18. Michigan

Michigan might be one of the states I need to see more of the most. I have only scratched the surface of what it actually has.

Michigan has it all! It’s got forests. It’s got lakes. It’s got beaches. It’s got… heavily declining cities 😬. Let’s just ignore that last point for now! Michigan is the first state from the Upper Midwest to make the list, and that just goes to show how great of an area of the country it is. I haven’t seen anywhere in the states near enough to cement itself here on this list, but I know it’s gorgeous.

I’ve only been to Michigan twice. And I took the same route both times going between Ohio and the Canadian border in Detroit. So I really haven’t seen much except for Detroit suburbs. Not ideal in the slightest, is it? But because of that, I think it gives me the drive to make it one of my soonest roadtrips and hit all of the Upper Midwest, and especially the Upper Peninsula. Every time though I hear someone talk about Michigan, it’s almost always great things! Where do I go? Do I head to the beaches of Lake Michigan or camp out in the forests of the UP. Hopefully I do both. 

Upper Peninsula Forest

But Michigan is a little to populated for a state with it’s features. It’s the exact place where you would want to get away from people. And the cities themselves, well let’s just say they have some issues. Many of these places were once great cities, but suffer from the declining manufacturing industries. And the only reason Ann Arbor stands out is because of the University of Michigan being a powerhouse.

Still, I think there is space to escape to. But I guess I’m just going to find out for myself. We’ll see if my list changes afterwards!