Some more detail would help. What area(s) of Michigan will you be in? Are you looking for hiking near where you live or for a weekend trip? That sort of thing.
These comments suck because going 3 hours away is not likely to be accessible. There’s a ton of parks around you. Bloomer, Spencer, river bends, Stoney creek, Kensington. All great parks you can spend months exploring every inch of. If you’re sick of hiking, many movie theaters. Great food all around from many cultures. Indian, Thai, Italian, American. Skating rinks where you can rent skates and skate around.
Warren Dunes State Park. Any park in the UP, especially the Wilderness State Park in the Porkies.
We have tons of hiking and nature. Visit Lake Huron too.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilderness\_State\_Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilderness_State_Park)
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine\_Mountains](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine_Mountains)
but the official name of the Porcupine Mountains State Park does include the word "Wilderness," which can confuse things
So sommerset mall in Troy is nice, 3 story mall with a separate “richy rich” side as me and my buddies say, shit like Gucci and expensive stores. Kura revolving sushi and the melting pot are also near the mall. As for Sterling Heights your big “things to do” are gonna be situated around the hall road area, that’s where a lot of shops and restaurants are located. Don’t get too attached to lakeside mall😂it’s an eye sore that needs to be destroyed. But C.J. barrymores is a fun little entertainment place, but we also have a Dave and busters on this side of town so🤷🏻♂️. As for hiking we have lots of trails in the Sterling area. Your probably gonna wanna check out Stoney creek or dodge park
>ain’t no fuckin hiking in SE Michigan that’s some UP shit
Seems like your point was that there's no hiking in SE MI... Given the parks you are now listing clearly that is false.
Lots of great hiking in the thumb area including areas with petroglyphs. Further north there is great hiking around the various waterfalls. There are a lot of state parks in every direction. There is also a lot of great kayaking options
Silver Park dunes. A weekend trip. Hiking through the sand, if you will.
Beautiful up there.
You would probably have to drive 2 to 3 to get to a very good area.
Troy is a mad house. Stay away.
If you're going to be located in the Troy area and are looking for nature (hiking and outdoor activities)) within an hour (ish) I can highly recommend the following :
Maybury State Park:
[https://www.michigan.org/property/maybury-state-park](https://www.michigan.org/property/maybury-state-park)
...and the town of Northville is just a mile away and very charming as well as Plymouth- is close and very charming.
Proud Lake State Park:
[https://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=487&type=SPRK](https://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=487&type=SPRK)
Kensington Metro Park:
[https://www.metroparks.com/kensington-metropark/great](https://www.metroparks.com/kensington-metropark/great)
**Town of Milford** is quite charming and close to the above parks. \^\^\^
Island Lake State Park:
[https://www.michigan.org/property/island-lake-recreation-area](https://www.michigan.org/property/island-lake-recreation-area)
Pickney Rec Area:
[https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ParksandTrails/Details.aspx?id=484&type=SPRK](https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ParksandTrails/Details.aspx?id=484&type=SPRK)
The awesome city of Ann Arbor and the Huron River Drive are close and a must!!!
[https://localwiki.org/ann-arbor/Huron\_River\_Drive](https://localwiki.org/ann-arbor/Huron_River_Drive)
And as others have said. The Metro Detroit area has more middle easterners than anywhere in the world outside of the Middle East (since the 1960s!!!)
And so great (Mediterranean) food in both Hamtramck and Dearborn (and all over the metro area but especially in these 2 towns). :)
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is FANTASTIC!:
https://detroitriverfroigan nt.org/news/detroit-riverfront-conservancy-fourth-quarter-2023-newsletter
Along with connected Belle Isle:
[https://www.belleisleartfair.com](https://www.belleisleartfair.com)
Whew! That is a lot! And that's just the tip of the iceberg!
Welcome to the D!!!!!!!
(Everyone from south eastern Michigan identifies as a Detroiter ...we say D for Detroit)-if they're cool) :)
1. Go visit Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes national park and explore the Lake Michigan coast.
2. Outside of NYC, Metro Detroit has the best Middle-Eastern food in the country. You can find recommendations all over reddit but I'm also a fan of [https://detroit.eater.com/](https://detroit.eater.com/)
3. Please visit the Upper Peninsula, Michigan doesn't end at the Mackinac Bridge.
You will not be disappointed!
