Michigan, nicknamed the “Great Lakes State”, is located in the Great Lakes region of the Midwestern United States.
At 97,000 square miles (250,000 square kilometers), Michigan is the 11th largest state east of the Mississippi River and the largest with a 2021 population of about 10.05 million.
The name is a French version of the Ojibwe term “mishigami”, which means “big water” or “great lake”.
Michigan is unique among the states in that it consists of two distinct areas: the Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula, known as “The Mittens”.
Meanwhile, the Lower Peninsula is made up of six regions: Northwest Michigan, Northeast Michigan, East Central Michigan, West Central Michigan, Southeast Michigan, and Southwest Michigan.
With a convenient location, you can choose from a variety of exciting activities such as going to the beach, swimming in crystal clear lakes, visiting museums, learning about the area’s rich history and exploring the beautiful gardens.
With such a wide variety of attractions, it can be difficult to decide where to start.
The upper peninsula of Western Michigan offers stunning natural beauty and plenty of outdoor activities all year round.
Manabejo Falls, Agate Falls, and Bond Falls are just a few of the more than 150 waterfalls in the area.
Find the unexpected on the Kewino Peninsula, from trees to the soil and waters of Lake Superior itself.
The unspoiled splendor of Lake Superior is ideal for cyclists, backpackers, kayakers, skiers and snowmobilers.
This area is one of the best places in North America to enjoy nature, whether you’re looking for extreme adventure or a relaxing getaway.
The Porcupine Mountains Wildlife State Park in Ontonagon, Ontonagon County features 60,000 acres of natural waterfalls, beautiful forests, and endless recreational opportunities.
With its incredible panoramas, unique rides, and stunning fall vistas, this is one of the most spectacular fall destinations in the Midwest.
Hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, biking, cross-country skiing and other outdoor activities abound at Porcupine Mountains State Wildlife Park, Michigan’s most extensive state park.
Don’t go outside without your camera, the park is filled with exotic flora and fauna, scenic spots like Cloud Lake, and plenty of waterfalls.
Based in Hancock, Houghton County, M&M PowerSports is your one stop shop for all power sports products in the Houghton/Hancock area.
Here you can rent snowmobiles, ATVs, SUVs, pontoons and jet skis.
The Keweenaw Peninsula is every snowmobile’s dream with an average annual snowfall of 273 inches and 200 miles of trails leading to more than 2,500 UP trails.
Hancock’s M&M is located at the beginning of the trail, making it easy to get out and explore Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Stop at the Ontonagon Lighthouse at the Ontonagon County Historical Society Museum in downtown to learn about the colorful past of the oldest permanent settlement on Lake Superior’s south shore.
This museum in Ontonagon, Ontonagon County, is housed in a bright periwinkle building on River Street. Its southern facade is decorated with a large colorful fresco.
See some pre-Columbian stone and copper tools, a fifth-order Fresnel lens in a lighthouse, and copper mining equipment and displays used in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Also, check out a replica of the Ontonagon Boulder, a 3,708-pound block of liquid copper on display at the Smithsonian.
Years before the California Gold Rush, the boulder sparked a copper “boom” that attracted mining companies and investors in the region.
Agate Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Michigan, cascading from the middle branch of the Ontonagon River to Trout Creek in Oakland County.
As a result, the falls are now wide swaths and smaller falls that total heights exceed 40 feet.
The park is open from early May to late October and has parking, water, toilets and picnic tables.
The Rathbone School Museum is housed in a one-room schoolhouse that was substantially rebuilt to serve the local population of Eagle Harbor in Kivino County from 1853 to 1872.
The image above shows members of the Brotherhood of the Order of the Pythia taking a tour of the existing tower, depicting the building as it was around 1900.
In 1860, Justus H. Rathbone taught at the institute, and it was here that he developed the concept of the Pythian knights’ ritual. It was a secret brotherhood that he later created.
The philanthropic work of this multi-faith group, once numbering 250,000, continues to thrive across America.
Crowns and other relics dedicated to the Knights of Pythias can be seen on the other side of Rathbone School.
In 1931, a thousand people gathered to honor the memory of the society of the same name and watch the unveiling of a granite monument to Justus Rathbone.
The AE Seaman Mineral Museum at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Houghton County showcases amazing minerals from around the world, including the Great Lakes region.
Admire the natural wonders of minerals at one of the best mineral museums in North America.
The museum houses the Mineral Collection of the University of Michigan, part of the Michigan Consortium of Minerals, a record 17-ton primary copper slab (closed for the winter), and more.
The Keweenaw National Historical Park designates the museum as a heritage site because it is “the official mineralogical museum of Michigan.”
The Bammert Blacksmith Shop was built in the 1880s at the Cliff Mines and moved to Phoenix around 1906, and in 1998 was donated to the Keweenaw County Historical Society by Amos Bammert’s grandchildren.
Because most Keweenaw copper miners did not have access to cars until the Keweenaw Railroad was built in 1907, blacksmiths were in high demand.
Farriers are experts in the maintenance and repair of almost all hardware, not just horses.
The society has painstakingly restored the building inside and out, showing the early 19th century factory and its equipment.
Located in Hancock, Houghton County, Ripley Mountain Ski Resort is located on 173 acres with a 440-foot drop covering 112 ski acres and 24 slopes.
It combines the best of both worlds with plenty of backcountry, deep snow bowls, the widest landscaped park in UP, and perfectly groomed trails for everyone.
Regardless of skill level, everyone can sign up for private lessons – five nights a week for night skiing.
On Saturdays and Sundays, the Metro Park is open for all ages, working only on weekends: a restaurant, a music store and a cafe in a cozy house.
The ski resort receives an average of 250 inches of dry lake effect snow per year due to its location on the Kevino Peninsula, which juts out from the largest lake in the world.
The Calumet Theater has been an independent non-profit organization since its founding in 1983, whose mission has been to organize events and promote the ongoing restoration of the historic theatre.
The Calumet Theatre, located in the heart of Calumet, Houghton County, is owned and operated by Calumet Village.
Many famous artists have performed here, including Sarah Bernhardt, Maud Adams, John Philip Souza, Edwin Booth, Lillian Russell and Douglas Fairbanks Sr.