Featured Articles

Few destinations embrace their full history – including lingering spirits – the way Mission Table at Bowers Harbor Inn on Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City does.

What is it about lighthouses that seem to attract spirits – most often than naught, the ghosts of former keepers? Maybe it is a never-ending passion for what was more of a lifestyle than a job. These keepers often lost their lives during their service, protecting the sailors on the inland seas from the dangerous and rocky shores of the Great Lakes.

Some might think it’s crazy to take up residency in a former mental institution, but the rooms which once housed patients suffering a multitude of ailments are now being converted into some of the most unique, chic and coveted condos in Traverse City.

No other architect in the country holds the level of recognition and prominence as Frank Lloyd Wright. Born in 1867, he undoubtedly is the most noted American architect and interior designer of the 20th Century.

Interest in Michigan as a culinary tourism destination is growing. It only makes sense given the agriculture is the state’s second leading industry at more than $394 billion and tourism is third, at $18.5 billion. Michigan also proudly ranks no. 2 in the nation for agricultural diversity, second only to California.

With an established history in agriculture and tourism, it’s only natural Michigan would proudly embrace an expanding “foodie” culture drawn from the public’s desire to whet the appetite with all that is local.

As winter succumbs to spring and the snow melts away, an amazing growth begins to take place on forest floors across Michigan. The moist ground is warmed by the sunshine and sprouts begin to push up through the dirt and dead leaves, alongside fallen elm, ash, poplar, aspen and maple trees. The harvest awaits in this wild edible marketplace, with fiddleheads, wild leeks (also known as ramps) and the elusive morel on the shopping list.

With agriculture and tourism as the state’s second and third largest industries, options are on the grow.

Albert M. Todd was one of Michigan’s earliest agricultural pioneers, with expansive farms in Kalamazoo and Van Buren Counties. By the early 1900s, the A.M. Todd Company was the largest producer of mint in the country; their world headquarters remains in Kalamazoo.

Michigan — the Great Lake State — is a four-season camping paradise. From the far reaches of the Upper Peninsula to the outskirts of the Metro Detroit area, there is a privately owned campground, county, state or national park waiting to be explored.

Michigan’s tasty treats, bountiful beverages and wholesome snacks make for perfect gift ideas.

At age 12, Detroit native Dawn Riley stepped aboard a 36-foot, Great Lakes cutter with her family and took off on a year-long adventure to the Caribbean and back. She had already learned to sail on Lake St. Clair, becoming a member of the North Start Sail Club and commodore of the junior sailing program.

From pristine trails to rugged wilderness, from towering hardwoods to ice-laden waters, Michigan offers never-ending opportunities to enjoy cold-weather recreation.