Chocolate martini or chocolate quesadilla? Sample both at the 4th Annual Chocolate Covered Boyne, Feb. 10-11. Pick up discounts on cocoa-flavored treats, themed jewelry, specialty cookbooks and more at 30-plus sweet spots.

Trains have played a key role in the establishment of many of Michigan’s historic tourist towns. Today, excursions trains offer a different kind of traveler experience – especially during the holiday season.

“Beer and chocolate make wonderful bedfellows,” says Fred Bueltmann, Beervangelist at New Holland Brewing Company. “Both delight us with a symphony of roastiness, creaminess, bitterness and sweetness.”

Being described “cold as ice” is a compliment for Randy Finch and Derek Maxfield, owners of Ice Sculptures Ltd., in Grand Rapids – and stars of the Food Network’s show Ice Brigade. The two proudly wield chainsaws, picks, saws and other household tools to carve up intricate works of art displayed at weddings, corporate outings, charity functions, community festivals and basically any other venue or event where there’s an audience.

In the 1800s when crews began building wooden bridges to cross the rivers and streams around Michigan, they thought it would be easier to add sides and a roof to protect the floorboards as opposed to getting into the flowing water below to replace the basewood. As such, dozens of covered bridges began sprouting up over rivers and streams around the state of Michigan. You are invited to explore these historic structures on your next fall color tour.

Whiskey, vodka and gin…oh my! Distillers around the state are refining their craft and producing an eclectic menu of beverages just perfect for holiday sipping, indulging and gift giving.

Apples are Michigan’s largest and most valuable fruit crop, with 7.5 million trees covering 37,000 acres on 950 family-run farms. On a national scale, the state ranks third in apple production, with the most popular varieties being Red and Golden Delicious, Gala and the trendy Honeycrisp.

This year, the Robinette family is celebrating a historic milestone — their Centennial anniversary!

When curators at the Michigan Historical Museum were looking for unique items to enhance their “Michigan’s Roadside Attractions” exhibit in 2007, they went straight to two of the best private collectors in the state – Christine Byron and Tom Wilson. More than 400 pieces were ultimately loaned.

Pat Harrison gets paid to play with his food – and he loves it! The former graphic designer and amateur cartoonist has built a reputation as one of the finest pumpkin and vegetable sculptors in Michigan.

In today’s fast-paced world of the Internet, MP3 players and iPads, it’s hard to imagine that a little more than one hundred years ago, Michigan’s children spent the day inside a one-room schoolhouse learning their lessons in reading, writing and arithmetic. In the early 1990s, there were more than 7,000 one-room schools in operation in the state.

While only 2,000 of Michigan’s 14,600 acres of vineyards are devoted to wine grapes, they hold more than 50 varieties. From bone-dry to ultra-sweet ice varietals, a full range of white, rose, red and sparkling wines are being crafted in the Great Lake State.