Michigan Bucket list

As graduation approaches for many of us, the decision to stay in the mitten or wander away presses forth as well. Our peninsula is teeming with activity, and despite the bankruptcy in Detroit, the impossible job market and the wicked winters, we love it here. Before any of us make the move and head for another direction, this is a love list to the state that we call home.

10. Spend the day in the Detroit Institute of Arts. The day. Not a few hours. Get utterly and hopelessly lost in the massive building and spend time in the Kresge court sipping espresso. Look at artwork with new eyes, pose next to the thinker, read the descriptions, take notes of artists you like and bring a friend. Do you know how many Van Gogh pieces are left? Not enough to skip this.

9. Go hiking at Picture Rocks National Lakeshore. Geology nerds delight, this is some of the oldest exposed rock in the world, and the formations are breathtakingly beautiful. The cliffs will make even the most seasoned hiker’s head swim. While you’re in the Upper Peninsula, go cliff diving or rock climbing in Marquette and get a little lost.

8. Swim in Lake Michigan. No explanation needed, no salt added.

7. Attend a Michigan music festival. There are many to choose from whatever your style might be. Electric Forest, Wheatland, Movement, Faster Horses, Blissfest, Hiawatha, Detroit Jazz, MO Pop or Ann Arbor Folk. Pick one.

6. Ride a bike around Mackinac Island. If riding a bike around the entire thing seems daunting, just ride a bike somewhere on the island. Spend time there. Eat the fudge, go to the butterfly house, swim in the lake and relish in the sweet scent of horse-drawn carriages.

 

5. Spend some time in the pinky. The summer season brings hordes of people to Traverse City, Leelanau, Petoskey and all the other perfectly scenic areas that lie in the northwest corner of the state, and for good reason. Traverse City is teeming with activities in the summer and has a bustling downtown to support the traffic it gets. The Cherry Festival alone draws over 500,000 people over the course of eight days. They have to be onto something.

4. Camp on an island. There are many to choose from, none of which will disappoint. Beaver Island, the two Manitou Islands, and Isle Royale are your best bets for unbeatable hiking, fishing, trail running, swimming and star gazing. Being landlocked doesn’t sound so appealing now, does it?

3. Go to a Tigers game, or a Red Wings game, or even a Lions game if you’re feeling cheeky. Participate in the shenanigans of a stadium, whether you can follow the game or not. The excitement of being surrounded by thousands of people who are excited and thrilled by what they’re watching, is enjoyable for even the most naive of sports fans.

2. Go to Tahquamenon Falls. We have waterfalls in our state. Not even just a couple, there is a multitude to choose from. Perhaps most notable are the two falls located on the Tahquamenon River in the Upper Peninsula. It’s a trek to get there from under the bridge, but the area is chock full of outdoor activities and beautiful scenery.

1. Find your own spot to love. Possibly one of the greatest things about Michigan is the fact that we don’t have any one major tourist destination. Everyone has their own favorite spot. It may be a cabin on Houghton Lake, a bluff on the lake near Traverse City, a particular train station in Detroit or a book store in Kalamazoo. Everyone has their own stitch in the mitten.