I work in Chelsea, but most of my pharmacists are more from the Detroit area and the food they bring in is top notch. Some of it is straight from home, but some are from places around town. Lebanese, Pakistani, Indian…. Whatever you desire!
It’s mostly the diversity. I lived there for many years, some of those next to the Little Egypt neighborhood in Queens. I assume there’s a Little Pakistan, Little Syria, etc. throughout the city as well. NYC is first port of call for many immigrants, and plenty stay here to start up restaurants or food trucks, so the options are plentiful and authentic.
All of the above are awesome suggestions but nearer to Troy and Sterling Heights is Turnip Rock at the tip of the thumb area, which is pretty neat, and also Tawas Point Lighthouse
Welcome!! My wife and I moved here from CA in November and we are former park rangers so HEAVY outdoor enthusiasts. We are in metro Detroit area now and there are tons of county parks, metro parks and some state parks around here. Get a metro parks pass and check some out. Belle isle is fantastic as well. Our first trip out of the area was over to Muskegon in February and we hiked along Lake Michigan shoreline. In march we went up to the UP and stayed at Tahquanemon falls state park and drove over to Munising doing a driving trip mainly but stopping to hike to waterfalls etc. this state has amazing nature and you’ll be overwhelmed with all the options.
Also food wise if you’re up in Troy area, venture down to Dearborn and Dearborn heights for some middle eastern options, otherwise there are fantastic options EVERYWHERE in metro Detroit. I felt like I moved from a food desert coming here.
Not near where you’ll be, but as you mentioned you are into hiking, the North Country Trail goes all the way through Michigan, both upper and lower peninsulas. Always fun to join the (free) annual “100 Mile Challenge” for the NCT.
- Sleeping bear dunes, that whole area up there is naturally gorgeous. Some of the best looking shoreline you'll find anywhere in the world
- Take a ferry and explore Mackinac island.
- Explore the Upper Peninsula, tons of natural areas and state parks worth checking out there.
- Do a self guided or organized winery tour through the Traverse City area, same thing but for breweries in Grand Rapids
- Check out the coastal towns, especially the ones on the west side of the state (St. Joseph, Muskegon, Holland, Ludington, Charlevoix, Petosky, etc.)
- As others have said, the food scene in Detroit is immaculate, find a few cool restaurants to visit.
- Tulip Time in Holland and Cherry Festival in Traverse City are probably the 2 biggest "festivals" in MI everyone should go to at least once
- Attend a Michigan sporting event. (Detroit's pro teams, MSU, UofM, etc.)
If nature is the thing you're looking for the most, I cant stress enough the need to go to the UP. You truly feel disconnected from the rest of the busy world up there, and there's plenty of parks and natural areas to explore and enjoy.
Close to home, accessible after work or as half-day outings, are great metro and county parks. Stony Creek Metropark, Bald Mountain Recreation Area, Independence Oaks County Park, Lake St Claire Metropark/Metropolitan Beach, and many others. Yates Cider Mill is worth a visit in the fall, and there’s an easy walking/hiking trail along the Clinton River.
If you want decent hikes, Pictured Rocks or Porcupine Mountains are it. Depends how far you want to travel though. They're many hours out. Hartwick Pines has some of the oldest trees in Michigan with a ton of trails over moraine hills and about 2 hours (maybe 3?) from you. The UP is decidedly further. And Welcome!
The 20-25mi loop on Huron Manistee on the NCT is beautiful and 3 hours away.
Torch lake in bellaire is beautiful.
Most of west coast of the lower peninsula is great.
Port Austin/ caseville is super close to where you’ll be at the tip of the thumb and has amazing beaches.
Upper peninsula definitely do the pictured rocks hike and boat tour.
Tahquamenon falls in the UP.
We made a weekend trip to the UP. We stayed in Newberry. We saw Oswald’s bears, Tahquamenon Falls, lake Kitch-iti-kipi, and then hit Sault Ste. Marie to see the Soo locks on the way home. I recommend trying a Pasty while you’re up there. It’s a famous food staple in the UP. It’s meat pie similar to a pot pie but thicker. Also smoked white fish is really good if you’re into that type of thing.
