Courtesy of Midwest Living magazine
This woodsy region exudes a laid-back vibe that encourages relaxing, restoring interludes of all sorts, from fly fishing and canoeing on the famed wild and scenic Au Sable River to family cabin vacations along Lake Huron beaches.
Inland, Grayling has become a base for exploring the Au Sable. Lake Huron lore comes to life at historic lighthouses open for tours and in Alpena, site of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Mackinaw City at the region’s tip, a gateway to legendary Mackinac Island, entertains visitors with lodgings along the shore, shopping and living history experiences at Mackinac State Historic Parks that include a lighthouse and a re-created 1770s fort.
Ferries regularly cruise the Straits of Mackinac, the waters that divide the upper and lower peninsulas, to the Mackinac Island, a charming holdover from the Victorian era where no cars are allowed. The five-mile Mackinac Bridge, an engineering marvel, spans the straits. Thousands during seize the chance to walk across during the annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk.
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