Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      Hot off the minds of Midwest travel writers: a fresh look at where to eat, drink, play and stay around the region. Read More
    • Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      One has conquered the world of plant-based baking. Another runs a microbakery from her home. Two own businesses with their spouses. And the fifth is a James Beard finalist chef. The common thread? Absolutely delicious cakes. Read More
    • The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      For many Midwesterners, holiday feasting kicks off with a relish tray. We dare not mess with an icon—at least, not too much. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    At Wisconsin supper clubs, the steak is served rare and the traditions are well done. Like the brandy in an Old-Fashioned, these timeless institutions only get better with age.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    This sleeper hit of a weeknight dinner comes from Food Network star Molly Yeh's cookbook Home is Where the Eggs Are—and is basically a vehicle for Parmesan and garlic toast. No complaints! (The alternate version, with ham and cream, is excellent too.)
    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    With visions of dinner parties and game nights dancing in their heads, a Chicago couple renovated their historic (and first) home, one DIY project at a time.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    Author Lisa Eldred Steinkopf shares how to make blooms last longer—and repeat.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Buses, trains and very few automobiles—check out these out-of-the-ordinary holiday lights displays.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Tamales are a project, but many hands—even tiny ones—make lighter work.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
    • DIY Pistachio Wheat Stalks for Fall Decorating
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    About Us

    About Us

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
    • Fall 2022 Issue
    • Winter 2022 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Travel
  3. Michigan
  4. Best Michigan Road Trips

Best Michigan Road Trips

By Midwest Living editors Updated September 17, 2022
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Paddling the channel. Big Red, Holland State Park beach.
Credit: Blaine Moats

Traverse City, Mackinac Island, the Upper Peninsula and the beach towns of southwest Michigan are just some of the great destinations to visit in Michigan on road trips for a weekend, a week or more.

Start Slideshow

1 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Southwest Michigan Shore

Paddling the channel. Big Red, Holland State Park beach.
Credit: Blaine Moats

With more than 140 miles of soft sand, almost every beach is the right beach along Michigan's southwest shore. Explore towns like St. Joseph, South Haven, Saugatuck, Holland, Grand Haven and Muskegon for activity-filled state parks, family-friendly attractions and lighthouses all along the way.

Related: Trip Guide to Michigan's Southwest Shore

1 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mackinac Island

Grand Hotel Mackinac Island Michigan
Credit: Starboard and Port

To be clear, you can't actually drive here—that's one of the charms of this famously car-free island. But you can drive to nearby Mackinaw City or St. Ignace to catch a short ferry ride over. Take carriage tours, explore by bike, visit historic Fort Mackinac and relax on the porch of the Grand Hotel. You can make it a day trip by returning to your ferry stop, or stay in one of the island's many luxury accommodations.

Related: Top Things to Do on Mackinac Island

2 of 11

3 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Upper Peninsula

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Credit: Jason Lindsey

You could base a stay in the UP at one of the area's larger towns like Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie or Munising, or plan a road trip that hopscotches across from east to west (the area is about 320 miles wide at a maximum). Expect active adventures at sites like Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore or Tahquamenon Falls State Park. But you'll find plenty of art, culture and history throughout the UP as well. 

Related: Top Things to Do in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

3 of 11

Advertisement

4 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Lake Huron Shore

Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center
Credit: John Noltner

Start your getaway in Alpena or Bay City to explore shipwrecks, lighthouses and Lake Huron beaches on the Sunrise Side of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. In Alpena, see the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center and peer at shipwrecks in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary; in Bay City, sail on vintage-looking schooners and relax in the sand at Bay City State Park.

Related: Top Things to Do Along the Lake Huron Shore

4 of 11

5 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Traverse City

Traverse City, Michigan, food
Credit: Tony Demin

A town of about 16,000, Traverse City sits at the base of Old Mission Peninsula, a long finger that points north into Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay.  The lake insulates the land and softens the seasons' rough edges, making this a prime destination for vacationers—as well as fishermen and farmers. Enjoy the bounty of the land at wineries, restaurants and roadside stands; get out on the lake via kayak or sailboat; or head to nearby destinations such as Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for adventures along sand dunes and bluffs.

Related: Top Things to Do in Traverse City

5 of 11

6 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Harbor Springs, Charlevoix and Petoskey

Charlevoix, Michigan
Credit: Kevin J. Miyazaki/Redux

These three nearby towns—it's 27 miles from Harbor Springs to Charlevoix, with Petoskey in the middle—each have welcoming downtowns full of boutiques and galleries, plus stunning scenery along Little Traverse Bay, northeast of Traverse City.  

Related: Getaway to Michigan's Little Traverse Bay

6 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Grand Rapids

Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids
Credit: John Noltner

The state's second-largest city, developed around the Grand River, has built a big reputation for culture, cuisine and craft beverages. It's a worthwhile destination on its own, but also less than an hour's drive from southwest Michigan if you're vacationing on the beaches there. See attractions like the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids Art Museum and John Ball Zoo—plus any of dozens of breweries in a town that brands itself Beer City U.S.A.

Related: Top Things to Do in Grand Rapids

7 of 11

8 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Ann Arbor

36 Hours in Ann Arbor

The University of Michigan campus boasts gems such as Matthaei Botanical Gardens and the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (as well as the University of Michigan stadium, the largest in college football). Explore the city's culinary scene on a food tour or just drop in for a meal at restaurants like MANI Osteria and Bar (artisanal pizza) or one of the legendary Zingerman's family of eateries. The 204-room Graduate Ann Arbor captures Wolverine pride in its decor.  

Related: 36 Hours in Ann Arbor

8 of 11

9 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Kalamazoo

Air Zoo Kalamazoo
Credit: Kevin J. Miyazaki/Redux

Just over two hours' drive from Detroit and an hour from the beaches of Lake Michigan, Kalamazoo has plenty to entertain the family on a road trip. The Smithsonian Institute-affiliated Air Zoo displays more than 50 aircraft; the Kalamazoo Valley Museum is part science, part history and part children's museum; and at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, 16 trails cover 10 miles of habitats. 

Related: Top Things to Do in Kalamazoo

9 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Frankenmuth

Bavarian Inn Restaurant, Frankenmuth
Credit: Jill Richards

Visitors see clues to why it's known as Little Bavaria in the town's architecture and dancing wooden figures in the glockenspiel at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant and its Castle Shops. Shoppers will also find plenty to like at Frankenmuth River Place Shops and megasize Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland. Toast a day well spent at Frankenmuth Brewery, then settle in at Zehnder's Splash Village Hotel and Water Park or the Bavarian Inn Lodge.

Related: Top Things to Do in Frankenmuth

10 of 11

11 of 11

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

More in Michigan

Detroit International RiverWalk, Philip A. Hart Plaza
Credit: EE Berger

Check out our guides to other Michigan destinations to help plan your road trips across the state.

Top Things to Do in Detroit

Lansing Trip Guide

Unique Retreats for Overnight Stays in Michigan

Fall Road Trip on Michigan's M-22

 

11 of 11

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Midwest Living editors

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 11 Southwest Michigan Shore
    2 of 11 Mackinac Island
    3 of 11 Upper Peninsula
    4 of 11 Lake Huron Shore
    5 of 11 Traverse City
    6 of 11 Harbor Springs, Charlevoix and Petoskey
    7 of 11 Grand Rapids
    8 of 11 Ann Arbor
    9 of 11 Kalamazoo
    10 of 11 Frankenmuth
    11 of 11 More in Michigan

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Best Michigan Road Trips
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.