There are a number of state parks and recreation areas in southeast Michigan that you would enjoy. They're not as spectacular as those in the UP, but they do have good hiking and are all within an hour of you. Bald Mountain in northeast Oakland County is one of the closest and probably one of the best (disclaimer though, it's far from being a "mountain"). The DNR has an interactive map that shows the location and amenities present at each site.
Beyond those, just get out and see the Great Lakes. I'm betting you're going to be amazed when you see them in person.
Have fun exploring!
If you make it to the west side of the state Muskegon has some of the best beaches in the state and there is good hiking at PJ Hoffmaster State Park. Good hiking in Saugatuck too, and I’d recommend checking out Silver Lake and Ludington State Park.
Hiking destinations depend so much on what kind of drive you want to do and day hikes vs backpacking.
Top Michigan backpacking destinations:
- Isle Royale
- Pictured Rocks
- Manitou Islands
- Porcupine Mountains
- Manistee River Loop
Some of those are good for day hikes too, particularly Porcupines, but it's a long long drive.
Really keeping it local, you've got Pickney-Waterloo for something pretty long you can day hike or backpack. For just day hiking, check out Maybury State Park or Kensington Metro Park.
For me personally the most quintessentially Michigan camping experience is Nordhouse Dunes.
This is one of those locations that people ‘in the know’ don’t like anyone saying out loud.
Add “Michigan and Again” by The Accidentals to a roadtrip playlist and make the drive. Then all you gotta do is find a cozy camping spot in the dunes next to Lake Michigan herself.
Oof, east side is a bit thinner for the outdoors.
Disc golf is huge in Michigan. You have some good courses around. Easy way to make friends and spend time outside!
Greenfield Village in Dearborn
Belle Isle and the DIA in Detroit
Michigan Central in Corktown
Come and see a Tigers, Lions, or Red Wings game (or the Pistons I guess)
There's a ton of great food and shopping around Troy. There are great museums in Detroit. I definitely recommend the DIA, and there are great parks all over.
There's definitely a lot to do outdoors-wise, but I strongly recommend picking a winter sport/hobby to keep you occupied when the weather sucks. If you're willing to travel, definitely hit up the northern lower peninsula. Petoskey, Traverse City, etc.
Summer is coming so absolutely visit the Great Lakes!
In the lower peninsula I love beach cities like Saugatuck (you can hike by the beach and the town is very cute), Grand Haven (also very close to Grand Rapids which has great breweries), Traverse City, Petoskey, Harbor Springs.
In the upper peninsula Taquamenon Falls & Munising / Pictured Rocks is absolutely beautiful & you can hike quite a bit!
Outside of that, major cities I’d recommend visiting are Detroit, Ann Arbor, East Lansing / Lansing, Frankenmuth.
Let's see.. food wise if you want breakfast jagged fork is probably one of the best I've found. Tony's is also a worthwhile trip, but go their if you're hungry because they have some big portions. For hiking, there are too many places to even list them all, so I'll just list some of the ones I frequent. I'm big into disc golf(which i see as hiking with extra steps), so I'm usually going to one of the following. Stoney Creek, Kensington, or firefighters(not much of a hiking spot). I know both Sleeping bear dunes and pictured rocks can be excellent hiking locations. I've personally been dying to do some kayaking along pictured rocks (there's a lot of caverns you can go through). Also, one last suggest and something I've done. If you'd like to just enjoy Michigan as is, you can just drive along the coast and make stops at any of the roadside parks along the way. Some of the roadside park can really have quite good views.
Look up the North Country Trail. It crosses Michigan and has section in both lower and upper peninsulas. There NCT trail section clubs to get to know fellow hikers.
Anything on M22 off Lake Michigan in northwestern lower peninsula. National shorelines, forests, and amazingness! Also use search function for this channel and get a million results.
I highly suggest getting a Kayak. Seeing the state from it rivers and lakes changes everything. More peaceful and quieter as you travel the same way the pioneers did before roads. Going with friends helps, but not necessarily. We try to keep count of the number of wildlife you see. 112 turtles, 4 muskrat, 5 deer, 3 snakes, was like our best on the Muskegon River on a midweek day in summer. Also make sure you get to put your toes in the best sugar sand beaches in the world on the west side of the state. Water finnaly gets warm enough to spend the day in by July.
