Michigan Travel Guides

Michigan is a midwest state full of variety and adventure! Known as the “Great Lake State,” Michigan touches 4 out of the 5 Great Lakes. This means you can find brilliant blue water and white sand beaches on Lake Michigan, incredible rock formations along Lake Superior and more gems throughout the state.

Michigan is mainly divided between two regions; The Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula. The Upper Peninsula is especially known for its outdoor recreation, and includes incredible waterfalls, a rugged coastline, and many hiking opportunities.

The Lower Peninsula has bigger cities, but also has plenty of outdoor gems such as the unique Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore.

No matter where you go, Michigan is worth a visit and underrated when it comes to outdoor adventure.

Michigan UP Travel Resources

Heading to the Michigan UP soon? Here are some resources to help you plan!

  • If you're hiking in Michigan, I recommend the All Trails Plus Membership! This will allow you to download offline maps and take advantage of other features that will help keep you safe.

  • I highly recommend taking a guided kayaking tour of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore! I had a great experience with Northern Water Adventures.

  • Search for hotels in Munising, Houghton or Traverse City on Booking.com

The Michigan Upper Peninsula

The Michigan Upper Peninsula, (or the U.P. - as it’s affectionately known), is the place to go if you’re looking for hiking, kayaking and solitude. The area is full of wildlife - including moose and bears - and only has about 3% of the Michigan population, despite making up 30% of the land area of the state.

A few of the best things to do in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan include taking a sunset boat tour of Pictured Rocks, hiking in the Porcupine Mountains, touring a historic mine and seeing the largest freshwater spring in Michigan.

Read my Michigan U.P. guides to plan your trip!

Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale National Park is Michigan's only national park - and it's a remote island on Lake Superior! It's hard to get to, making it the one of the least visited US national parks.

In my guide, I explain exactly how to get to Isle Royale, and what to do when you arrive! It's a park that should be on your USA bucket list.

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An Epic Isle Royale Itinerary for Backpacking (First-Timers Guide)

More Midwest Adventures

Looking for new ideas for midwest destinations? Check out my list of incredible outdoorsy midwest road trips!

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The 12 Best Outdoorsy Road Trips in the Midwest

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