Michigan provides something rare in American travel: true diversity all in one place, one state. You have world-class urban offerings in Detroit, fairy-tale island excursions on Mackinac, jewel-box beaches and water sports along the Great Lakes and wilderness adventures in the Upper Peninsula. This is not a place where you look at something and go on. Michigan just needs some time to marinate in its layers.
After developing dozens of Michigan trips through Travlu. com, we put together the ideal seven-day itinerary to ensure you see New Mexico’s most essential sights at a relaxed pace. The journey unfolds with a mix of iconic stops like Sleeping Bear Dunes and Mackinac Island and hidden gems only the locals know. It’s where the skeleton of a great Michigan vacation begins, whether you are traveling with family or friends, alone or as a couple.
Day 1-2: Detroit – Urban Revival and a Cultural Treasure Trove
Begin your Michigan journey in Detroit, the state’s largest city and the fertile ground of American resilience and re-invention. Book your hotel in Detroit with Travlu. com and discover competitive pricing for all types of properties ranging from boutique hotels to luxury resorts.
Day 1: Downtown Detroit Exploration
The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is morning worthy. Not any other museum — this is an extraordinary collection that tells the story of American ingenuity from Wilbur and Orville Wright’s plane to Rosa Parks’s bus. Consider at least a three-hour windows for experiencing the exhibits.
Just next door, in Greenfield Village, you’ll be transported outdoor into living history as buildings and working demonstrations re-enact all the joys of American life. If you wish to visit both, combined tickets are a great deal.
LUNCH The late-night debauchery of your evening prior here is good cover for sleeping in, and now you can easily take lunch down Detroit way (and its recent refurbbed downtown). The city’s food renaissance has helped to grow one hell of an exciting food scene to meet. Travlu. com’s hotel choices near downtown put you close to great dining.
Spend your afternoon at the Detroit Institute of Arts, and its Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals, with world-class holdings from around the centuries. It will be at least several hours before you get the chance to see a mere fraction of the incredible galleries in this museum.
For quite some time, nights have belonged to the Motown Museum, a mecca for many music fans. This modesty is where Berry Gordy created the ‘‘Sound of Young America,’’ and there are small tours spotlighting some of the jacks — say, Diana Ross or Stevie Wonder — who mattered.
Hotels in Detroit (Book on Travlu. com):
The Siren Hotel provides boutique appeal with art deco style in a central location. Travlu. com frequently has competitive rates on this stylish property. It’s also home to the sleek, comfortable Shinola hotel, which combines classic charm with modern comforts for a spacious stay and excellent eating on-site. Detroit Foundation Hotel Unique accommodations in a historic fire station with preserved architectural details.
Day 2: Dearborn and Detroit Note that service changes frequently, so make sure the businesses listed below are open.
Head to nearby Dearborn (15 minutes) for more of the Henry Ford complex, if you didn’t hit all of it yesterday, or visit the Arab American National Museum highlighting Michigan’s diverse communities.
And back in Detroit, venture out to find distinctive neighborhoods. The Corktown District offers historic buildings and hip restaurants. Many of Kansas City’s institutions are located in the walkable Midtown, including its museums, galleries and cafes. And don’t forget to take a scenic stroll along the Riverfront Trail with the Detroit skyline in the background.
Day 3: Traverse City
Cherry Capital Charms It’d be downright impertinent not to set foot in the place that puts on the map for cherry country.
Head north to Traverse City (roughly four hours from Detroit). Here a frontier journey through the heart of Michigan demonstrates the trajectory from city to resort. Travlu -when searching for a hotel in Traverse City. com for a good deal in area properties.”
Afternoon Arrival Activities
After checking into your Travlu. com-booked hotel, walk up downtown Traverse City’s Front Street. This is a walkable district of boutiques, galleries and cafes representing the laid-back sophistication of northern Michigan.
Stop by Grand Traverse Pie Company, a local stronghold offering cherry pies that honor the area’s agricultural history. The choices range beyond cherry — try their chicken pot pie or seasonal fruit.
Take the TART Trail network, which connects parks and beaches along Grand Traverse Bay. In 2004 the city converted the old filled-in salt marsh into almost 1,000 acres of park with miles of paved paths that cyclists and runners — by late spring maybe not walkers so much — use to commune with the bay.
Where to Book Your Stay in Traverse City: (Book on Travlu. com):
Travlu. com offers a selection of Traverse City homes for the price conscious to the discriminating. Delamar Traverse City A boutique luxury pick close to downtown, Delamar’s overall vibe attracts guests. Kid-Friendly Hotels at Cherry Tree Inn & Suites with Pools and Free Breakfast. Restaurants and shopping are within walking distance of downtown hotels.
