Things to Do in Michigan

Mackinac Island is a 3.8-square-mile island within Lake Huron that has served as the indigenous home of the Odawa people, the site of a strategic fur trading center during North America’s colonial period, and a popular resort colony during the late 19th century. Today, much of the island is preserved within Mackinac Island State Park, though a variety of tourist attractions remain for year-round fun. The island is famously car-free and is listed as a National Historic Landmark, showcasing beautiful Victorian-style architecture at sites such as the Victorian Grand Hotel.

Fort Mackinac preserves 14 buildings associated with a British and American military outpost, while the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum showcases works by local and indigenous artists. A variety of tourist attractions are also located throughout the island, including boutique stores, fudge shops, and nightlife spots.

The Michigan Science Center is Detroit's premiere science and technology museum, formed following the closure of the Detroit Science Center in 2011.

The museum, which was opened to the public the following year, is home to Michigan's only Chrysler IMAX Dome Theatre, along with venues such as the DTE Energy Sparks Theater and the Dassault Systèmes Planetarium. Exhibit galleries showcase more than 250 hands-on exhibits for young visitors, focusing on space, engineering, health, and physical science topics.

Other attractions include the museum's Chrysler Science Stage, which showcases educational performances, and the Toyota Engineering 4D Theater, which showcases 4D screenings of films such as National Geographic's "Extreme Weather."

5020 John R St, Detroit, MI 48202, Phone: 313-577- 8400, Map

Boyne Mountain Resort has been in operation for over half a century within the village of Boyne Falls, founded in 1947 by Everett Kircher as the Boyne Ski Lodge.

Today, the resort is easily accessible from Boyne Mountain Airport and offers a wide variety of year-round attractions, including more than 60 downhill skiing trails and 35 kilometers of cross-country skiing opportunities.

Cozy hotel rooms, creekside condos, alpine-style chalets, private villas, and authentic log cabins are available for rental, offering amenities such as full kitchenettes, whirlpool tubs, and private dining and deck areas.

In addition to skiing facilities, the resort is also home to Avalanche Bay, the state’s largest indoor water park, along with a 19,500-square-foot luxury spa, an 18-hole disc golf course, and zipline adventure courses. Family entertainment options offered on site include seasonal hayrides and movie night events.

Boyne Mountain Resort, One Boyne Mountain Rd, Boyne Falls, MI 49713, Phone: 855-688-7024, Facebook

The Detroit Institute of Arts, commonly referred to as the DIA, holds one of the most significant fine arts collections in America, considered to be one of the country’s top six art museums.

More than 66,000 works valued at over $8 billion in total are showcased in the museum’s collections, with more than 100 galleries spread out over its 658,000-square-foot display space.

The museum, which is located within the city’s Cultural Center Historic District, highlights works across time from Africa, Asia, indigenous and post-colonial North America, Oceania, and the Middle East.

Its General Motors Center for African American Art also emphasizes works created by contemporary African-American artists.

In addition to its collections, the museum also showcases 1,150 and 380-seat theaters, an art references library, a conservation services laboratory, and two casual service restaurants.

The Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, Phone: 313-833-7900, Map

Detroit Zoo is one of the state’s most popular family attractions, receiving more than 1.5 million annual visitors.

The 125-acre zoo was originally opened in 1883, reopening in its modern incarnation in 1928, and is known as the first zoo in America to implement barless animal habitats.

More than 2,000 animals are showcased throughout the nonprofit zoo, representing over 240 species and housed within naturalistic habitats meant to mimic animals’ original ecosystems.

Among the zoo’s most impressive exhibits is its Polk Penguin Conservation Center, a 326,000-gallon habitat that is home to more than 75 penguins.

Other family attractions at the zoo include the historic Tauber Family Railroad, the Korman Tadpole and Rissman Playventure children’s playgrounds, a classic carousel, and a 4D theater and virtual-reality simulator ride.

