Welcome to Michigan, a great state full of wonders and inspiration.
Michigan is located in central United States and shares the border with Canada. The name “Michigan” comes from Native American language, which means “large lake”. Truth be told, Michigan is surrounded by four of the five great lakes. A fun fact is that the total length of the lakeshore of Michigan is longer than the length of the west coast of the Pacific Ocean.
With brooks, rivers and lakes scattering all over Michigan, the best outdoor activity a Michigander suggests might be canoeing or kayaking. If you live near Ann Arbor, the easiest way to enjoy canoeing is through Gallup Park, where canoes and kayaks can be rented. They offer service taking you and your kayak upstream of the Huron river so you can float along with the current to enjoy the stunning view. Make sure you do that in summer since the water in fall and winter might be too cold.
Michigan is also famous for its beautiful fall foliage. Because of the latitude, the north part of Michigan will first see the change of the color, usually starting from late October. You can drive all the way north, crossing the magnificent Mackinac bridge, into the isolated and mysterious upper peninsula with breathtaking colors. There is no good language describing the view up there, you will have to see it for yourself. You can also take the ferry to see the Pictured Rock National Lakeshore. Thanks to the mineral sediment, the lakeshore has vivid color, not seen anywhere else. If you are a hard-core explorer, Isle Royal National Park would be a gem for you. A four-hour ferry journey to the island is only the beginning; with no restaurant or transportation, the island will be a true test of your braveness.
Apart from the natural view, Michigan is rich in culture with many museums, such as Ann Arbor’s newly renovated Museum of Natural History (temporarily closed) featuring a state-of-art planetarium and dome theater where you can gaze into the universe. Michigan is also known as the center of American auto industry, with the headquarters of three major manufacturers located in the greater Detroit area. Ford, as the most renowned American auto manufacturer, has its headquarter located in Dearborn, along with the very famous Henry Ford museum. Inside the museum, you can learn the history of the auto industry and how American family life was transformed by the invention of the automobile. You can even take a tour of the Ford assembly line of F-150 pickup trucks. In addition, make sure you take a ride with the very first ford T-Type.
Michigan’s winter is long and cold. However, you do not have to be trapped inside rooms. There are many skiing resorts located in the state. Don’t worry if you never skied before; many resorts offer skiing lessons and skiing tracks with different difficulty levels. The biggest one is Nub’s Nob Ski Area, where you can also find lodging and restaurants.
All we have talked about is only a tip of the iceberg compared to what you can do to fully enjoy every part of Michigan. A more comprehensive guide can be found by searching Pure Michigan. All in all, we hope you have a wonderful life here in the beautiful state of Michigan.
Written by Kehui Zhang
Summer Orientation Peer Advisor
Graduate Student
China
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