Michigan’s traditional hunting season for deer, turkey, waterfowl and other game, fall signals the opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts to head into the woods. Make time for a drive up Brockway Mountain in Copper Harbor for spectacular views that seem to go on forever. The route passes through the Copper Country State Forest en route to Houghton and Calumet beneath a canopy of stunning autumn color. The U.P’s colors peak long before those in the Lower Peninsula, so don’t put off a trip along the Keweenaw Peninsula’s M-26. Enjoy the beauty of the Lake Michigan shore along M-22, perhaps Michigan’s most famous scenic drive, with glimpses of the sparkling lake peeking through the brilliant foliage all along the Leelanau Peninsula shoreline. Autumn is the perfect time for a scenic drive. Hop on your bicycle, rev your motorcycle or pack the kids in the car. Enjoy Street Murals at Detroit’s Eastern Marketīrockway Mountain | Photo Courtesy of Shalee Blackmer Set in the heart of Marshall, the inn was built in 1835 and once served as a stagecoach inn and a stop along the Underground Railroad.ĩ. Or visit the National House Inn, Michigan’s oldest. The 100-year-old Walloon Lake Inn sits on the sparkling shore of its namesake lake and just a short drive from the golf courses and shopping in Petoskey. Relax at the turn-of-the-century Laurium Manor Inn on the Keweenaw Peninsula, once the elaborate mansion of a copper mine owner. Whatever team you root for, the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing or the University of Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor, you can count on an exciting sports showdown.Ĭheck into a cozy Michigan inn, and wile away the hours on colorful forest walks or before a roaring fire. And the rivalries come to life on Michigan’s Big Ten football fields. Marie or the Grand River near Grand Rapids. Try your hand at landing a salmon, steelhead or trout at one of the state’s best fly fishing rivers: the Pere Marquette near Baldwin the Manistee River St. Life slows down on Michigan’s pristine rivers, and never more so than with a fly rod in your hands. Sample the state’s crisp Pinot Grigios, fruity Rieslings and dry Pinot Noirs at one of the state’s wine trails: The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail and Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula Trails near Traverse City the Bay View Wine Trail in the Petoskey Area and the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail in southwest Michigan.Īerial View of the Manistee River | Photo Courtesy of Pure Michigan Looking for something a little stronger? Vander Mill Cider Mill & Winery in Spring Lake promises soft and hard ciders made solely from locally-grown apples, or jazzed up with ginger, berries, hops or poblano peppers.Īutumn brings the crush to Michigan’s 100+ wineries. The name is funny, but the cider-sipping is good at Knaebe’s Apple Farm & Ciderworks in Rogers City. Sip a glass of cider at Rochester Hills’ Yates Cider Mill and you’ll be following a tradition that stretches back to Civil War days-Yates has produced cider from its water-powered mill since 1863. Your family can pick their own fruit at Crane Orchards U-Pick and Corn Maze in Fennville, each tidy row of apple trees labeled to help you find the perfect variety for pie baking. Head to Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery in Grand Rapids for fresh-picked bushels of Macintosh and Delicious and stay for sweet-tart cider and warm donuts. Autumn’s sunshine brings apple season to Michigan.