Compass American Guides: Michigan, 1st Edition

OVERVIEW

Michigan is more than cars? The north is a landscape of lakes too wide to see across, mossy paths winding through deep forest, gurgling streams rippling fresh and clean over their pebbled beds, and waterfalls plunging headlong down rocky cliffs. Flat, fertile farmland rolls through the southeast, broken by the steel and concrete of industrial centers -- especially flint, Battle Creek, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan, is arguably one of the liveliest towns in the state. And finally, dominating the eastern edge of the state, Detroit is an economic powerhouse, with global industrial reach.

Detroit, Motor City

Appropriately, there's a steady roar of honking horns, screeching brakes, and the slamming of limousine doors in the city that put our nation -- and, for that matter, the world -- on wheels. Greater Detroit boasts the "high" culture of museums, opera, orchestras; a setting that enables the simple pleasures of riverfront dining, strolls through woodland parks, and dancing at outdoor festivals; and a fascinating, sometimes turbulent industrial history that resulted in palatial mansions, crowded ethnic enclaves -- even the chart-breaking sounds of Motown.

Southeast

Southeastern Michigan is mostly farmland and is flat as a pancake -- until you get to the Irish Hills. Formed by the eroded deposits of glacial moraines, these rolling hills are distinctive for their oak openings and lakes. Lansing, the state capital, rests at the center of this largely rural land.

Ann Arbor

A quintessential college town, Ann Arbor entertains as well as it educates. Museums, cinemas, and a plethora of theaters vie with Kerrytown restaurants and U of M football and basketball for the visitor's attention. Galleries and funky shops abound, and, with one of the highest concentration of used and rare bookshops in the United States, Ann Arbor is a mecca for book lovers.

The Thumb

Here, big cities give way to wide-open farmland, punctuated with silos, cider mills, and small towns. From the end of the breakwater at Port Austin, you can watch the sun rise over Lake Huron and return in the evening fir the sunset over Saginaw Bay.

Northwest & Mackinac Island

This triangle of Michigan contains some of the best beaches, best hiking trails, best boating and canoeing opportunities, plus some of the most fascinating historic sites in the country. Take the ferry out to the Maitou Islands; or visit Mackinac Island, itself a living museum.

Upper Peninsula

Lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior wrap their shores around the Upper Peninsula. Country roads lead to parks, beaches, waterfalls, and trails; roadside restaurants, often furnished with communal tables, offer hikers the chance to take a satisfying coffee break: a fine cup of java and, if you're in the mood, a friendly conversation with the local gentry. The wilderness here is unforgettable, especially on Isle Royale, with its ancient drama of wolf and moose.