Michigan’s Best 15
If you had asked me about Michigan 10 years ago, automobiles, manufacturing, and a declining economy would have been the first few things to pop in my head. Not to mention all that government bail out stuff. I didn’t know anyone that lived in Michigan let alone vacationed there. But then things changed. 6 years ago Nisheet and I decided to do the Lake Michigan Circle tour which took us on a wonderful road trip around the entire lake. We started in Chicago and worked counterclockwise with our first stop being Indiana Dunes. The Dunes, as the Chicagoans call it, has always been one of those “get away from it all” places for me. That’s where I would go to clear the cobwebs in my head and put myself in a more natural setting. The dunes are huge, and the water extends seemingly forever. The next day we hit Michigan, and I wondered how I ever liked the Indiana Dunes. In Michigan, the dunes were even larger, the water clearer, the sky blue-er, and the air crisper. A few year later, Nisheet moved to Grand Rapids, and we got to experience even more of “Pure Michigan.”
Art Prize in Grand Rapids
Art Prize is held every fall in downtown Grand Rapids and has over 1000 works of art from all over the world on display at over 100 different venues. The venues range from hotel lobbies to rivers to street corners to art museums. The art work includes everything from painstakingly detailed pencil sketches to fire spitting dragons all in the run to win the top prize of $200,000. The best part is that the contestants are juried by the public. Download the smartphone app and you can vote for your favorites! And if you really like the piece of art, you might even be able to buy it.
HELPFUL LINKS
(1) Climb the dunes as Sleeping Bear
(2) Go wine tasting on the Old Mission Peninsula
(3) Admire the views at Pictured Rocks
(4) Attend Tulip Time in Holland, MI
(5) Eat cherry pie at the Cherry Republic
(6) Sample Michigan beer at the Winter Beer Festival
(7) Explore the waterfalls at Tahquamenon Falls
(8) Attend Art Prize in Grand Rapids, MI
(9) Relax on the beach in Western Michigan. Our favorites include Holland State Park, Grand Haven State Park, Muskegon State Park
(10) Find your inner artist at the Meijer Gardens
(11) Step into history at the Henry Ford Museum
(12) Enjoy a sunset over Lake Michigan. Check out the sunset near the Platte River Campgrounds.
(13) Go on a dune buggy ride on the Michigan dunes. We recommend Mac Wood’s Dune Rides.
(14) Take to the slopes on the Michigan Mountains. We recommend Caberfae and Boyne Highlands.
(15) Search for Petoskey stones.
Disclaimer: We were not paid by any party to write our recommendations.
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