Michigan
In my life as a globetrotter, I have missed large swaths of my own country, including much of the upper Midwest. Grand Rapids, Michigan, gave me an opportunity to discover something new. And it was a pure delight.
My nephews don’t know it, but we’re engaging in a resurging travel trend: agritourism. This type of tourism involves visiting any local agricultural setting, including farmers markets, U-pick farms, and fun activities like corn mazes.
Every summer, the tall ship Manitou plies the clear waters of Grand Traverse Bay, docking at Traverse City, Michigan. Three or four times a day, the ship sets sail with up to 59 passengers for a two-hour cruise. It’s a traditional ship experience. Sails are hoisted through muscle and perseverance. Steering is done with a wheel on the quarter deck. And, the speed of the ride depends on the wind.
Do you know that feeling of how a smell, sound, or taste takes you back to some of your fondest memories? That’s what happens to me when something reminds me of my summer family vacations in Michigans Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. So, after all these years, whenever I travel to Michigan, I try my best to visit the Dunes.
For over a century Detroit, Michigan has hosted an auto show. The show's start in 1907 had a regional focus and continued that way for several decades.
Mackinac Island, named by Native Americans for its shape as a turtle, is a northern Michigan island made famous by the Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour movie, "Somewhere in Time". Just as the Victorian-period movie reflected, Mackinac Island has maintained its old world charm. Many of the buildings reflect Victorian architecture and there are only two ways to travel around the 9 mile island--by bicycle or horse drawn carriage. Join World Footprints as well explore the island by horse drawn carriage today.
Our audio tour will start with a visit to the Michigan Historical Center and Museum in Lansing where we will offer a flavor of every place in the State between the lower and upper peninsula. Museum director Linda Endersby and Michigan History Foundation director Cindy Hales will help us learn about the stories of the people who helped shape Michigan.