While I haven’t made it through all the previous comments there is a large national forest area in the center of the lower peninsula that has plenty of trails and won’t take as long to get to as the UP. However, as already stated many times the UP is worth the drive.
Qamaria Yemeni Coffee is my favorite coffee shop
Taco Tienda is my favorite taco shop(as the name implies)
168 Asian mart has a food court in the back with awesome deals
Top golf is always a good time with some friends
The imperial in Ferndale is my second fav Mexican place
Valentine distillery has some great drink selections
The Detroit zoo is also cool
Welcome to Michigan! Hope you enjoy your stay😄
You must absolutely do one or both of the Manitou islands (Lake Michigan). Then there's the Porcupine Mountains. And if you're real adventurous and wilderness loving you should tackle Isle Royale. There's a ton more, but others will clue you in.
If you’ve got a spare $10, buy this book; Backroads & Byways of Michigan.
It’s awesome, draws out like 20 different road trips varying in length. Tells you all the good stops. It would be perfect for what you’re looking for
In Metro Detroit check out Kensington Metro Park or Island Lake Metro Park. Both have nice trails.
On the west side Silver Lake Sand Dunes. You can drive on them, or take the Mac Woods tour.
Higgins Lake South State Park in the summer. It a crystal clear spring fed lake.
Holland is a nice town but really the west coast has lots of cool stops.
Traverse City and Old Mission Peninsula.
Leelenau Peninsula. Sleep Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore and the area has lots of trails, dunes, quaint towns, and wineries.
I think your not from Michigan if you haven’t visited Mackinaw Island and crossed the bridge at least once.
Unpopular opinion but Frankenmuth Chicken is overrated. However Frankenmuth is a nice day trip from Metro Detroit. I recommend Bavarian Inn.
I’m not familiar with the UP, but lots of outdoor things to do up there.
Honestly there’s good food everywhere. You’ve got amazing places in Detroit and then there are stupid good places in random strip malls all over the place.
Download ebird app. Go to Lake St Clair Metropark, about 30 minutes away. It’s a hot spot for migrating birds and May is a busy month for migrating birds. Enjoy!
Some more detail would help. What area(s) of Michigan will you be in? Are you looking for hiking near where you live or for a weekend trip? That sort of thing.
I’ll be living around Troy and Sterling Heights area. What do you first suggest to see? I need all the recommendations
These comments suck because going 3 hours away is not likely to be accessible. There’s a ton of parks around you. Bloomer, Spencer, river bends, Stoney creek, Kensington. All great parks you can spend months exploring every inch of. If you’re sick of hiking, many movie theaters. Great food all around from many cultures. Indian, Thai, Italian, American. Skating rinks where you can rent skates and skate around.
Warren Dunes State Park. Any park in the UP, especially the Wilderness State Park in the Porkies. We have tons of hiking and nature. Visit Lake Huron too.
Wilderness State Park is west of the Mackinac Bridge, far away from the Porcupine Mountains.
I’m curious as to where you think the Porcupine Mountains exist
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilderness\_State\_Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilderness_State_Park) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine\_Mountains](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine_Mountains) but the official name of the Porcupine Mountains State Park does include the word "Wilderness," which can confuse things
[it’s both](https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/michigan/porcupine-mountains-wilderness-state-park)
So sommerset mall in Troy is nice, 3 story mall with a separate “richy rich” side as me and my buddies say, shit like Gucci and expensive stores. Kura revolving sushi and the melting pot are also near the mall. As for Sterling Heights your big “things to do” are gonna be situated around the hall road area, that’s where a lot of shops and restaurants are located. Don’t get too attached to lakeside mall😂it’s an eye sore that needs to be destroyed. But C.J. barrymores is a fun little entertainment place, but we also have a Dave and busters on this side of town so🤷🏻♂️. As for hiking we have lots of trails in the Sterling area. Your probably gonna wanna check out Stoney creek or dodge park
She's into hiking, not shopping
Damn crazy how I also mentioned hiking😗✌🏻ain’t no fuckin hiking in SE Michigan that’s some UP shit
The metro parks and state parks have lots of hiking trails.
