Featured Destination

Featured Destination

Spooky Stays Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Late this summer, I had the opportunity to spend nearly two weeks in Michigan’s scenic and remote Upper Peninsula. My trips were work related, centered around speaking engagements, festivals, conferences and paranormal research. One three separate nights, I threw caution to the wind and checked into the “haunted rooms” of historically notable hotels and inns to see if I could meet the spirited residents who are said to still be eternal guests.

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Downtown Clare has a new vibe, thanks to a new wave of entrepreneurs

The small farming town of Clare (population around 3,300) is experiencing significant business growth thanks to group of entrepreneurs working collaboratively to enhance the historic downtown district with boutiques, cafés and unique shops. Centrally located in the heart of Michigan’s lower peninsula, Clare sits at the crossroads of US-10 and US-127. In 2016, 51 buildings were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Clare Downtown Historic District.

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Author & Educator Valerie Hemingway to Lead 3rd Annual Walloon Lake Writer’s Retreat

The quaint northern Michigan village of Walloon Lake provides an idyllic backdrop for writers to discover and hone their skills and the 3rd Annual Walloon Lake Writer’s Retreat (April 18-21, 2024) offers an inspiring, intimate and collaborative setting for those seeking stimulation and ideas for their literary works. This year’s special guest moderator is Valerie Hemingway, author of the 2005 memoir Running with the Bulls: My Years with the Hemingways.

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Featured ArticlesFeatured Destination

Coastal Color Tour

Each fall, Michigan puts on a magnificent show as nearly 150 species of trees turn vibrant shades of red, orange, gold, and yellow, adorning more than 18.5 million acres of forests set against a backdrop of evergreens and the deep blue waters of the Great Lakes. The northern Lake Michigan shoreline, from Charlevoix to Harbor Springs, boasts countless attractions and activities to enhance your coastal color tour.

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Featured ArticlesFeatured Destination

New visitor center planned for Seney National Wildlife Refuge

Each year, an estimated 88,000 people visit the Seney National Wildlife Refuge in the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in search of flora, fauna, migratory birds and other creatures. Visitors this year will find parts of this Schoolcraft County unit in a bit of disarray as a series of projects are underway to improve access and the overall educational experience for generations to come.

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Hotel Walloon Welcomes John Patrick Hemingway for 2nd Annual Writer’s Retreat Weekend

Author John Patrick Hemingway – grandson of Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway – will be the guest of honor at the 2nd Annual Walloon Lake Writer’s Retreat coming up April 13-16 in Walloon Lake. Activities will be held throughout the event at Hotel Walloon, Talcott Center, Walloon Lake Inn and other locations meant to inspire and motivate budding writers.

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Michigan’s Magic Cemetery

The small town of Colon, Michigan in St. Joseph County (population 1,128 according to the 2020 census) is commonly referred to as the “Magic Capital of the World”. It was here in Colon that magicians of the early twentieth century would flock to buy their supplies, tricks and costumes and where they would gather each summer for a festival like no other (an event which is held annually in August). And, it is where many remain today — interred in the Lakeside Cemetery.

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Great Lakes Lighthouses & Keepers the Focus of September 13-17 Manitou Windjammer Cruise

One of the most unique hands-on Pure Michigan experiences is to spend several days sailing the freshwaters aboard a dual-masted tall ship. You’re invited to board one of the largest sailing vessels in the Great Lakes during one of these autumn windjammer cruises aboard the Tall Ship Manitou with the Traverse Tall Ship Company. Coming up September 13-17 is a four-day excursion focused on the hundreds of historic lighthouses throughout the Great Lakes region with best-selling author and freelance travel writer, Dianna Stampfler.

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Michigan’s new Detach primitive campground delivers “in Vogue” off-grid experiences

Spending time in the rustic wilderness (without running water, electricity or wifi) may not seem like a stylish experience, but it turns out disconnecting from the chaos of the world and reconnecting with nature was just the kind of travel trend that editors at Vogue Living* were looking to showcase in their inaugural issue. The magazine featured an unprecedented 27-page article about Detach primitive campground and the story behind the primitive and off-grid destination situated on a 50-acre parcel in Rockford, Michigan.

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