An article of mine was just posted over at Education.com about must-sees in Michigan for family fun.
You’re invited to take a look (and please leave a comment there if I missed anything.)
There are all sorts of interesting places and events throughout the state, which is divided into the mitten-shaped Lower Peninsula and the more remote Upper Peninsula.
Here’s a sample:
- Celebrate cherries – The western side of the Michigan Lower Peninsula harvests about 250 million pounds of cherries each year, so they celebrate with the National Cherry Festival every July in Traverse City. You can also tour cherry orchards on Leelanau Peninsula or find unique cherry products at Michigan’s American Spoon Foods or Cherry Republic.
- Motown Historical Museum – Right here in Motor City (Detroit) is a museum dedicated to the groundbreaking musical artists of the Motown Record Corporation; names like Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye and the Jackson 5. Founder Berry Gordy envisioned a “hit factory” just like the Lincoln-Mercury assembly line where he worked, and his dream is a linchpin of Detroit and Michigan’s legacy.
- The Soo Locks – Sault Ste. Marie is the oldest city in Michigan and home to one of the most important maritime trade transit points in the world, the “Soo Locks” that move tons of shipping between Lake Superior and the rest of the Lakes. Ask at the Locks Visitor Center about boat tours.
For 15 other things to do with kids in Michigan, take a look at the Education.com article.
Many thanks to those who contributed from Twitter; folks like Queen of Spain, ScrapNancy, Tim Walker, Marina Feygelman, DeafMom, SoulTravelers3 and Elizabeth at Table4Five.
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{ 3 comments }
Oh good, I’m glad you included Sleeping Bear Dunes on the Lower Peninsula. Unlike other coastal parks with sand dunes, this place encourages kids to climb them!
Hi Marilyn,
Yes, the dunes are absolutely huge and such a unique topography (but I’ll bet little legs have a tough time getting to the top.)
If you’re looking for something to make the drive go by fast, take a look at Driving Michigan: Mile by Mile on I-75 (Arbutus Press: May 2008). It provides a tour of the things you can see out your window and the places you pass as you travel along I-75 to your destination. It includes people, places, history, geology, animals, plants — everything that makes Michigan such a great state. To find out more, check out the book at http://www.nasw.org/users/lmertz/driving_michigan.html or at www. arbutuspress.com. It’s also available on the online book sellers and at many bookstores.
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