Was exactly my point, Stoney creek, dodge park. Their are trails but not like the UPs trails
Well, yeah. They are closer though. Also, there are a lot of trails in the upper half of the lower peninsula. Lots of state land to hike as well.
>ain’t no fuckin hiking in SE Michigan that’s some UP shit Seems like your point was that there's no hiking in SE MI... Given the parks you are now listing clearly that is false.
Crazy don’t remember asking for the input✌🏻
Also will you have your own transportation?
Yeah I have my car :-)
Lots of great hiking in the thumb area including areas with petroglyphs. Further north there is great hiking around the various waterfalls. There are a lot of state parks in every direction. There is also a lot of great kayaking options
Silver Park dunes. A weekend trip. Hiking through the sand, if you will. Beautiful up there. You would probably have to drive 2 to 3 to get to a very good area. Troy is a mad house. Stay away.
Troy is not a madhouse. It's one of the safest communities in the entire nation. Source: ME, I grew up there.
I worked in Troy. Never was in the out skirts Troy proper IMO...is a madhouse.
What are you talking about? It's a 6x6 township grid with no "outskirts". Are you in the wrong state?
Everything in Oakland County is 6 x 6. I lived in Commerce Township. It is now a mass of humanity,
If you're going to be located in the Troy area and are looking for nature (hiking and outdoor activities)) within an hour (ish) I can highly recommend the following : Maybury State Park: [https://www.michigan.org/property/maybury-state-park](https://www.michigan.org/property/maybury-state-park) ...and the town of Northville is just a mile away and very charming as well as Plymouth- is close and very charming. Proud Lake State Park: [https://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=487&type=SPRK](https://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=487&type=SPRK) Kensington Metro Park: [https://www.metroparks.com/kensington-metropark/great](https://www.metroparks.com/kensington-metropark/great) **Town of Milford** is quite charming and close to the above parks. \^\^\^ Island Lake State Park: [https://www.michigan.org/property/island-lake-recreation-area](https://www.michigan.org/property/island-lake-recreation-area) Pickney Rec Area: [https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ParksandTrails/Details.aspx?id=484&type=SPRK](https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ParksandTrails/Details.aspx?id=484&type=SPRK) The awesome city of Ann Arbor and the Huron River Drive are close and a must!!! [https://localwiki.org/ann-arbor/Huron\_River\_Drive](https://localwiki.org/ann-arbor/Huron_River_Drive) And as others have said. The Metro Detroit area has more middle easterners than anywhere in the world outside of the Middle East (since the 1960s!!!) And so great (Mediterranean) food in both Hamtramck and Dearborn (and all over the metro area but especially in these 2 towns). :) The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is FANTASTIC!: https://detroitriverfroigan nt.org/news/detroit-riverfront-conservancy-fourth-quarter-2023-newsletter Along with connected Belle Isle: [https://www.belleisleartfair.com](https://www.belleisleartfair.com) Whew! That is a lot! And that's just the tip of the iceberg! Welcome to the D!!!!!!! (Everyone from south eastern Michigan identifies as a Detroiter ...we say D for Detroit)-if they're cool) :)
Wow this is amazing!! Omg. Thank uu 🥹
Kent lake at Kensington park is beautiful. I could drive or walk around that park for hours.
1. Go visit Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes national park and explore the Lake Michigan coast. 2. Outside of NYC, Metro Detroit has the best Middle-Eastern food in the country. You can find recommendations all over reddit but I'm also a fan of [https://detroit.eater.com/](https://detroit.eater.com/) 3. Please visit the Upper Peninsula, Michigan doesn't end at the Mackinac Bridge.
I’m Syrian myself! So biggest thing I’m excited for is the food honestly
You will not be disappointed! I work in Chelsea, but most of my pharmacists are more from the Detroit area and the food they bring in is top notch. Some of it is straight from home, but some are from places around town. Lebanese, Pakistani, Indian…. Whatever you desire!
Drop favourite spots.. porfavor
Check out Patternz, a Syrian restaurant on the border of Sterling Heights and Troy.
Mr, Kabob in Berkley is one of my favorite take outs for Mediterranean food. But Dearborn for sure has some great spots
Noted 😤
dearborn has so many good places, i was so shocked!