Detroit Zoo, 8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067, Phone: 248-541-5717, Map

Fort Mackinac is a historic military outpost located on Mackinac Island that was originally constructed by British forces during the American Revolutionary War. It was later used in the 19th century as a United States Army outpost during conflicts such as the War of 1812. Following its 1895 closure, the fort was adapted as a living history museum and is located today within the grounds of Mackinac Island State Park, overlooking the beautiful Haldimand Bay. All of the fort’s original 14 buildings have been restored for visitor exploration, showcasing historic exhibits and period furnishings. A 20-minute documentary film is presented periodically at the fort’s Post Commissary, and a lucky daily guest is offered a chance to load and fire the fort’s canon for an upcharge fee. Dining options at the fort include the all-day Tea Room and grounds food carts.

7127 Huron Rd, Mackinac Island, MI 49757, Phone: 906-847-3328, Map

Belle Isle Park is a Michigan State Park that has been a beloved Detroit gem since 1845. At 982 acres, the park is the largest city island park in the United States, located near the US-Canada border within the Detroit River.

Three lakes are located within the park’s boundaries, along with 150 acres of wooded terrain and extensive shoreline offering spectacular views of the Detroit and Windsor, Ontario skylines.

Free-admission visitor attractions within the park include the Belle Island Aquarium, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and the historic Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse.

The park is also a favorite summer spot for boating and watercrafting, biking, and picnicking, with a full boat house and yacht club facility offered, and is home to the nine-acre Belle Island Golf Range.

300 River Place Drive, Suite 2800, Detroit, MI 48207, Phone: 313-331-7760, Map

Frankenmuth is a city in Saginaw County that was originally settled in 1845 by German immigrants. The city retains its historic German character today, with a name that roughly translates as “the courage of the Bavarians.” The city is noted as the home of Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas-themed store, and is renowned for its beautiful Bavarian-style architecture and historic and cultural attractions.

Top tourist sites include the Frankenmuth Historical Museum, Michigan’s Military and Space Heroes Museum, and the outdoor Heritage Park, which offers a pavilion hosting public special events.

Families will enjoy the city’s Zehnder's Splash Village Hotel and Waterpark, Frankenmuth Aerial Park, and Grandpa’s Tiny Farm petting zoo, while couples will love its classic Art Deco cinema, historic riverboat tours, and romantic horse-drawn carriage rides.

635 South Main Street, Frankenmuth, MI 48734, Phone: 989-652-6106

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a 158-acre botanical garden and sculpture park facility that was opened to the public in 1995 by Frederik Meijer, the CEO of the Meijer supermarket chain.

Since its opening, it has quickly become one of the most noted cultural parks in the American Midwest, named as one of the world’s top 30 must-see museums in 2009.

As the state’s second most-visited tourist attraction, the Grand Rapids park showcases a variety of impressive indoor and outdoor gardens and sculpture galleries, including the eight-acre Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, and the noted Iron Tree sculpture by legendary designer Ai Weiwei.

Summer concerts are held at the venue’s amphitheater, and seasonal exhibitions include the park’s Butterflies are Blooming free-flying exhibit and its Chrysanthemums and More! display.

1000 East Beltline Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525, Phone: 888-957-1580, Map

The Henry Ford is located in Detroit suburb Dearborn and is home to an expansive indoor and outdoor museum complex, the largest of its kind in the United States.

The museum complex receives more than 1.7 million annual visitors and showcases attractions such as the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, which chronicles the story of famed American automobile entrepreneur Henry Ford and his historic car company.

A variety of exhibits also focus on American heroes and entrepreneurs of the 19th century that defined the country’s spirit of exceptionalism, ingenuity, and individualism.

Highlights of the museum collection include Abraham Lincoln’s chair from his assassination at Ford’s Theatre, the Wright Brothers’ famous bicycle shop, and the bus from Rosa Parks’ famous American Civil Rights Movement action. Outdoor exhibits are showcased at Greenfield Village, and 4K digital projection films are shown at the Giant Screen Experience.

The Henry Ford, 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, MI 48124-5029, Phone: 313-982-6001, Facebook