This is my list of the top 10 underrated places to visit in Michigan, based on where I’ve traveled (so far). Use this list to inspire you to plan a trip to a unique destination within Michigan.
Underrated Places to Visit in Michigan Map
1. Sawyer
First up is Sawyer, Michigan. The Southwest corner of Michigan is a popular travel destination for residents from Indiana and Illinois, but not Michigan! In the summer, its common for license plates from out of state to outnumber Michigan license plates.
After my visit, I’ve found this beautiful area of Michigan rivals the Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes region:
- Want to climb a sand dune and see the sparkling blue water of Lake Michigan? Instead of visiting the Sleeping Bear Dunes, visit Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer.
- How about wine tasting? There are over a dozen different wineries and tasting rooms within a 20 minute drive from Sawyer.
- And who can forget the food? You’re spoiled for choice here! There are plenty of delicious, high quality restaurants in this area. (Don’t forget, it is a prime spot for people from Chicago to visit – as a result, there are a number of restaurants established by chef’s who at one point, worked in the Windy City).
Ready to plan your trip? Check out my article on a recent getaway to Sawyer I took. It’s filled with idea’s and an itinerary of what we did when there.
2. Battle Creek
Battle Creek is another place in Michigan that doesn’t receive the credit it deserves when it comes to being a great place to visit! There are tons of options of what to do here, such as:
- Explore the beautiful (and free) Leila Arboretum, which has a ‘Fantasy Forest’ of trees destroyed by invasive Emerald Ash Borer turned into works of art, flower gardens, disc golf course, labyrinth, and community garden;
- Visit Binder Park Zoo – one of the largest zoo’s in Michigan; and
- Wander downtown Battle Creek to see murals painted across the city.
And the city is rich in history! Not only is the city known as the home of Kellogg’s, but it was once home to prominent suffragette Sojourner Truth and a station on the Underground Railroad. Discover more things to do in Battle Creek by reading my article on our time there here.
3. Muskegon
Next up is Muskegon, which is my personal favorite place to explore in Michigan. I can’t even count how many times I’ve visited Muskegon in the past five years and STILL haven’t visited all its attractions. Muskegon is a prime example of an underrated place to visit in Michigan. A big factor for that is due to the reputation its had going back decades as an industrial town in decline. However, over the past five years, Muskegon’s been working to reinvent itself and invest in its attractions. Within downtown alone there is:
- A modern Farmers Market complex (that is open year round!);
- Western Market which contains mini boutiques open from summer through the holidays;
- Installations of public art; and
- New hotels and restaurants. Check out Walker’s, which opened up during the spring of 2021.
Muskegon also preserves its historic past. Consider…
- Taking this self guided tour of Muskegon’s historic district,
- Visiting the Muskegon Art Museum, and
- Snapping your photo with Charles Hackley’s statue – the lumber baron turned philanthropist with a vision for Muskegon’s development.
And finally, I can’t forget to mention Muskegon’s beaches! Much of Muskegon’s access to Lake Michigan is publicly owned (hooray!) so good luck NOT finding a spot on the beach during summer. The beaches include:
- Pere Marquette Park: This park is nearest the pier and lighthouse. It is also close to some beach front dining options.
- Kruse Park: Contains an off leash dog park with access to Lake Michigan!
- Lake Harbor Park – One of my favorite beaches with 4,000 feet of Lake Michigan waterfront. It’s the perfect place to relax and just walk on the beach.
- PJ Hoffmaster State Park – Go camping, hike the over 10 miles of scenic trails and check out the Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center to learn more about Michigan’s unique topography.
4. Marshall
When I think of visiting a place in Michigan with loads of history, my mind instantly drifts to Marshall. This town has always been one of the most underrated places to visit in Michigan. Did you know Michigan’s Capitol COULD have been Marshall? It lost to Lansing by only one vote!
That being said, Marshall’s done a wonderful job preserving its history. Prior to the vote, Marshall’s leadership planned out the city’s layout specifically to become the Michigan State Capitol – complete with its own Capitol Hill and Governor’s Mansion.
Besides political history, Marshall is home to a number of interesting museums such as:
Plan your day trip or visit to Marshall by checking out my article here.
5. Grand Ledge
Want to feel like you escaped to the Upper Peninsula or somewhere out west? You may not need to travel far – Grand Ledge near Lansing is home to unique and interesting rock formations.
Check out the hiking trail nearest the Grand River at Fitzgerald Park to view “The Ledge,” where there are ancient sedimentary rock formations. In addition to Fitzgerald Park, visit Oak Park across the river to see exposed sandstone cliffs and people rock climbing off of them.