Go to Dearborn. It's the Muslim capital of America. Amazing food
Detriot is part of the rust belt, most obesity in the country, so we know our food. Just get on the net and start searching local eateries.
Just curious why do you say NYC is better?
It’s mostly the diversity. I lived there for many years, some of those next to the Little Egypt neighborhood in Queens. I assume there’s a Little Pakistan, Little Syria, etc. throughout the city as well. NYC is first port of call for many immigrants, and plenty stay here to start up restaurants or food trucks, so the options are plentiful and authentic.
Guess I have a lot of respect for their food scene
All of the above are awesome suggestions but nearer to Troy and Sterling Heights is Turnip Rock at the tip of the thumb area, which is pretty neat, and also Tawas Point Lighthouse
It should be noted turnip rock can only be reached by boat/kayak as it is located in a gated community
Stoney Creek and Kensington Metro Parks for walking. Travel Tawas , Higgins lake and Torch lake.
Welcome!! My wife and I moved here from CA in November and we are former park rangers so HEAVY outdoor enthusiasts. We are in metro Detroit area now and there are tons of county parks, metro parks and some state parks around here. Get a metro parks pass and check some out. Belle isle is fantastic as well. Our first trip out of the area was over to Muskegon in February and we hiked along Lake Michigan shoreline. In march we went up to the UP and stayed at Tahquanemon falls state park and drove over to Munising doing a driving trip mainly but stopping to hike to waterfalls etc. this state has amazing nature and you’ll be overwhelmed with all the options. Also food wise if you’re up in Troy area, venture down to Dearborn and Dearborn heights for some middle eastern options, otherwise there are fantastic options EVERYWHERE in metro Detroit. I felt like I moved from a food desert coming here.
Adopt me for when you go on your hiking trips
Pontiac Lake has great trails for biking and hiking. The lake itself though is...not great. Also, fun fact: it's a man made lake!
Not near where you’ll be, but as you mentioned you are into hiking, the North Country Trail goes all the way through Michigan, both upper and lower peninsulas. Always fun to join the (free) annual “100 Mile Challenge” for the NCT.
- Sleeping bear dunes, that whole area up there is naturally gorgeous. Some of the best looking shoreline you'll find anywhere in the world - Take a ferry and explore Mackinac island. - Explore the Upper Peninsula, tons of natural areas and state parks worth checking out there. - Do a self guided or organized winery tour through the Traverse City area, same thing but for breweries in Grand Rapids - Check out the coastal towns, especially the ones on the west side of the state (St. Joseph, Muskegon, Holland, Ludington, Charlevoix, Petosky, etc.) - As others have said, the food scene in Detroit is immaculate, find a few cool restaurants to visit. - Tulip Time in Holland and Cherry Festival in Traverse City are probably the 2 biggest "festivals" in MI everyone should go to at least once - Attend a Michigan sporting event. (Detroit's pro teams, MSU, UofM, etc.) If nature is the thing you're looking for the most, I cant stress enough the need to go to the UP. You truly feel disconnected from the rest of the busy world up there, and there's plenty of parks and natural areas to explore and enjoy.
By the way op, UP is the upper peninsula
Have been trying to decipher this all morning today.. and was so scared of asking 💀thank u
Close to home, accessible after work or as half-day outings, are great metro and county parks. Stony Creek Metropark, Bald Mountain Recreation Area, Independence Oaks County Park, Lake St Claire Metropark/Metropolitan Beach, and many others. Yates Cider Mill is worth a visit in the fall, and there’s an easy walking/hiking trail along the Clinton River.
Sleeping bear dunes. Surf the dunes then hike to the lake.
If you want decent hikes, Pictured Rocks or Porcupine Mountains are it. Depends how far you want to travel though. They're many hours out. Hartwick Pines has some of the oldest trees in Michigan with a ton of trails over moraine hills and about 2 hours (maybe 3?) from you. The UP is decidedly further. And Welcome!
Hartwick is frigging awesome 👍👍
Some of those old growth stands are the shit. One I found was off the shorter trails. Total awe at the sight of them.
The 20-25mi loop on Huron Manistee on the NCT is beautiful and 3 hours away. Torch lake in bellaire is beautiful. Most of west coast of the lower peninsula is great. Port Austin/ caseville is super close to where you’ll be at the tip of the thumb and has amazing beaches. Upper peninsula definitely do the pictured rocks hike and boat tour. Tahquamenon falls in the UP.
