Featured Articles

A veil of fog rises above amber-colored fields on a chilly fall morning in the Pigeon River Country State Forest 20 miles north of Gaylord. Beams of sun cut through the towering trees, casting dancing shadows below. In the distance, a distinctive bugling sound permeates the air, first from one direction and then another.

As fall colors begin to transform the treetops around Michigan, it becomes an invitation to wander off the beaten path and explore the rustic trails that wind through the state’s nearly 18.6 million acres of forests—on horseback.

Over the past few years, a growing number of Michigan breweries have begun to distribute their products in cans instead of or in addition to bottles and draft. Nearly three dozen Michigan breweries now offer canned beer, with more than 150 different products in the marketplace. This is great news for Michigan golf course owners looking to support the local craft beer industry.

Before they even opened the doors to Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids in 2015, owners Jon O’Connor and Kyle VanStrien knew they wanted to create a unique gin that would be a purely Michigan product.

Traverse City has long been known as a recreational destination, with its 100-plus mile TART Trail system, the scenic Boardman River and the east and west arms of Grand Traverse Bay. In recent years, the region has also become a mecca for craft beverages like wine, beer, cider and spirits. It only makes sense that blending such activities would deliver a unique and exciting experience for locals and visitors alike.

Just like his customers, Jason Thelen’s hand-crafted stand-up paddle boards are one-of-a-kind. Utilizing years of experience as a furniture maker, he launched Little Bay Boards in 2014 to introduce others to artistically-designed hollow wooden boards that are stronger, lighter and last longer than traditional foam boards.

As one of Michigan’s early lumber towns, Muskegon quickly grew up as an industrial and social center. Community leaders like Charles H. Hackley and Thomas Hume built elaborate homes, donated funds to build libraries and hospitals, laying a foundation for the future.

Janet Schrader was just five years old when she first began to play along the sandy, freshwater shores of Lake Michigan, after moving with her mother and siblings from the Chicago area to Berrien County in southwest Michigan. Her grandparents belonged to the historic Prairie Club, officially called Hazelhurst Camp, in Harbert and it was here that she learned to swim and build her first sandcastle.

Last summer, a 184-mile stretch of the West Michigan Pike, from St. Joseph to Silver Lake, became the state’s latest Pure Michigan Byway™ during a public ceremony at Muskegon’s Heritage Landing. The Michigan Beachtowns Association (beachtowns.org), which represents more than a dozen shoreline communities, collaborated with Travel Michigan and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to develop the byway.

Early voyageurs to Michigan made their way around the state by birch bark canoes. Then, it was Great Lakes steamers and the railroads that transported families to their northern cottages for summer respite.

Traversing along Michigan’s snow-covered ski trails, one can work up quite an appetite. Imagine being able to stop along the route and nibble to satisfy your hunger and provide extra energy to keep you moving along.