Reply #13: Ann Arbor is a neat town. The college of course adds hugely to the culture.

[MichiganVote]

Marquette is a nice town. It combines some rusticity, some of the college town feeling and some of the neighborly feel that others like. The natives are usually heavy into sports and recreation such as hunting, fishing and snowmobiling. Not glamorous but fun and interesting.

For more of the upscale up north feel Traverse city, Suttons Bay, Leelanau are the areas you will want to visit. There are many wineries in this part of the state which can be a lot of fun to visit and enjoy. Trendy foodspots, shopping and the like are fun for kids or their mothers in these areas. Great lake fishing/sailing charters are available all along the Lk. Mich. coast. Be sure to visit the Sleeping Bear dunes which is a beautiful area. The Ludington and Wilderness State camping areas are the best in my opinion. Lake of the Clouds is in the Wilderness camp ground and is very lovely.

The bigger inland lakes in northern Michigan are Torch Lake, Hamlin, Higgins, and Mullett to name a few.

For things like canoeing and kayaking, just about any of the rivers will do. People usually favor the Pine river and the Pier Marquette. The Muskegon river is very nice and relatively easy for tubing as well as canoeing. The town of Newaygo is a neat place and attracts a many tourists.

There is a smaller town on the coast of Lk. Michigan called Gladstone (see Escanaba) which has a very nice bay and marina. It is a very pretty town and if smaller is better for you, you could check that out.