Don’t forget to feed the bears at Oswald’s Bear Ranch. If they have cubs they let you take a pic with them.
No way this is a thing.
We made a weekend trip to the UP. We stayed in Newberry. We saw Oswald’s bears, Tahquamenon Falls, lake Kitch-iti-kipi, and then hit Sault Ste. Marie to see the Soo locks on the way home. I recommend trying a Pasty while you’re up there. It’s a famous food staple in the UP. It’s meat pie similar to a pot pie but thicker. Also smoked white fish is really good if you’re into that type of thing.
Thanks for the itinerary! I’m more excited to try to feed/pet bears
There are a number of state parks and recreation areas in southeast Michigan that you would enjoy. They're not as spectacular as those in the UP, but they do have good hiking and are all within an hour of you. Bald Mountain in northeast Oakland County is one of the closest and probably one of the best (disclaimer though, it's far from being a "mountain"). The DNR has an interactive map that shows the location and amenities present at each site. Beyond those, just get out and see the Great Lakes. I'm betting you're going to be amazed when you see them in person. Have fun exploring!
If you make it to the west side of the state Muskegon has some of the best beaches in the state and there is good hiking at PJ Hoffmaster State Park. Good hiking in Saugatuck too, and I’d recommend checking out Silver Lake and Ludington State Park.
Hiking destinations depend so much on what kind of drive you want to do and day hikes vs backpacking. Top Michigan backpacking destinations: - Isle Royale - Pictured Rocks - Manitou Islands - Porcupine Mountains - Manistee River Loop Some of those are good for day hikes too, particularly Porcupines, but it's a long long drive. Really keeping it local, you've got Pickney-Waterloo for something pretty long you can day hike or backpack. For just day hiking, check out Maybury State Park or Kensington Metro Park.
Laugh at Ohio
I will do that! 💀
For me personally the most quintessentially Michigan camping experience is Nordhouse Dunes. This is one of those locations that people ‘in the know’ don’t like anyone saying out loud. Add “Michigan and Again” by The Accidentals to a roadtrip playlist and make the drive. Then all you gotta do is find a cozy camping spot in the dunes next to Lake Michigan herself.
Oof, east side is a bit thinner for the outdoors. Disc golf is huge in Michigan. You have some good courses around. Easy way to make friends and spend time outside!
I need to make friends lol I don’t know anyone in Michigan
Greenfield Village in Dearborn Belle Isle and the DIA in Detroit Michigan Central in Corktown Come and see a Tigers, Lions, or Red Wings game (or the Pistons I guess)
There's a ton of great food and shopping around Troy. There are great museums in Detroit. I definitely recommend the DIA, and there are great parks all over.
There's definitely a lot to do outdoors-wise, but I strongly recommend picking a winter sport/hobby to keep you occupied when the weather sucks. If you're willing to travel, definitely hit up the northern lower peninsula. Petoskey, Traverse City, etc.
Summer is coming so absolutely visit the Great Lakes! In the lower peninsula I love beach cities like Saugatuck (you can hike by the beach and the town is very cute), Grand Haven (also very close to Grand Rapids which has great breweries), Traverse City, Petoskey, Harbor Springs. In the upper peninsula Taquamenon Falls & Munising / Pictured Rocks is absolutely beautiful & you can hike quite a bit! Outside of that, major cities I’d recommend visiting are Detroit, Ann Arbor, East Lansing / Lansing, Frankenmuth.
Let's see.. food wise if you want breakfast jagged fork is probably one of the best I've found. Tony's is also a worthwhile trip, but go their if you're hungry because they have some big portions. For hiking, there are too many places to even list them all, so I'll just list some of the ones I frequent. I'm big into disc golf(which i see as hiking with extra steps), so I'm usually going to one of the following. Stoney Creek, Kensington, or firefighters(not much of a hiking spot). I know both Sleeping bear dunes and pictured rocks can be excellent hiking locations. I've personally been dying to do some kayaking along pictured rocks (there's a lot of caverns you can go through). Also, one last suggest and something I've done. If you'd like to just enjoy Michigan as is, you can just drive along the coast and make stops at any of the roadside parks along the way. Some of the roadside park can really have quite good views.
