Michigan Just Wouldn't Be The Same Without These 5 Charming Small Towns
By Emily Tieman|Published December 29, 2022
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Emily Tieman
Author
Emily Tieman is a lifelong Michigander and has a love for locally owned small businesses. She is a freelance writer for Only In Your State and has her own vintage content creator business.
When people think of the Great Lakes State they often think of Detroit, but Michigan is a collection of eclectic and friendly small towns where everyone knows each other. There’s nothing better than visiting any of the many charming small towns in Michigan and being welcomed like an old friend. You’ll find adorable main streets, maritime history, and even a bikeable rail trail in these lovely locales.
Pure Michigan is all about our state's natural beauty, which these small towns have in abudance.
Michigan has the most lighthouses in the United States and you can find two iconic ones, North Breakwater Light and Big Sable Point Lighthouse, right here in Ludington. Ludington State Park is on Lake Michigan and is one of the most incredible places to swim and bike in our state. If that doesn’t convince you to visit, Ludington has the most charming downtown with plenty of shops and restaurants that are a must-see.
Speaking of iconic lighthouses, the South Haven Light was operational from 1872-1940. Now, visitors love to walk the pier and watch a breathtaking Lake Michigan sunset while viewing the lighthouse silhouette. If you enjoy nautical history, check out the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven. If you prefer land over sea, you can hike or bike the Kal-Haven trail, a 33.5-mile rail trail connecting Kalamazoo with South Haven.
Elk Rapids is a gorgeous waterfront village in Northwest Michigan with under 2,000 residents. The village is almost completely surrounded by water with East Grand Traverse Bay to the West, Elk Lake to the East, and Bass Lake to the north. Naturally, Elk Rapids is a popular place for boating and living the lake-life cottage lifestyle.
Far up north in the Upper Peninsula, Houghton is known for the one-of-a-kind Portage Canal Lake Lift Bridge which is moveable and lifts to allow ships to pass underneath. Houghton is a great place to go hiking and has impressive waterfalls nearby such as Canyon River Falls, Miner’s Falls, and Wagner Falls. You can also tour the Quincy Mines which are extensive copper mines that started operations in 1846 and continued on through the 1970s.
Main Street in Otsego has an all-American feel to it with small businesses, a quaint coffee shop, and tasty local restaurants. Many people travel to Otsego during the winter months to buy a season pass for Bittersweet Ski Resort. Bittersweet has 20 ski runs for all levels of experience and even offers night skiing and snowboarding.
Whether you love Michigan’s small towns for delightful main streets or for lake access, our state has plenty of incredible places to choose from. There are so many to visit we even wrote an article about 12 Incredible Charming Small Towns In Michigan, One For Each Month Of The Year. Have you visited any of these charming small towns? Let us know your experience in the comments!
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