Sights in Michigan
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Isle Royale National Park
Totally free of vehicles and roads, Isle Royale National Park, a 210-sq-mile island in Lake Superior, is certainly the place to go for peace and quiet. It gets fewer visitors in a year than Yellowstone National Park gets in a day, which means the packs of wolves and moose creeping through the forest are all yours.
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Ludington State Park
The lakeside Ludington State Park, beyond the city limits on M-116, is one of Michigan's largest and most popular playlots. It has a top-notch trail system, a renovated lighthouse to visit (or live in, as a volunteer lighthouse keeper) and miles of beach.
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Greektown
Busy Greektown has restaurants, bakeries and a casino. Early each day, the large halls at the Eastern Market fill with a melting pot of bartering shoppers and vendors. Specialty shops, delis and restaurants surround the site.
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Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a 110-sq-mile national park to the east that holds the namesake colored sandstone bluffs.
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Henry Ford Museum
Few could ignore the historical impact of one of earliest artifacts of the 20th century: the first ever Henry Ford automobile. The museum remains much as Ford originally planned and is - surprise! - a massive shrine to the automobile and its impact on America. The Wienermobile used in 1936 by Oscar Meyer hot dogs is a particular knockout.
Henry Ford and 11 associates opened the Ford Motor Company in 1903. They kicked off their tiny operation in a converted Detroit wagon shop and employed 10 people. Today, Ford is the second largest car and truck maker in the world, with a staff of 370,000.
Ford was born and raised in Dearborn, a small town not far from Detroit. In 1915, h…
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Motown Historical Museum
The Motown Historical Museum comprises a string of modest houses that became known as 'Hitsville USA' after Berry Gordy launched Motown Records here - and the careers of Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and Michael Jackson - with an $800 loan in 1959. Gordy and Motown split for the glitz of Los Angeles in 1972, but you can still step into humble Studio A and see where the famed names recorded their first hits. A tour takes about 90 minutes, and consists mostly of looking at old photos and listening to guides' stories.
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Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
Beyond the little town of Paradise, is the fascinating Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum; its intriguing displays include items trawled up from sunken ships. More than 300 vessels - including the Edmund Fitzgerald that Gordon Lightfoot crooned about - have sunk in the area's congested sea lanes and unpredictable weather, earning it such nicknames as the 'Shipwreck Coast' and 'Graveyard of the Great Lakes.'
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Tahquamenon Falls State Park
The Upper Falls in Tahquamenon Falls State Park are 200ft across with a 50ft drop, making them some of the largest falls east of the Mississippi River. The Lower Falls are a series of smaller cascades best viewed by renting a boat (per person $4) and rowing across the river to an island. The large state park also has camping (campsites $16 to $23), great hiking and - bonus - a brewpub near the park entrance.
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Heidelberg Project
Welcome to the Heidelberg Project, the brainchild of street artist Tyree Guyton, who wanted to beautify his run-down community (which has the dubious distinction of being the USA's most economically depressed 'hood). Get here by taking Gratiot Ave northwest to Heidelberg St; the project spans from Ellery to Mt Elliott Sts.
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Fort Mackinac
Fort Mackinac sits atop limestone cliffs near downtown. The British built it in 1780, and it's one of the best-preserved military forts in the country. Stop into the fort's tearoom for a bite and million-dollar view of downtown and the Straits of Mackinac from the outdoor tables.
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Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit
The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is located in what was an abandoned, graffiti-slathered auto dealership. Heat lamps hang from the ceiling over peculiar exhibits that change every few months. An organic-oriented café with free wi-fi adds to the young scene.
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Renaissance Center
GM's glossy, cloud-poking headquarters is a fine place to grab a bite (in the Wintergarden), take a free hour-long tour (Monday through Friday at noon and 2pm) or embark on the riverfront walkway.
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Detroit Zoo
The Arctic Ring of Life at the Detroit Zoo is the world's largest polar exhibit. It includes first-rate displays on Inuit culture and a 'polar bear tube, ' where the huge white creatures swim overhead. It's located just north in Royal Oak. Parking costs $5.
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Wright Museum of African American History
The Wright Museum of African American History holds less than it would seem from the impressive exterior, though it's worth a look inside. The full-scale model of slaves chained up on a dark, creaking slave ship will leave you chilled.
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Soo Locks Park & Visitors Center
The Soo Locks Park & Visitors Center is on Portage Ave in the heart of downtown. It features displays, videos and neato observation decks from which you can watch the boats leap 21ft from Lake Superior to Lake Huron.
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Comerica Park
Next door to Ford Field, the Tigers (in case you hadn't guessed from the giant stone animals roaring over the entrance) play pro baseball here. The park is particularly kid friendly, with a small Ferris wheel and carousel inside.
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Petoskey State Park
Petoskey State Park is north along M-119 and has a beautiful beach. Look for indigenous Petoskey stones, which are honeycomb-patterned fragments of ancient coral.
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Historic Mill Creek
The Historic Mill Creek has an 18th-century sawmill, historic displays and nature trails. A ticket for the sight is available at a discount.
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Colonial Michilimackinac
The Colonial Michilimackinac is a National Historic Landmark that features a reconstructed stockade first built in 1715 by the French.
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Detroit Institute of Arts
The cream of the crop is the Detroit Institute of Arts, which is lauded for its American collection.
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People Mover
The People Mover looks like the monorail in the classic Simpsons episode. As mass transit, its 3-mile loop on elevated tracks around downtown is pretty impractical. As a tourist attraction, it's cheap (50¢) and provides great views of the city and riverfront.
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