During the late 1800s, over 70,000 visitors visited Grand Ledge annually to see these rock formations, but today, many Michiganders don’t even know where Grand Ledge is!
Interested in exploring two other cool parks in Grand Ledge? Read my article on our day trip to Grand Ledge here.
6. The Bottom of the Thumb
The bottom half of Michigan’s thumb is exposed to the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair making this area an excellent spot for water lovers to explore. Yet this area doesn’t see nearly the number of tourists during the summer as west and northern Michigan. If you’d like to enjoy some rest and relaxation without the crowded beaches and downtown areas, considering visiting the cute small towns of St. Clair, Marine City, Algonac, Harsens Island, or New Baltimore.
7. Detroit
Another underrated place to visit in Michigan is Detroit. Yes Detroit! Michigan’s largest city has a bad reputation, especially if you’re not from the Metro Detroit area. Growing up, I’ve always heard people speak negatively of downtown Detroit so I assumed there wasn’t anything to do there. And of course, once I visited, I saw how wrong I was.
Downtown Detroit is full of new and historic sites to admire, visit and learn from. During a past trip I took (check it out here), I loved visiting:
- The Detroit Institute of Arts is one of the top art museum’s in the United States and houses over 65,000 pieces of art. The building the DIA is in is also incredible. It was built in the 1920s in a Beaux Arts style.
- Detroit Historical Museum is a place to learn about the history of Detroit from when it was settled by Native tribes until present day.
- The People Mover is the cheapest tour of Detroit you can get! It costs only $.75 per person to ride. (Please note: Service is suspended until future notice due to COVID).
- The Riverwalk currently spans 3.5 miles from Hart Plaza to Mt. Elliott Park with lots of stops and attractions along the route.
- Belle Isle State Park has several attractions within it including a magnificent fountain, aquarium, museum, lighthouse, beachfront, and conservatory.
8. Mid Michigan
Home to unique roadside attractions, Alma and St. Louis in Mid Michigan are great underrated places to visit in Michigan. Alma is a great place to visit to immerse yourself in Scottish culture when the city holds the Highland festival in spring. And just a short drive away is St. Louis, with a rich history as the source of the ‘sanitarium’ craze in the early 1900s after mineral waters were discovered. Within St. Louis, check out the Mini Mac Storage Center to see a pedestrian sized replica of the Mackinac Bridge. Learn more about about Alma and St. Louis’ attractions in my article here.
9. Sault Ste Marie
Within Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Sault Ste Marie is one of the most underrated places to visit. Places such as Pictured Rocks, Marquette, Lake of the Clouds, Tahquamenon Falls, and the Keweenaw Peninsula rightfully are top attractions in the UP, however don’t sleep on Michigan’s oldest city! That’s right – Sault Ste Marie was settled as early as 1668 – making it older than the United States!
One of the coolest features of the Soo are the Soo Locks. Opened in 1855, the Soo Locks made it possible for freighters and boats to travel between Lake Superior and Lake Huron through the St Marys River. Prior to its construction, there were rapids and waterfalls. To view the locks, there is a free viewing platform to watch boats be raised and lowered. Another option to see the locks is by taking a boat tour on the Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours. This tour takes passengers through the American and Canadian locks.
In addition to the locks, other things to do include looking out over town at The Tower of History, learn about Sault Ste Marie’s history at the River of History Museum, and touring a Great Lakes Freighter at the Museum Ship Valley Camp.
10. The Canadian Lakes
The Canadian Lakes region of Michigan rounds out my list of underrated places to visit in Michigan.
Located in Mecosta County, the Canadian Lakes is a beautiful place to explore no matter the season – with hills and winding roads, it seems like the area is nearer to northwest Michigan than it is. Here there are…
- A number of wineries to go wine tasting at such as Gwin Girls Winery, Heavenly Vineyards, and The Winery at Young Farms.
- Golf courses like the Tullymore Golf Resort and St. Ives Golf Club.
- Several lakes to relax at – bring a boat, kayak, or paddle board or just relax at the beach. Bonus: The restaurant Antlers Fireside Grill can be reached by boat!
Also necessary to visit while in the area is the Canadian Lakes Castle. Yes – there is a castle here! Build in the 1970’s, the Castle was once a private residence but is now the Canadian Lakes community center. Discover more things to do in the Canadian Lakes region by checking out my travel itinerary here.
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Have you been to any of these underrated places in Michigan before? What did you enjoy (or not) about it?
from Michigan with Love,
Jackie
