Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome back to Exploring America, state by state after the rock and roll history and roller coasters of Ohio today we're heading into Michigan, a state genuinely shaped by water more than almost any other in the country.
[00:00:13] Michigan is known as the Great Lakes State, touching four of the five Great Lakes and holding more freshwater coastline than any other state in the Union, a genuinely staggering fact once you start driving it. This is also the birthplace of the American auto industry, home to Motown, the and the state that somehow manages to feel like two completely different places the industrial energy of Detroit down south and the wild forested wilderness of the Upper Peninsula way up north. Michigan rewards travelers willing to cross that entire range from car culture to car free islands in a single road trip. M22 winds around the Leolanao Peninsula near Traverse City, passing cherry orchards, vineyards and sweeping views of Lake Michigan at nearly every curve of the road. The tunnel of trees, M119, runs along the northern Lower Peninsula's coastline through a dense arching canopy of hardwoods that genuinely tunnels over the road in summer months. Up in the Upper Peninsula, US two hugs the Lake Michigan shoreline for miles of open water views and quiet beach access most travelers never expect this far north, and the road circling Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore offer dramatic cliffside overlooks above some of the clearest water in the entire Great Lakes system. Tahquamenon Falls, one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi, thunders through the Upper Peninsula forest with a root beer colored tint caused by tannins from the surrounding cedar swamps. Kitch ITI Kipi, Michigan's largest natural spring, lets you drift across crystal clear turquoise water on a self operated raft, watching trout swim beneath you the entire way across.
[00:01:55] Isle Royale, a remote wilderness island out in Lake Superior reachable only by boat or seaplane, offers genuine backcountry solitude most visitors never expect from a Midwestern state. And the Sleeping Bear Dunes, massive sand formations towering hundreds of feet above Lake Michigan, deliver views that look more like a desert coastline than anything typically associated with the Midwest. Mackinac island bans cars entirely, leaving horse drawn carriages and bicycles, and as the only way to get around a town that feels frozen in a genuinely charming, unhurried century, Detroit's Motown Museum preserves the actual studio where legendary hits were recorded, offering a genuinely moving look at one of America's most influential musical movements. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore combines towering dunes with panoramic overlooks stretching across Lake Michigan in every direction.
[00:02:51] And the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie let visitors watch massive freighters rise and fall as they pass between Lake Superior and the Lower Great Lakes, a genuinely mesmerizing piece of working infrastructure to witness up close a few things worth Mackinac Island's fudge shops are famous for good reason, but prices along the main tourist strip run noticeably higher than shops just a block or two off the main drag.
[00:03:18] Ferry companies sometimes push bundled package upgrades that duplicate what a basic ticket already covers, so read carefully before adding extras to your booking and parking near Detroit's downtown stadiums on game days can turn into a genuinely expensive scramble, so arrive early or park a bit further out and walk in. Michigan's Lower Peninsula offers wide, well maintained interstates including I75 and I96, making most of the state comfortable RV territory for travelers of any experience. Level crossing the Mackinac Bridge into the Upper Peninsula is a genuinely dramatic experience, though be aware the bridge can close to high profile vehicles during strong wind events, so check conditions before crossing with a taller rig. Once in the Upper Peninsula, distances between towns and services stretch out considerably, so plan your fuel and supply stops with extra care and a bit of buffer time for paid camping. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers campgrounds close to the dunes and beach access, a genuinely stunning base for exploring the surrounding area. Tahquamen Falls State park provides a well maintained campground within walking distance of both the Upper and Lower Falls for free or low cost camping. Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests in the Upper Peninsula allow dispersed camping across large sections of public land. One of the more generous free camping policies in the entire Midwest, though rules vary by specific district and should be confirmed ahead of time. The Grand Hotel on Mackinac island offers one of the most historic resort stays in the country, complete with the world's longest porch and a strict no cars policy that extends right to the front doors themselves.
[00:05:03] Traverse City has a growing collection of lakeside resorts perfect for combining wine country visits with beach beach time on Lake Michigan and the Upper Peninsula's smaller lodges put you close to waterfalls and hiking trails with a genuinely rustic, quiet north woods atmosphere that's hard to find elsewhere. Getting to Mackinac island requires a ferry since no personal vehicles are allowed once you arrive, and bikes or horse drawn carriages take over from there for the rest of your stay. Amtrak serves Detroit and Ann Arbor with routes connecting to Chicago. The though service thins out considerably once you head further north into the state beyond the bigger cities. Michigan is largely a car dependent state, so plan on driving between most of your Lower and Upper Peninsula stops. Michigan's food identity carries real regional pride from top to bottom of the state. Traverse City's cherries, celebrated at the National Cherry Festival every summer, show up in everything from pies to barbecue sauce across the entire region.
[00:06:03] Detroit's Coney Dog, topped with a distinctive meaty chili sauce, mustard and onions, is a genuine city institution with passionate rivalries between competing diners. Pasties, a hearty meat and vegetable filled pastry brought by Cornish miners generations ago, remain a beloved Upper Peninsula staple at nearly every roadside stop, and fresh whitefish pulled straight from the Great Lakes ship shows up smoked, fried or grilled at restaurants all along the coastline. Rent a bike and circle car free Mackinask island in a single unforgettable afternoon, stopping for fudge along the way at whichever shop catches your eye. Climb the towering dunes at Sleeping Bear for a genuinely rewarding sandy workout with sweeping Lake Michigan views. Waiting at the top? Watch massive freighters pass through the Soo Locks, a strangely mesmerizing way to spend an hour of your afternoon. And spend a summer afternoon picking cherries straight from the Orchard in Traverse City, then sampling the region's growing collection of wineries just down the road. Summer is peak season across Michigan, with Traverse City's Cherry Festival, Mackinac Islands ferries and the Upper Peninsula's waterfalls all at their absolute best from June through August. Book Mackinac island accommodations well ahead. Book since rooms disappear quickly during the busiest summer weekends of the year, and the Upper Peninsula's short summer window makes it especially worth targeting for hiking and waterfall chasing before the weather turns cooler again. Mackinac island and Traverse City run noticeably higher in peak summer season, especially for lodging and dining near the water. The Upper Peninsula and rural stretches of the Lower Peninsula are dramatically more affordable, with camping often running 20 to $35 a night at most parks. Balancing a resort town stretch with an Upper Peninsula stretch keeps your overall Michigan trip very manageable from start to finish. Cell coverage is strong throughout the Lower Peninsula and around Michigan's major cities, with reliable signal for navigation and streaming in most populated areas of the state. Coverage drops significantly once you're deep in the Upper Peninsula's forests or out on Isle Royale, so download offline maps well before heading into those remote northern regions. That's Michigan, a state holding car free islands, industrial music, history and genuine northern wilderness all inside one surprisingly varied set of borders. Next time we're heading into Indiana, a state of rolling farmland, motor speedway history and small towns that carry real Midwestern heart. Pack the cooler and I'll see you there.
