Looking for Michigan travel ideas? From beach vacations and crystal clear lakes, to small towns with cozy coffee shops, here are some of the best Michigan Travel Destinations:

Why this blog? Hi there! My name is Maddy and I was born and raised in Michigan and today I work as an outdoor guide and writer in the Midwest! I’m committed to helping you find your next great Michigan adventure 🙂

Oh hey there! This blog uses affiliate links. That means if you choose to make a purchase, I make a small kickback at no additional cost to you.

Best Michigan Travel Ideas:

Check out the best Michigan small towns, hiking trails, beaches, waterfalls and more!

1) Torch Lake, Michigan

Michigan’s Torch Lake is best-known for it’s crystal clear waters and often called “the Carribbean of the North”. Here, you can find some of the best swimming in Michigan and spend a weekend up playing in the woods and out on the water.

I visit this region of Michigan nearly every summer and while Torch Lake is certainly a main attraction, I’m really partial to the hiking trails and canoe routes in the area. Beyond Torch Lake, the lakes and rivers feeding the lakes in the region tend to be crystal clear and sandy bottomed. Once you leave Torch Lake proper, you can fairly easily find a little slice of remote Michigan beach to yourself.

READ: Best Things to do Torch Lake, Michigan

2) The Keweenaw Peninsula

As far north as you can drive in the Mitten State, the Keweenaw Peninsula is one of the best destinations in Michigan for travelers looking for adventure, solitude and a region with a lot of character.

I’ve visited the Keweenaw Peninsula twice in the winter and twice in the summer. The first time I visited I was 20, and it was my first ever solo camping trip. The second time I visited in the summer was in 2025 on another solo trip, this time with Visit Keweenaw. This is one of my favorite areas to solo travel and on this most recent trip I covered a lot of ground.

The Keweenaw is great for hiking and paddling, but I actually think my favorite aspect of the peninsula is how many beautiful waterfalls, beaches and lookouts can be reached by just a quick walk from your car. It makes for a really wonderful outdoor trip that doesn’t necessarily have to hinge on hiking.

READ: Ultimate Guide to the Keweenaw Peninsula

3) The Sleeping Bear Dunes

Perhaps Michigan’s most iconic destination, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is home to some of the best beaches in the state. The Sleeping Bear Dunes are a family-friendly destination with great hiking trails (the iconic Empire Bluffs, Pyramid Point, Dune Climb), great kayaking on inland lakes and rivers, cute shops and great biking.

I grew up visiting the Sleeping Bear Dunes every summer with my family, and my favorite thing to do was swim at Empire Beach (I feel like the water was SO COLD as a kid but going back as an adult it hasn’t felt so bad) then get ice cream in town. Throughout college, I would come back with friends and we would tackle longer hiking trails and end the day with sunsets at Overlook Nine before driving back to campus.

READ: Best Things to do in the Sleeping Bear Dunes

4) Traverse City, Michigan

Traverse City is one of the most popular Michigan getaways, but popular things are popular for a reason! Winter brings ice on the lake and snowshoeing and skiing adventures and Spring sees flowering cherry trees. Summer, naturally, is prime adventure and beach time up on Lake Michigan, and the Fall sees the colors light up and is the perfect time to cozy up with a book at a coffee shop downtown.

I grew up visiting Traverse City and have the coziest memories of going to Horizon Books with my grandmother. In October 2025, I visited Traverse City again with my fiance and took him to all my favorite shops and cafes, and spent mornings hammocking by inland lakes.

For me, Traverse City is always the perfect area to basecamp for a mix of city and outdoor cabin vibes.

READ: Ultimate Guide to Traverse City, Michigan

5) The Porcupine Mountains

The Porcupine Mountains are an absolute bucket-list Michigan destination, home to several iconic viewpoints like Lake of the Clouds and Presque Isle River as well as home to some of the best backpacking in the Midwest. The Porcupine Mountains are beautiful year round, but my favorite time for backpacking is late summer.

While the Porcupine Mountains are popular in the summer, fall colors are incredibly remarkable and in my opinion, rival anything you can see in New England. Lake of the Clouds and the Escarpment Ridge Trail

READ: Ultimate Guide to the Porcupine Mountains

6) Mackinac Island

In the Lake Huron waters between the Upper and Lower Peninsula, Mackinaw Island is one of the best destinations for families, couples and history lovers! Rent a bike and check out Arch Rock and be sure to get fudge!

READ: Best Hiking Trails in Michigan

7) Frankfort, Michigan

If you’re looking for a classic beach town and an all-season destination, check out Frankfort, Michigan. Located just south of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Frankfort is a great Michigan destination for beaches, hiking and great food and breweries.

I’ve visited Frankfort both as a kid with my family and then this past spring with my sisters. Usually when I’ve visited it’s been in the summer for hiking and beaches, but it was actually super fun in the colder weather to check out the places to eat, tackle a few wintery trails, and catch the sunset from the beach.

