|
On any map, Michigan appears like a massive mitten
floating in the giant puddles of the Great Lakes. Bordering
four of America's great inland lakes, Michigan has truly earned
the title of a Great Lakes state. The state is divided
in two with upper and lower peninsulas. The more rugged, untouched
Upper Peninsula faces Lake Superior on one side
and Lake Michigan on the other, while the larger and
more developed Lower Peninsula has shores on Lake
Michigan, Huron, and Erie. As a four-season vacationland,
Michigan appeals to travelers all year round. Depending on
the season, you can enjoy everything from sand dunes, ski
slopes, lakeshore beaches, and ice fishing.
Detroit
With its name almost synonymous with automobiles, Detroit,
the city that put the world on wheels, is the birthplace of
mass production. In fact, it continues to produce 25 percent
of America's automobiles, trucks, and tractors. It's the city
of manufacturers Ford, Chrysler, and Dodge.
Car manufacturers may have placed Detroit on the map, but,
Michigan's southwest city has several other characteristics
of which to be proud. It's one of the few cities in the United
States where you can look south into Canada - across the Detroit
River and into Windsor, Canada, famous for its
booming casinos. In fact, poker chips, neon signs, and all-night
buffet lines for gamblers are only a five-minute drive from
downtown Detroit through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel or
via the Ambassador Bridge. Detroit is also home of
'hitsville, USA' - the legendary Motown record house
where music greats like Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie
Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson Five, and The Temptations
recorded their first hits. The recording studio has since
been transformed into a museum, with photographs, platinum
records, and memorabilia on display.
Sleeping Bear Dunes
If you're in search of a slower pace of life than the production-line
speed of Detroit, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
on the north west tip of Michigan's "mitten" is
the prime destination. An Ojibway American Indian legend tells
of a mother bear, who with her two little cubs tried to swim
across Lake Michigan from Wisconsin to escape
a forest fire. When the mother reached the shore safely, she
climbed to the top of a bluff to search for her offspring
who, exhausted, had fallen behind. They never reached her.
Today, she can still be seen as the sleeping bear, a solitary
dune that rises above the surrounding landscape. Her cubs
are the Manitou islands, which lie several miles offshore.
Visitors to Sleeping Bear Dunes can either dune climb 150
feet on foot through the dunes for a breathtaking panoramic
view of the surrounding countryside, roll and tumble down
hills of sugary sand, and explore both North and South Manitou
islands on foot. The islands, less developed than the mainland
are prime spots for backpacking, cross-country skiing and
camping, so long as you follow the park's wilderness regulations.
Isle Royale
Isle Royale may be the largest island on Lake Superior,
but it is by far the least developed. There are no roads and
no cars are allowed. The main island stretches 45 miles long
and is surrounded by over 400 smaller islands. The only wildlife
here are those animals able to fly, swim, drift across the
water, or travel on ice, and the only human visitors to the
island are those desiring to melt into the wilderness for
a short while. Moose, wolf, and fox are the
dominant mammals, but before 1900, no moose existed on the
island. Researchers have concluded that several moose must
have swum to the island around 1912. Today, more than 700
moose populate the island. Wolves migrated across the ice
and stayed. Campsites are scattered sparsely throughout the
island and for those who prefer a warm bed, Rock Harbor
Lodge on the east end of the island offers rooms, cabins,
and a restaurant.
Mackinac Island
If islands are your thing but you'd prefer pedestrian lanes
lined with ice cream parlors, florists, fudge shops, and cozy
eateries, then visit Mackinac Island, located at the
top of Michigan's 'mitten' where Michigan's upper and lower
peninsulas meet. Through the years, the island has succeeded
in preserving its timeless bubble. Cars are nonexistent on
this quaint island, limiting transportation to horse and buggy,
bicycle, or foot. Instead of revved car engines, the clip-clopping
of horse hooves drift in the air. Outside of the small island
town, horse trails wind through wooded hills, while among
the main strip of shops, pedestrians wander with ice cream,
browse boutiques, or taste test the rich fudge that lures
chocolate lovers everywhere. While the island is scattered
with several campgrounds in addition to its cottages and summer
homes, you can't visit Mackinac Island without a visit to
The Grand Hotel. Perched atop a hill with a massive
front porch that overlooks the roses and azaleas of formal
gardens below, the Grand Hotel is more than just a larger
than life bed and breakfast - it's a historic landmark. American
greats like Mark Twain often spent part of his summers
here, lecturing occasionally in the hotel lobby. As the largest
summer hotel since 1887, The Grand Hotel with its 343 uniquely
decorated guest rooms and full breakfast menu, has swept away
guests to a bygone era of croquet on endless lawns, afternoon
tea, and lazy days on a rocking-chair porch.
|
