Fink says Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore's 35 miles of Lake Michigan's coastline is one of the states most beautiful natural areas. Immense sand dunes high above the lake atop glacial moraines are an experience to climb and the reward is stunning lake views. The national park is known for a number of bluffs that are more than 400 feet above the lake, as well as forests, a historic lighthouse and pristine beaches. Fink recommends taking a guided kayak tour to see the dunes from the water.
Mackinac Island State Park covers almost 4 square miles in Lake Huron and can be reached by ferry. A popular tourist mecca since the late 19th century, Mackinac Island is so well preserved that the whole island is a National Historic Landmark, Fink says. Its stately Victorian Grand Hotel and cozy cottages look their most beautiful decked out for the annual Lilac Festival each June. Visitors get around on foot, bicycles and horses on the island.
Waterfalls, inland lakes, dense forests, beaches, sand dunes and the multicolored sandstone cliffs that Pictured Rocks National Park is named for make this spot on Lake Superior a beautiful Michigan sight, says Fink. The massive cliffs have been shaped by waves and weather and are colored green, brown and tan by cooper, limonite, iron and manganese in the water. Scenic overlooks, beaches and trails provide views of the sculptured rock but she says they are best viewed by boat from the water.
The beach towns of Ludington, Sliver Lake Sand Dunes-Hart, Muskegon, Grand Haven, Holland, Saugatuck/Douglas, South Haven, St. Joseph, Harbor County are dotted along a 200-mile stretch of Lake Michigan. Accessed by the historic West Michigan Pine Highway, each town has its own particular beauty and all share sunset viewing opportunities at the end of sunny beach days. The towns host a myriad of cultural and recreational activities during the summer.