READ: Best Things to do in Frankfort, Michigan

8) Saugatuck Michigan

Saugatuck Douglass is an incredible beach and art town with wineries, shopping and more. This coastal destination is a hope skip and a jump from Chicago, and has the perfect setup for girls weekends or couples getaways.

Toss your email below to get the Exploring Michigan eBook delivered straight to your inbox & join a community of Midwest adventure lovers!

9) The Pictured Rocks

If you’re looking a Michigan destination with Greece vibes, but way less expensive, head up to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Here, you can hike, backpack, kayak and cruise on Lake Superior. The Pictured Rocks have excellent waterfalls, coves to swim in, and incredible hiking views.

Fun fact about me is that I’ve worked as a sea kayaking guide on Lake Superior since 2018 in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Personally, I think that while the Pictured Rocks are beautiful, if you can only kayak one place the Apostle Islands make for a better and more immersive kayaking experience, while the Pictured Rocks make for a better hiking trip.

Either way, I strongly recommend booking a guided kayaking tour on Lake Superior; recreational kayaks are not suitable for the open water, and you need to have someone with deep water rescue skills along (aka a guide). Critically, you want to only head out in a kayak with bulkheads, or sealed pockets of air on either side such as a sea kayak; a kayak without bulkheads will sink if swamped. If nothing else, remember to always wear your life jacket when kayaking and canoeing, no matter how calm the water seems.

READ: Ultimate Guide to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

10) Upper Peninsula Waterfall Road Trip

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is known for it’s beaches, wilderness and of course, waterfalls! The Upper Peninsula has a number of incredible waterfalls, notably Tahquamenon Falls, Canyon Falls and Bond Falls as well as the falls within the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and in the Porcupine Mountains.

The Upper Peninsula is HUGE and my favorite part about road tripping the Upper Peninsula is taking advantage of the State Forest Campgrounds. Most of these campgrounds are first-come, first-serve and the tend to be clean and quiet though most certainly rustic. I’ve had great luck with finding waterfront campsites, and as long as you go in with a game plan to check out a few campgrounds you can find a top tier spot.

READ: Ultimate One-Week Upper Peninsula Road Trip

11) Alpena, Michigan

Head out to the sunrise side of Michigan to enjoy Alpena, a cozy and affordable northern costal town with excellent paddling, hiking, biking, sinkholes and shipwrecks to explore. Beyond the outdoors, Alpena is the perfect place to rent a cozy cabin and spent a weekend fishing wooded lakes.

READ: Best Beaches in Michigan

12) Isle Royale National Park

Michigan’s ultimate bucket-list destination is, of course, Isle Royale National Park. An isolated island in Lake Superior home to wolves, fox, moose, beaver, otter and more, the park is actually a collection of islands that make for one of the most magical backpacking destinations in the United States. The campsites are immaculate, and you can fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves with the Northern Lights above.

I sea kayaked a portion of the island in 2020, and it was one of the most beautiful places, and truly the most wild-feeling place, I had ever been. The island is only accessible by ferry or seaplane, and I recommend taking the ferry (cheaper and can operate in more conditions) unless you get seasick easily.

READ: How to Visit Isle Royale National Park

13) Detroit, Michigan

If you love museums, you’re in luck! Detroit, Michigan is home to unique museums including my favorite the Detroit Art Institute, the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, and the Belle Isle Conservatory. Additionally, you can take a helicopter ride over the city, or book a sailing tour on the Detroit River.

What to pack for a Michigan Adventure vacation:

• Long pants: for women looking for a flattering fit and functionality try Kuhl Freeflex or REI Trailmade
• Long sleeve wool baselayers : wool tops like this make a great hiking layer both for sun protection and for regulating body temperature 
• Shorts: I like an elastic waist, swim-friendly pair
• If paddling or swimming: a UPF sun hoodie
• A down puffy jacket that packs down small: nights are a lot cooler than you might expect!
• Leggings with pockets!!! 
• A solid day hiking pack
• On rugged trails, trekking poles
• Hiking boots: I like Oboz Bridger Mids for best grip and ankle support, or alternately hiking/paddling sandals like Bedrocks (designed for paddling guides and paddling guide (me) approved)
• A solid raincoat
• Binoculars for watching wildlife
• If camping, a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad
• If backpacking, backpacking gear!
• An America the Beautiful Pass
• A Michigan Recreation Pass

Read: What to Wear Hiking For Beginners!

Love reading about the best Michigan Travel Ideas? Check out these other Great Lakes Destinations:

• Visit northern Lake Superior on the Minnesota North Shore
• Visit Wisconsin’s Driftless Region
• Head over to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Share Michigan Travel Ideas on social media: