In Michigan, you’ll find public access to beaches at pocket parks and at miles-long stretches of Great Lakes shoreline, from the southeast corner of the state on Lake Erie, along the outline of the Mitten on Lakes Huron and Michigan, and around the jagged reaches of the Upper Peninsula all the way to Lake Superior. Crisscross the two peninsulas to find county and state parks and recreational areas with inland lakes of all sizes that boast sandy beaches and water temperatures warmer than those of the four Great Lakes.

Sandcastle building, intense games of beach volleyball, climbing dunes, rock hounding, playing in the waves, soaking up the rays, or watching the peaceful sunrise and vibrant sunset are some of the ways to enjoy Michigan’s beach scene. So grab your towel, sand pail, and that book you’ve been meaning to read, and head to the water’s edge and the sandy shores of Pure Michigan.

    

Great, Great Lakes Beaches

Two Lake Michigan beaches top list for Best Great Lakes Beaches.  >more

    

    

A Beach Sampler

Michigan has hundreds of beaches on lakes of all sizes, each with its own vibe –from the bustle of a resort town to the solitude of the wilderness. Wide, sugary and sandy or a stone-strewn rockhound’s dream, Michigan has beaches that please. >more 

    

    

Not Just for Suntans anymore

In Michigan you are never more than six miles from a body of water and 85 miles from a Great Lake. With 3,200 miles of freshwater coastline touching the Great Lakes of Erie, Huron, Superior and Michigan there are plenty of great beaches to relax in the summer sun, or to head out for swimming, boating, fishing and other water adventures.  >more 

    

Detroit

Book a room at the striking blue 30-story tower of the 400-room Greektown Casino hotel and then check out the 2,500 slots and video poker machines, more than 60 tables of gaming fun and a Poker Room. Satisfy your appetite at Bistro 555, International Buffet, or Shotz Sports Bar & Grill, or step outside and enjoy a choice of ethnic restaurants and nightspots in the heart of Greektown. Eclipz features live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night along with food and drink specials.

The dramatic Art Deco exterior of the MGM Grand Detroit makes a grand impression that continues throughout the million-square-foot casino, hotel, and spa. Original art and striking decor sets the scene for some 4,000 slots and video poker, over 100 table games and Poker Room. Indulge in a treatment at IMMERSE spa and dine at one of three signature restaurants: Wolfgang Puck’s Grille, Bourbon Steak and Saltwater by Michael Mina. Or relax at one of the casual dining spots, Palette or Breeze. Sip something of your choice at five lounges or high energy nightspots, or take in live entertainment before retiring to one of the 400 plush rooms or suites. Ask about the spa and hotel packages for a pampered stay.

Colorful strips of neon wrap around the exterior of MotorCity Casino and signal the electricity inside at the 2,800 gaming machines plus table games and Poker Room. The 400 guest rooms and suites are AAA Four Diamond rated, as is the beautiful 2011 Hour Detroit magazine Restaurant of the Year, Iridescence, atop the hotel tower with an amazing view. Amnesia Ultra Lounge on the 16^th floor boasts the hottest DJs on weekends, and there’s live music and DJ entertainment at three additional clubs. You can also please your appetite at the Assembly Line Buffet, Pit Stop for sandwiches and burgers, Grand River Deli and the D.Tour Spa with luxury services to soothe any traveler.

Southwest Lower Peninsula

Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, just 75 miles east of Chicago, boasts the Midwest’s only World Poker Tour Poker Room on top of 3,000 slots and 100 gaming tables. Enjoy a great meal at the Copper Rock steakhouse or choose one of the casual dining spots and relax over a beverage at one of four bars. Take in live entertainment or do some boutique shopping in a beautiful setting of stone and wood, and retire to one of the 165 deluxe rooms or suites.

There are poker tournaments every Wednesday at FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, plus 2,680 slot machines, a 120-seat 24/7 Poker Room and 78 game tables. Satisfy your sweet tooth at the chocolate fountain on the dessert bar at the Mijem (food) buffet, one of five eateries. Hear live music and DJs at Kabaret or sip a local micro brew and watch the 14 large screen TVs at Dacey’s Sports Bar.

Gun Lake Casino is in Wayland Township, halfway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. The contemporary casino offers 1,200 slot machines, 36 tables, entertainment at Stage 131 and casual dining at the Sandhill Café. Crossroads features beverages and big screen sports.

Northern Lower Peninsula

The stunning décor of Petoskey’s 50,000 square-feet Odawa Casino Resort includes a 16-foot tall wine tower in Sage Restaurant, known for seafood and prime beef. Waas-no-de (Northern Lights) Buffet offers more than 100 choices from sandwiches to wood-burning pizza. The sleek O Zone night club “party pods” are hot spots and top names perform at the 1,000-seat Ovation Hall. The Rendezvous Lounge is convenient for drink on the casino floor which, by the way, offers 1,500 machines, 17 table games and Poker Room. Nearby, half of the Odawa Hotel’s 127 guest rooms boast views of Little Traverse Bay and offers a shuttle to the casino.

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mt. Pleasant is one of the largest casinos in North America, with 4,400 slots, 70 tables, 24/7 Poker Room and High Stakes Bingo on the weekends. The AAA Four Diamond hotel has 514 rooms and suites, a full service spa, and dining choices include Isabella’s for Italian specialties, Siniikaung Steak and Chop House, Firefly Buffet, Water Lily Lounge and the Native Grind Coffee Shoppe. The indoor pool has Italian glass tiles and underwater music and lights, and for the family there’s Kids Quest hourly childcare and Cyber Quest entertainment center.

Not far away in Standish, the Saganing Eagles Landing Casino brings over 800 slot machines including high limit slots and a variety of electronic table games to Michigan’s Sunrise Side.

In the Traverse City area the contemporary Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel in Williamsburg offers 650 slots from one cent  to $100, plus popular table games and a Poker Room. The casino is redesigning the game floor and will include a new High Limit area. Savor international flavors at Seasons Buffet plus the Coffee Spoon and Deli. Turtle Creek offers comedy and live music, and an outdoor patio for a change of pace. Some of the hotel’s spacious rooms or suites have balconies overlooking the rolling Grand Traverse terrain.

Play and stay on the eastern shore of the Leelanau Peninsula at Leelanau Sands Casino & Lodge in Suttons Bay. Favorite tables and 480 slots entertain along with comedy and music in Elements Lounge, and touring performers at the 1,000-seat Leelanau Sands Showroom. Sleep at the 51-room Lodge, 2-bedroom Chalet, or Cedar View cottage.

There’s a northern lodge resort air about the Little River Casino Resort in Manistee with 1,500 slots, popular table games, three dining choices, entertainment at The Grove and big name acts performing in the 1,700-seat event center. In addition to the 292 hotel rooms, guests can stay at the resort’s full-service 95-site RV Park, and have access to the hotel’s pool, sauna and fitness center.

Upper Peninsula

Visit the Kewadin Casinos with non-stop entertainment including national talent headliners at the Sault Ste. Marie Casino. Kewadin’s five locations across the UP, from Hessel to Christmas and Manistique, offer a combined 86,000 square feet of gaming space with 2,000 slot machines and 50 game tables, seven restaurants and delis, eight lounges, four gift shops, two on-site hotels and 25,000-square foot convention facility. The St. Ignace location has 820 machines, 22 tables, entertainment and an 81-room hotel on Lake Huron with pool and fitness center. Sault Ste. Marie has 700 slots, 19 tables, and 400-seat Bingo, plus a 318-room hotel and 1,500-seat Dream Makers Theater.

On the banks of the St. Mary’s River in Brimley, the Bay Mills Resort & Casino Brimley has nearly 1,000 slot and video poker machines, many game tables, and Poker Room. There’s a 76-space RV Park within walking distance of the casino and the 142-room hotel nearby at Waishkey Bay has a Jacuzzi in every suite. A shuttle bus services both to the Bay Mills and Kings Club Casino, also in Brimley. Kings Club, with 250 machines, was the first tribally-operated blackjack casino in the US. Be sure to try the local whitefish dinner basket at Chums Café. In addition, golfers will enjoy the 18-hole Wild Bluff golf course, rated tops in the UP.

The 18-hole golf course at Lac Vieux Desert Resort Casino in Watersmeet also gets great reviews for its beautiful setting in the Ottawa National Forest—and there’s a mini casino in the course clubhouse. The main casino features 670 slots, favorite tables, Poker Room on weekends and Cribbage on the third Saturday each month, Bingo every Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday, plus bars and theme dinners at the full-service restaurant. Stay at the 132-room Dancing Eagles Hotel that offers an indoor heated pool, or hitch-up at the 14-space RV Park/Campground.

The UP offers gaming fun at two Ojibwa Casinos, in Marquette and Baraga. The Ojibwa Casino Marquette offers a 7-site RV Park and is convenient to the variety of dining and lodging in that city. The casino has slots, table games and bi-weekly Texas Hold ‘em tournaments. Ojibwa Casino Baraga has a 40-room hotel plus 12-site RV Park, on site bowling lanes, lounge and sports bar. Enjoy a meal at the Red Apple Family Restaurant or the Press Box Sports Bar. Play at 300 slots or at popular table games.

Escape to the tropics at the Island Resort & Casino in Harris, west of Escanaba. There are 1,400 state of the art slots including the new virtual horse racing, plus top table games, Live Poker five days and Bingo seven days a week.

Stay at the 275-room hotel or 53-site RV Park and dine at Firekeeper’s, Coral Reef Grille or Beachcomber Restaurant. Top entertainers regularly visit, and Club Four One offers music and comedy nights. The resort’s Sweetgrass Golf Club was recognized with “best course” honors by three top golf magazines in 2009.

For those unwilling to brave the icy Straits, there’s plenty of other prime skiing available – from the Sand Dunes Ski Trail in St. Ignace, to the Peek-A-Boo Hill Ski Trail in Cedarville.  For a more adventurous trek, try 35 mile Petoskey to Mackinaw Trail stretching through eight cities in northern Michigan. 

Serious skiers can experience the largest Atomic Race center in the Eastern Great Lakes Region at the Cross Country Ski Headquarters in Higgins Lake. Enjoy more than ten miles of trails and then warm up in the Stone Turtle Day Lodge. 

There’s plenty of fun to be had downstate as well.

Bald Mountain Recreation Area in Lake Orion is known for its eight miles of groomed cross country skiing trails, and is also a great destination for snowmobiling, sledding and ice fishing. 

Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary in Bellevue was the first sanctuary of the Michigan Audubon Society. Well-known as a refuge for greater sandhill cranes, cross country skiing is welcomed along its trails in-season. 

Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids is a 143 acre facility, giving visitors the opportunity to explore a variety of nature areas along its cross country trails. It’s also possible to warm up indoors with special exhibits and Blandford’s popular wildlife care program. If you are out on December 22, stop by to experience the Winter Solstice Celebration. 

History buffs will love the varied historic architecture of Petoskey and its neighbor, the Bay View Association - an area so unique that the entire community has been declared a National Historic Landmark.  One of the little gems for history lovers is the Little Traverse History Museum, which includes exhibits that feature Ernest Hemingway's life in Michigan

Wonderful dining and quaint shops are an added bonus year 'round, and in the winter, this is paradise for skiers and snowboarders.