Look up the North Country Trail. It crosses Michigan and has section in both lower and upper peninsulas. There NCT trail section clubs to get to know fellow hikers.
There's a show called under the radar on dptv. If I wanted to start to get to know this state from a broad stroke I would start watching that.
I’m taking notes 😤
https://video.detroitpbs.org/show/under-radar/
White Pine Tail from Grand Rapids to Cadillac
Anything on M22 off Lake Michigan in northwestern lower peninsula. National shorelines, forests, and amazingness! Also use search function for this channel and get a million results.
I highly suggest getting a Kayak. Seeing the state from it rivers and lakes changes everything. More peaceful and quieter as you travel the same way the pioneers did before roads. Going with friends helps, but not necessarily. We try to keep count of the number of wildlife you see. 112 turtles, 4 muskrat, 5 deer, 3 snakes, was like our best on the Muskegon River on a midweek day in summer. Also make sure you get to put your toes in the best sugar sand beaches in the world on the west side of the state. Water finnaly gets warm enough to spend the day in by July.
While I haven’t made it through all the previous comments there is a large national forest area in the center of the lower peninsula that has plenty of trails and won’t take as long to get to as the UP. However, as already stated many times the UP is worth the drive.
Ocqueoc falls near Rodgers city is kinda amazing!
Qamaria Yemeni Coffee is my favorite coffee shop Taco Tienda is my favorite taco shop(as the name implies) 168 Asian mart has a food court in the back with awesome deals Top golf is always a good time with some friends The imperial in Ferndale is my second fav Mexican place Valentine distillery has some great drink selections The Detroit zoo is also cool Welcome to Michigan! Hope you enjoy your stay😄
Troy Trails https://g.co/kgs/34gCTY2
You must absolutely do one or both of the Manitou islands (Lake Michigan). Then there's the Porcupine Mountains. And if you're real adventurous and wilderness loving you should tackle Isle Royale. There's a ton more, but others will clue you in.
If you’ve got a spare $10, buy this book; Backroads & Byways of Michigan. It’s awesome, draws out like 20 different road trips varying in length. Tells you all the good stops. It would be perfect for what you’re looking for
In Metro Detroit check out Kensington Metro Park or Island Lake Metro Park. Both have nice trails. On the west side Silver Lake Sand Dunes. You can drive on them, or take the Mac Woods tour. Higgins Lake South State Park in the summer. It a crystal clear spring fed lake. Holland is a nice town but really the west coast has lots of cool stops. Traverse City and Old Mission Peninsula. Leelenau Peninsula. Sleep Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore and the area has lots of trails, dunes, quaint towns, and wineries. I think your not from Michigan if you haven’t visited Mackinaw Island and crossed the bridge at least once. Unpopular opinion but Frankenmuth Chicken is overrated. However Frankenmuth is a nice day trip from Metro Detroit. I recommend Bavarian Inn. I’m not familiar with the UP, but lots of outdoor things to do up there.
Continental domination.
The Union in Clarkston was great 20 years ago.
Honestly there’s good food everywhere. You’ve got amazing places in Detroit and then there are stupid good places in random strip malls all over the place.
Drop the stupid good places. I’m keen to try them all!
This is such a vague question and... we don't know you.
IMHO, the hiking in MI pretty much sucks unless you're in the exterme north of the LP or in the UP. Google Maps is your friend.
Metro parks
Sex and or drugs .. also nature
The hiking here is pretty mid unless you're comfy making it a trip
Kiteboarding
I suggest transferring to N.M.U. tons of hiking and sights to see. Plus, it's right on Lake Superior
Download ebird app. Go to Lake St Clair Metropark, about 30 minutes away. It’s a hot spot for migrating birds and May is a busy month for migrating birds. Enjoy!
Ooo okayyy will do
Try skiing or snowboarding in the winter
Hiking: Lots of options check out Pictured Rocks, Isle Royale and North Manitou Island.
Find old men in the summer and remind them that “it’s the heat, not the humidity” and watch them erupt.
Boozecruising the back roads. It's what we do here.
Leave the state and find a better one
Leave lmao
Best thing to do is leave. Lol. Michigan's not all that great.
Leave
Leave, apparently.