Day 4: Climbing Sleeping Bear Dunes and Driving the Leelanau Peninsula
Spend the day at one of Michigan’s most beautiful natural offerings – Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Morning at Sleeping Bear Dunes
Arrive at the park early (30 minutes from Traverse City). You will get to see enormous sand dunes, massive forests and Lake Michigan from several of the lookouts on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Every overlook is wirth a stop for pictures and amazement.
The Dune Climb is the most popular activity in the park. It is a climb you will feel: up 450 feet to the top of the dune, but the views are out of this world. Running down the sand dunes feels like being a child.
On the southern shore of Lake Michigan, Empire Beach offers swimming or sunbathing along one of the Great Lakes’ most scenic beaches. Freshwater under water all summer long.
Afternoon: Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail
Wineries dot the Leelanau Peninsula north of Sleeping Bear Dunes, where microclimates can rival those of European wine regions. Chateau Chantal does tastings with gorgeous views of Grand Traverse Bay. For those interested, many wineries provide tours which explain the emerging Michigan wine scene.
Unwind Those legs in the charming village of Leland, then walk through its Fishtown historic district, where weathered old fishing shanties house galleries and boutiques. A nice place for photos this is a real fishing village.
Return to your Travlu. com-booked hotel in Traverse City for dinner at night, with choices like Red Ginger (Asian fusion), Trattoria Stella (Italian) or the The Filling Station (American fare).
Day 5: Step back in time on Mackinac Island
Hop in the car and drive to Mackinaw City (about two hours from Traverse City) for a ferry ride to Mackinac Island. Without any traffic on the island (it is served by horse-drawn carriages and bikes) getting here feels like taking a step back into the 19th century.
Ferry and Island Arrival
Mackinac Island is served by several ferry companies from Mackinaw City. Frequent runs are made by Shepler’s Ferry, the 20-minute trip across. Buy round-trip for a discount.
Porters stand by to carry your bags aloft and take them to your hotel by horse-drawn wagon, a charming introduction to island life. Book your Mackinac Island stay on Travlu. com Make sure to reserve in advance here (one of the popular islands suffering from “over-tourism,” so it gets booked up quickly).
Island Exploration
Rent bikes for the 8.2-mile spin around the perimeters of the island. This easy, level walk provides great views of Lake Huron and some beautiful natural features such as Arch Rock, etc., and usually takes 1-2 hours depending on your pace and number of photos you stop to take.
Visit Fort Mackinac, a former military outpost that played a role in the War of 1812. The fort’s history is detailed in demonstrations and tours by costumed interpreters.
The windows of the shops along Main Street in downtown offer places to browse for fudge (the island’s signature treat), galleries and souvenirs. Sample all sorts of fudges — sort of an unwritten rule.
Where to Stay on Mackinac Island (Book on Travlu. com):
Travlu. com Mackinac Island is home to many types of accommodations and onewww. Easily the best-known property on the island, thanks to its famous 660-foot front porch and Victorian style; ballroom, horse-drawn carriage rides, croquet lawn. Convenience to Main St, recently remodeled rooms and lake view is what you will enjoy at Lake View Hotel. Island House HotelRelaxation gets the manicure, pedicure and body scrubs with a little bit of laid-back elegance2. Mission Point Resort is modern with nice amenities and large outdoor area around it.
Day Two in the UP: Pictured Rocks
Ferries to the mainland run early, and it’s around a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Munising on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The tattered beauty of this region is a far cry from the gentility of Mackinac.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is named for its multi-colored sandstone cliffs, which rise 200 feet above Lake Superior. The varied mineral formations result in striking colors that can only be seen from the water.
Book a boat cruise from Munising that cruises by the cliff walls. These tours take two to three hours, showcasing the size and beauty of the cliffs whilst explaining their geology and history. It’s a good deal cooler next to Lake Superior than you’d think, and on even in summer afternoon breezes off the lake can be cowld.
See it from the land, post-cruise. Miners Castle (Beautiful lookouts over the Nauganee Indian Slide and Miners Castle to the cliffs. Those who are up for more ambitious hiking can take in Chapel Rock and Mosquito Falls (don’t worry, it is very much not a creek), at a longer (we’d guess around 10 miles round trip).
where to stay in munising (book on travlu. com): Some rooms are located on top of the hill, overlooking Munising Bay at Holiday Inn Express Munising. Travlu. com’s Munising discount travel packages, but they’re also the best for your wallet. Reservations are required; the high season has a limited number of bed spaces each night in this village.
Day 7 | Tahquamenon Falls and the Way Home
On your final day, visit Tahquamenon Falls State Park (about 1.5 hours from Munising). Upper Tahquamenon falls is one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. The platforms are a great spot for photos of the 200-foot-wide, 50-foot-high cascade. It is brown-black because the tannin washed in from the surrounding cedar swamps.
Spend an hour or more soaking in the view and a brief trail to viewing areas. Lunch with beer offerings is available at Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub near the parking lot.
