𝒎𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒏'𝒔 𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒂𝒚! 185 𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔.
On January 26, 1837, our beautiful mitten was granted statehood, which means the Great Lakes State is turning 185 years old!
We have the coolest shaped state
And the nicest people
Two peninsulas. One state.
11,000 inland lakes larger than 5 acres
The greatest number of different foods grown of any state except California
Longest freshwater shoreline in the US & more shoreline than any other state in the lower 48 (yes, more than California)!
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
You don’t have to pay money to go to the beach
Yoopers and Trolls
The handy map, of course
Michigan rock hunting is the best on Earth
Sea Shells City’s Giant Clam
Cherry pie from Grand Traverse Pie Company and The Cherry Hut
Christmas time in Frankenmuth
Riding bikes around Mackinac Island
Surfing the Great Lakes
3,177 miles of Great Lakes shoreline (and no sharks or stinging eyes!)
Rollerblading the TART Trail
Freshwater fishing. There is no bad fishing season.
Four seasons, each with its own allure
Cherry blossoms
Trilliums
Michigan barns have their own styles
Bonfires on the beach
Ernest Hemingway
Empire Asparagus Festival
Beaches and skiing both in the same state
Sunsets in Pentwater, Ludington, Manistee, Onekama, Frankfort, Empire, Glen Arbor, Leland, Elk Rapids, Charlevoix, Petoskey, Harbor Springs … pretty much everywhere
Sunrises on Lake Huron
Ancient copper mines
Elmore Leonard
Village Cheese Shanty
Walking over the Mackinac Bridge
20,000 miles of quality trout streams
The Accidentals
Vasa Trail
Our sweet, small towns
Pyramid Point
Award-winning wine
Trout Unlimited founded on Au Sable River
Rick and Marty Lagina
Jim Harrison
The 45th Parallel
Uncle John’s Cider Mill
40 of the state’s 83 counties adjoin at least one of the Great Lakes
Morel mushrooms
Empire Beach
The Northern Lights
Vernors (which we also use to cure all colds)
Petoskey Stones
White Pine Village
Madonna (Born in Bay City)
Adams Fly invented on Boardman River
Stormy Kromer
Blueberries
Cheeseburger Festival in Caseville
‘Up North’ is anywhere north of Bay City
Faygo
“All Summer Long” by Kid Rock (you’ve gotta admit it’s catchy)
Turquoise waters of Glen Lake
North Country Trail
Detroit-style pizza
Craft beer great’s like Hop Lot, Stormcloud, Short’s and so many more
Cruising state highways (especially M-22, M-119, M-185)
S.S. Badger
Moose in the Upper Peninsula
Wilderness State Park
Longest-running wolf study in the world: wolves on Isle Royale
Horses on Mackinac Island
Christopher Paul Curtis, author of Bud, Not Buddy (born in Flint)
Leelanau Conservancy
Better Made and Great Lakes Potato Chips
Motown (Aretha, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations)
Watching boats going through the Soo Locks
Farmers Markets
Pasties
Lighthouses. And lots of them. (116 to be more precise)
Beach volleyball after work
Fayette Historic State Park
Ice Cream (Moomers, Hudsonville, Michigan State University Dairy Store, Jones Homemade Ice Cream, House of Flavors)
Black squirrels (and red and gray!)
Author Jerry Dennis
Tom Brady (played at University of Michigan)
Straits of Mackinac
Winter sports: tubing, snowboarding, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, fat tire biking
Sandy beaches
Water skiing
Cheesy potatoes. We could eat them every single day.
Apple orchards
Arch Rock
Summer picnics
Ironton Ferry
Loons
Michigan round white potatoes—they make the best mashed taters!
Joshua Davis
North and South Manitou Islands (and Mackinac, Beaver, Hog, Garden, Bois Blanc)
Fort Mackinac, Fort Holmes, Colonial Michilimackinac
Holland Tulip Festival
National Ski Hall of Fame in Ishpeming
Tahquamenon Falls State Park