On the surface, there seems to be nothing one can do in Michigan except visit the great lakes and marvel at nature’s magnificence. But getting in awe of Michigan’s backdrop is just part of the city’s charm. In truth, Michigan is a reminder of how memorable those trips up north were back then. While it also has skyscrapers, it didn’t forget to relish in its small-town charm.
Call of the Wild Museum
Do you still remember when you stop by roadside attractions when you do road trips? You’ll find gas station diners, motels, and corny museums by the side of the road. Most of those attractions are gone now, except that in Michigan, you can still visit the Call of the Wild Museum. Here, you’ll see dozens of animals preserved by local taxidermists years ago. This is as close as you can get to wildlife safely.
Erebus Haunted Attraction
From 2005 to 2009, Erebus was the Guinness World Record’s largest walk-through haunted attraction. It eventually lost to Cutting Edge Haunted House. Of course, that doesn’t stop tourists from wanting to visit Erebus, which is a four-story haunted attraction in Pontiac. The first floor is located underground with a half-mile walk inside and the three other floors are above ground.
Lake Michigan
Sure, there are many lakes around the country, but Lake Michigan is home to steelhead, chinook salmon, and coho salmon. If you love to fish, this is a great starting point for you. There are plenty of fishing stores dotted along the road leading to the lake, so you can get your supplies there. You will hear a lot of spooky stories about Lake Michigan, though, as it has been implicated in the missing of ships, people, and airplanes much like the Bermuda Triangle. Still, that shouldn’t stop you from wanting to visit one of the three Great Lakes.
Island Carriage Tour
There’s just something unique about a horse-drawn carriage, right? If you want to hear about the history of Mackinac Island, there’s no better way to do that than while riding a carriage along Main Street. Better do that during winter for a full effect. There are plenty of tour packages that offer a one-and-a-half carriage drive around the island.
Dawson & Steven’s Classic 50’s Diner
Aside from American comfort food, soda fountain, and frothy milkshakes, the Dawson & Steven’s Classic 50’s Diner is also home to Bottle-Cap Museum. It has a large private collection of Coca-Cola souvenirs in Michigan. Tens of thousands of old Coca-Cola products such as bottles, caps, memorabilia, and other stuff line the shelves.
Dinosaur Gardens
Have you ever wanted to walk on prehistoric land? Well, Michigan doesn’t have a time travel machine, but it does have the Dinosaur Gardens. This is a 40-acre tract of land that provides you with an encounter with prehistoric species such as dinosaurs, birds, mammals, and cavemen. Think of it as a prehistoric zoo only that the dinosaurs are man-made instead of the meat-eating T-Rex hundreds of millions of years ago.
Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland
This is purportedly the world’s largest Christmas store. It spans one-and-a-half football fields and features over 50,000 Christmas decorations, gifts, collectibles, and trinkets. If you love Christmas, this is definitely the place for you, though prepare to spend hours in here. Of course, you can shop at Bronner’s online but that’s nothing compared to seeing the actual store.
Michigan may not be on top of your bucket list, but its charm, natural wonder, and quirky offerings will surely captivate the young and old alike. If you don’t want to do anything weird during your trip, Michigan has fantabulous beaches and lakes. The microbreweries are not to be missed, too.
