Some may think that the designation of “Beer City USA” is something new for Grand Rapids – the state’s second largest city. But beer has actually been brewing here since the late 1830s. Today, the Kent County region boasts about 40 breweries, with about a dozen currently in the greater downtown area.
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Dean Templeton was a lot of things. Above all, he was a character with a colorful yet often dark past.
Born in Flint, Michigan in 1921 to Ralph and Myrtle Templeton (the second of five children), Dean’s childhood was riddled with neglect, abuse, mental anguish and broken hearts. As an adult, he became consumed with the idea of running for President of the United States and began a cross-country, hitchhiking campaign which landed him in Washington state in 1975. It was there, Dean’s bid and his life abruptly ended at the hands of an assassin. Today, more than 45 years later, Dean’s murder remains unsolved.
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In recent memory, cruising the crystal blue waters of Little Traverse Bay – hugged by the shoreline communities of Bay Harbor, Petoskey and Harbor Springs – has been limited to those who have access to a boat. Now, thanks to the community vision and historical reflection of the Little Traverse Bay Ferry Company, a new water taxi is bringing service back to the region.
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Dozens of Michigan restaurants acknowledge being “haunted,” but only a handful celebrate their spirited side by hosting dinners, tours and events that highlight their ghostly activities.
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Lake Michigan’s largest island is a haven for nature lovers and recreationalists seeking to paddle the shoreline, fish the inland lakes, pedal the gravel roads or simply enjoy an evening under the stars.
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It isn’t often that a new building is constructed on the ever-historic Mackinac Island…where Victorian-era cottages, homes and hotels fill the downtown streets and a few locales off the beaten path.
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The Les Cheneaux Islands area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is known for many things – most notably the 36 islands that dot the waters of Lake Huron. Yet, since 2014, Chef Zach Schroeder has been on a mission to put the small town of Hessel (population 865) on the map for another reason – as premier dining destination.
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Perched on the northeast corner of Madison and Logan streets in the Heritage Hill District – behind a well-manicured bordering hedge – sits one of Grand Rapids’ most unique homes. This gem is known as the Meyer May House, after clothier Meyer May who in 1908 commissioned acclaimed Chicago architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design and build this 3,600-square-foot “Prairie Style” family dwelling.
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Paddling beneath the towering sandstone cliffs of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore just became a little easier after the new 64-foot Kayak Express hit the water last summer.
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With a fresh coat of snow on the ground, a carriage drawn by a team of Belgian draft horses treks 2.5 miles through the wooded countryside toward the cozy Elk Antler Cabin. There, a roaring fire and a mouth-watering dinner await. Along the way, guests of Thunder Bay Resort in Hillman are given a rare opportunity to view one of the Midwest’s private elk herds – 35 head – on the resort’s 160-acre enclosed preserve along the eastern edge of the Pigeon River Country State Forest.
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Generations ago, train travel was a primary means of transportation around Michigan. Yet many of today’s children have never experienced the adventure of riding the rails with the clacking of the wheels along the tracks, the faint aroma of the locomotive’s exhaust in the air and the feel of the wind in their hair while aboard the open gondola car.
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Travelers are once again heading to the heart of the Upper Peninsula for rest and relaxation at the historic Birch Lodge on Trout Lake.
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Just as the last of the autumn leaves blow away and the snow begins to fall, life on Walloon Lake slows to a comforting pace as the new season settles in. Winter in northern Michigan is something magical to experience, a charming wonderland retreat reminiscent of a storybook romance come to life.
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