October for foliage
Address Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI
Motown Museum, Detroit
Housed in the original Hitsville U.S.A. building where Berry Gordy founded Motown Records in 1959, Studio A, the actual recording space used for the label's earliest hits, remains preserved much as it was, worn floorboards and all. The tour covers the label's rise in real depth, and most visits end with a chance to sing along in the original studio, a properly memorable way to close out the experience.
Book tickets ahead, tours run on a timed schedule and sell out regularly, particularly on weekends during the main tourist season.
Hours Tue-Sat, roughly 10am-5pm
Address 2648 W Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
A stretch of Lake Superior shoreline in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, sandstone cliffs streaked with mineral stains running through reds, greens, and blues, best appreciated from the water via a boat tour that runs directly along the base of the cliffs. Miners Falls and Munising Falls, both reachable via manageable trails, add proper waterfall stops for anyone not doing the full boat tour.
This runs as one of the more remote stops on this whole list, build proper travel time into your schedule given how far the Upper Peninsula sits from the rest of the state.
Best time June-September for the fullest boat tour schedule
Address Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Munising, MI
The Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village
A combined museum and open-air village built by Henry Ford himself, Greenfield Village holds over 80 historic buildings physically relocated here, including Thomas Edison's original Menlo Park laboratory and the Wright brothers' bicycle shop. The adjacent Henry Ford Museum covers American innovation more broadly, including the actual bus Rosa Parks was riding when she refused to give up her seat.
This runs considerably larger than most visitors expect, allow a full two days if you want to properly cover both the museum and the village rather than rushing through either.
Hours Daily, roughly 9.30am-5pm, hours vary seasonally
Address 20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI
Traverse City & the Cherry Harvest
Michigan produces the vast majority of the country's tart cherries, and Traverse City sits at the centre of the industry, the National Cherry Festival each July draws crowds for parades, pie-eating contests, and properly enormous quantities of cherry-based food. The surrounding Old Mission Peninsula runs a proper wine trail too, vineyards benefiting from the same lake-moderated climate that suits the cherry orchards.
Pick-your-own cherry orchards open through the short July harvest window, a good, easy family activity if the timing lines up with your visit.
Best time Early-mid July for the National Cherry Festival
Address Traverse City, MI
Frankenmuth's Bavarian Village
A small town settled by German immigrants that leaned deliberately into a Bavarian architectural theme, half-timbered buildings and a real glockenspiel clock tower give the whole downtown a considerably different feel from the rest of Michigan. Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, the world's largest Christmas store, stays open essentially year-round, over five acres of ornaments and decorations regardless of the actual season.
The town's family-style chicken dinners, served at several long-established restaurants, remain a proper local tradition, worth trying alongside the wider Bavarian theme.
Address Frankenmuth, MI
Detroit Zoo
One of the larger, better-regarded zoos in the Midwest, the Arctic Ring of Life exhibit runs a 70,000-gallon tank with an underwater viewing tunnel directly beneath swimming polar bears and seals, a properly striking way to see them up close. The zoo runs over 125 acres, comfortable walking shoes and a proper full day help if you want to cover the whole layout.
This works well across a wide age range, gentler paths near the entrance suit younger kids, with more extensive trails further into the zoo for anyone wanting to see the full collection.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am-5pm, hours vary seasonally
Address 8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI
Michigan's Coney Dog
A hot dog topped with a beanless, finely textured chili sauce, mustard, and chopped onions, a Detroit invention that's become a proper statewide staple, though locals maintain properly strong opinions about which of the city's competing coney restaurants makes it correctly. American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island, sitting directly next door to each other in downtown Detroit, have run a friendly rivalry over the dish for over a century.
Trying both back-to-back, given how close the two rival restaurants sit, is a properly Detroit way to settle the debate for yourself.
Address American Coney Island, 114 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI
Isle Royale National Park
A remote island wilderness in Lake Superior, accessible only by boat or seaplane, one of the least visited national parks in the country purely due to how difficult it is to reach. Moose and wolves both roam the island in a properly isolated predator-prey relationship that's been studied continuously by researchers for decades, one of the longest-running wildlife studies in the world.
This runs as one of the more demanding stops on this whole list, plan seriously ahead given the limited transport options and the properly rugged, undeveloped nature of the island itself.
Best time June-September, the park closes entirely through winter
Address Isle Royale National Park, MI
Best time to visit Michigan
June through September covers the most comfortable window for the majority of this list, mild enough for the outdoor and island stops without winter's real cold.
October specifically suits the Upper Peninsula's foliage, time a visit around then if autumn colour matters to you alongside the wider itinerary.
Getting around Michigan
A car is essential, the distances between Detroit, Traverse City, and the Upper Peninsula run into several hours each. Mackinac Island and Isle Royale are the exceptions, both reachable only by ferry or boat.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Michigan worth visiting beyond Detroit?
- Yes, easily, Mackinac Island, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and the Upper Peninsula all offer landscapes and a pace that feel completely distinct from the city.
- How many days do you need in Michigan?
- Seven days gives a comfortable pace to cover Detroit, Traverse City, and either Mackinac Island or the Upper Peninsula.
- Is Michigan expensive to visit?
- No, generally affordable, food and accommodation both run below the national average outside of Mackinac Island's peak summer season specifically.
- What's the best Michigan trip for kids?
- Detroit Zoo and the Henry Ford Museum both rank as the most reliably kid-friendly stops on this list.
That's ten decent slices of a state properly split between two very different peninsulas.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
