One of my favorite things about living in Michigan is that we experience all 4 seasons. Visit Michigan in the Fall for the crisp weather, beautiful color,, and all the fun things Michigan offers in the Fall.
In this post, I’m giving you five convincing reasons to visit Michigan in the Fall this year.
Need ideas on where to go? Check out my other Michigan Travel posts here
Reason #1: FALL COLORS CAN BE EXPERIENCED FROM THE UPPER PENINSULA DOWN TO DETROIT
The Upper Peninsula can see Fall color as early as mid-september. As you work your way south, October is your best bet for peak colors for Northern Michigan cities like Traverse City and Petosky and mostly end of October – early November for Southern cities like Detroit and Grand Rapids.
Follow this color map here for 2022 predictions and plan your trip accordingly!
PRIME LOCATIONS FOR LEAF PEEKING:
Upper Peninsula – Lake of the Clouds Overlook (Porcupine Mountains State Park), Tahquamenon Falls State Park
Northern Michigan – Tunnel of Trees (M-119 Harbor Springs to Cross Village), Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)
Mid Michigan: Hartwick Pines National Forest (Grayling), Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens (Midland)
Southern Michigan: Paint Creek Trail (Rochester), Kal-Haven Trail (South Haven to Kalamazoo), Huron River Drive (Ann Arbor to Dexter)
reason #2: WE TAKE APPLE CIDER AND DONUTS SERIOUSLY
Michigan is the 3rd largest apple producer in the US. You’ll find apple orchards, cider mills, and pumpkin patches all over the state! Bonus: Most are dog friendly!
OUR FAVORITES:
Yates Cider Mill – Rochester, MI
Goodison Cider Mill – Rochester, MI
Rochester Cider Mill – Rochester, MI
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reason #3: fALL FESTIVALS ABOUND
Participate in one of the many Fall festivals happening around the state! This is one of the best reasons to visit Michigan in the Fall in my opinion.
Oktoberfest – Frankenmuth – The first Oktoberfest to operate with the blessing of the original Oktoberfest in Munich!
Apple and BBQ Festival – Silver Lake Sand Dunes – BBQ and apples? Need I say more?
Charlevoix Apple Fest – Part Farmer’s Market, Part Arts and Crafts Show with local Food Booths.
Michigan Renaissance Festival – Holly MI – Not specifically Fall, but a very popular festival in Michigan, get yourself a giant turkey leg and mead!
Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer, and Food Festival, Grand Rapids, MI – Grab a ticket and taste more than 1,000 wines, beers, ciders, and spirits from around the world, along with creations from the area’s finest restaurants!
Reason #4: MORE THAN JUST A FEW COLOR TOUR SCENIC DRIVES
As stated above, there are a lot of areas to see Fall color around the state. Taking a scenic drive is one of the best ways to cover a lot of ground. I just love Fall drives, there is something about a road splitting beautiful trees on either side.
Beautiful drives to try:
M-22 Scenic Drive – Voted “Best Scenic Autumn Drive” in the USA in 2015! I completely agree with that. It was an absolutely beautiful drive at the end of October. Oddly enough, 2015 was when I did that drive above!
Tunnel of Trees Color Tour – We did this drive in 2020 and it did not live up to our expectations, honestly. It was very narrow roads, very crowded with people parking on the side of the road / blocking the road, and we did not see as much color as we were hoping for early October. You might have better luck than us though, this is one a lot of people love!
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive – This is located in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and is a stunning drive in any season. I have yet to see it in Fall, but just look up Fall photos and you will be blown away. This drive has a self-guided tour through the National Park Service app with numbered signs along the drive for educational snippets!
Reason #5: CAMPGROUNDS ARE STILL OPEN
Ever dreamed of waking up to a cold crisp fall morning at a campsite? Then Michigan is your place to go. Cozy up by a fire pit, make a dutch oven chili, and sip on some hot coffee in your expensive hydro flask mug with colorful leaves all around you,
SOME GREAT FALL CAMPGROUNDS WOULD BE:
Interlochen State Park – Interlochen, MI
Hartwick Pines State Park – Grayling, MI
Tahquamenon Falls State Park – Luce County, MI
North and South Higgins Lake State Parks – Roscommon, MI
There you have it. I hope this has given you the inspirational push to visit Michigan in the Fall this year!