All too often, travel and adventure books are written by people who have spent minimal time in an area. While that might present an interesting visitor’s viewpoint, I’d much rather get my tips from someone who has deep local roots. That’s what makes these guides for Michigan travel so much fun. They were all written by local authors who are intimately familiar with our glorious state.
Click on the link to purchase these books directly from the author or, a local bookstore.
3 Day Getaways Michigan Backroads
Ron Rademacher spent about ten years traveling the arts and crafts fair circuit throughout Michigan, creating and marketing rustic log and twig furniture. All that rambling on backroads around the state, paid off in another way as well. It provided the inspiration for a popular local podcast, newsletter, and several books.
This particular tome is a keeper for that restless feeling that you need a long weekend. You’ll find a variety of destinations from all around the state, and none so obvious as Mackinac Island or Pictured Rocks. Rademacher provides carefully curated suggestions on what one might do for day one, two, and three, to make the most of your weekend (or weekday) getaway.
One of the coolest ways to explore the state is just by hoofin’ it. There are hiking trails, beaten paths, and sandy shores all over. So, you can just pick a direction and go, but sometimes it’s also nice to have a little insight before you embark. Jim DuFresne has spent his fair share of time trakking across this planet, including the often rugged terrain of Alaska, New Zealand, and even our own Isle Royale. He’s earned a great eye for what makes a hiking destination special.
The original version of this book, as the title suggests, only had 50 hikes, but the latest iteration includes a bonus ten. Each suggested hike is covered in detail including distance, level of difficulty, hiking time, and special features and sights to look out for. Those will range from stunning scenery to majestic old trees to restrooms, and plaves to get some refreshing water. There are also tips on nearby camping, fishing, birding, and other nearby options worth exploring. Each hike description includes directions to the trailhead, as well as GPS coordinates.
100 Things to Do in Michigan Before You Die
Author Kath Usitalo is one of those local folks who might best be described as bi-peninsular. She grew up, went to school and worked in the Detroit area, but then vacationed every year in the Upper Peninsula, where her parents were born, and she now lives. That makes her ideally suited to come up with what is commonly referred to as a Michigan bucket list, and provide insider info on how to make the most of your time on these adventures.
Compare your existing list to the 100 items included in the book, or use it to create some Michigan travel goals for you or your family and friends. This collection covers destinations all around the state, from the historic to the sublime. If you really want to focus on exploring the Yoop, Usitalo has also authored 100 Things to do in the Upper Peninsula Before You Die.
If someone could only spend one day in our state, where would you tell them to go? What would you say they have to experience once they get there? This is the fundamental premise behind Amy S. Eckert’s book. However, instead of one answer, she provides multiple possibilities. The result is an excellent resource for picking a variety of road tripping destinations. As a travel journalist for more than a quarter of a century, Eckert has developed an innate sense of what makes a place truly special.
Readers will learn about the best Middle Eastern food in Detroit, where to pick blueberries in South Haven, how to descend into a copper mine, and more. After reading it, you may find yourself wondering whether you’d rather climb an authentic 18th-century Dutch windmill in Holland or ascend a haunted lighthouse in Port Huron. Maybe the answer is neither, and you just want to take the elevator to the top of Grand Rapids’ premier hotel for a romantic five-star meal. Regardless, you’ll likely find some travel inspiration on nearly every page.
Under the Radar Michigan: Yet Another 50
Fans of the PBS television show Under the Radar Michigan, may recognize many of the destinations in this read. It is the latest in a series of books that follows the adventures of host Tom Daldin, and his Great Lakes State compatriots, Jim Edelman and Erik Tremonti, as they traverse the state looking for adventures and hidden gems.
Each of the books takes readers along chapter by chapter, through the highs and lows (mostly highs) of fifty episodes of the popular series. The goal of the show and each book is to introduce the audience to Michigan cities, interesting people, incredible restaurants, romantic spaces, and great places to vacation with the whole family. While the books may follow episodes in somewhat chronological manner, you can explore any one, or pick up all three, and enjoy them in any order.
Waterfalls of Michigan: The Collection
You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who knows more about the glorious waterfalls of Michigan than Phil Stagg. He has been exploring and photographing them in all seasons for years. This book looks at 211 of the best and easiest to access, so you can plan your adventures according to your own interests and abilities.
The waterfalls are documented in a simple county by county manner, making it geographically easy to follow, for trips that will allow you to take in more than one of these gems in a single visit to a region. You can even find useful tips like which waterfalls are winter accessible or dog friendly.
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