4 beautiful, slow-paced, accessible, family vacation destinations
Is Michigan worth visiting? Simply, yes. You want to visit Michigan, and we’ve got 4 slow-paced, family friendly recommendations for you.
After all, your family summer vacation can offer something other than the big, overcrowded, usual spots. Michigan family vacations await in some amazing destinations. Plus, visitors with mobility disabilities can find accessible activities and attractions.
Our family’s 4 slow travel family vacation Michigan recommendations
Our family travels with kids have now taken us to destinations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. By the time you finish this wee piece, we’re confident you’ll understand why we returned praising Michigan. And we hope you’ll have Michigan destinations like the ones below in the mix for your next family vacation plans.
We’ve visited all 4 of our picks. Each spot combined beautiful, recreation-friendly rivers and lakes, delicious food, and vibrant history. What they offered above all, though, was a slower pace.
And I don’t know about you, but a slower pace sounds good for the soul—especially this year.
Here they are, and then keep reading for more details and suggestions on each location:
All four of our picks are on Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, or LP. You can easily make your way there via major airports in Chicago or Detroit. They’re also road-trip friendly from these and other points south too. (Heck, you can even take a ferry across Lake Michigan from Wisconsin.)
Why we never thought about visiting the Great Lakes states, and why we were wrong
I grew up in Virginia and lived much of my adulthood in Oregon. My life never brought me much to the Great Lakes states. To be honest, I never thought Jodie, the kids, and I would have a reason to go.
I am so, so glad to have been proven wrong.
If you don’t know what makes Michigan an enjoyable destination, like I did, you may have also figured there was never a reason to find out. Or it might be that Michigan simply never rose very high in your travel planning priorities.
We fell into that trap too.
After all, why would we think about going to Michigan? As people who didn’t know the region, all we knew was…
- It’s cold
- The food is boring
- What could there possibly be to see?
First, let’s break down those misconceptions
Is Michigan cold?
Yes, Michigan gets cold… in winter.
It’s like when we’ve gently corrected misconceptions about Oregon being rainy all the time.
Oregon is rainy… in western Oregon. Western Oregon is one third of the state (the other two-thirds, east of the Cascade Mountains, are an arid and lovely high desert). Western Oregon is only rainy during fall, winter, and spring; the dry, Mediterranean summers hardly see so much as a passing shower.
Similar misconceptions happen with Michigan too.
Summers in the state can be humid, but there are definitely not cold. Our own visit encompassed August and September. We routinely enjoyed days in the 70s and 80s (or in the 20s Celsius), with evenings that were cool, but hardly ever dipped into long sleeves territory.
Michigan in summer is warm, sunny, and lovely. And Michiganders know this. When it’s nice, folks are outside, enjoying dozens of state and county parks, not to mention about 11,000 lakes.
Does Michigan have boring food?
From Malaysia to Mexico to Morocco, our family’s palates are global. We also enjoy our American comfort foods, such as mashed potatoes or a good roast.
Prior to visiting Michigan, we initially assumed the food wouldn’t veer much beyond standard American meat-and-potatoes fare. That’s good grub, no doubt. However, food defines our travel choices. We enjoy mashed potatoes, but we’re not driving a thousand miles for them.
Again, Michigan surprised us. Can you still get great comfort food and American classics? Of course. You can also find high quality, welcoming, casual restaurants dishing up anything from sushi to plant-slant goodness, with a range of cultures from South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Michigan’s food was delicious, full of variety, and prepared with care and welcome.
What could there possibly be to see and do in Michigan?
For starters, how about hundreds of shipwrecks? An accessible waterfall? Irish music? Zip lines? Lighthouses? Cooking classes?
Sorry, I have to stop myself.
Being a Great Lakes state is an amorphous identity. The Great Lakes is so far north, removed from cultural centers such as Los Angeles, New York, or Atlanta, that it becomes hazy in the mind, something you know exists but can’t picture.
Great Lakes states also are considered Midwest states, and our overall culture tends to dismiss the Midwest as boring.
However, Michigan is fascinating, full of activities to do and places to see.
If you could see me right now, taking my hands off the keyboard, reaching for my coffee mug next to my mouse, you’d realize that I’m having to stop myself again.
We’ll touch on all the cool details, I tell myself. There’s so much to do and see in Michigan, it can be overwhelming.
Michigan curious yet?
I hope we’ve dispelled a few misconceptions you might have held about Michigan, like we did. But strap in. We’re just getting started.
Why is Michigan a good place for a family summer vacation?
Michigan is a good place for a summer vacation because it offers a range of family friendly activities, both indoor and outdoor.
Water recreation
You want water? Michigan touches four of the five Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie). Our trip only included the Lower Peninsula (the Upper Peninsula’s natural splendor will have to wait). Yet with a few hours drive, you can be by Lake Huron in the morning, and Lake Michigan in the afternoon. Other lakes dot the landscape.
Splashing along the shore of Lake Michigan, snorkeling a shallow shipwreck in Lake Erie, or kayaking the St. Joseph River are just a few options.
You’re never more than a few miles from a lake or a river.
I left saying that if you throw a rock in Michigan, odds are it will land with a splash.
Accessible to visitors who have disabilities
Jodie is an above-knee amputee who uses a prosthetic leg for her walking mobility. Our travel choices for activities and sightseeing always depend on what can work for her mobility.
Naturally, everyone makes their own choices for what’s right for their body. But in our experience with Jodie’s walking mobility and impairment, we found good accessibility throughout our 4 recommendations, including both indoor and outdoor destinations.
One of our LP picks is even home to a fully accessible waterfall trail, complete with a paved ramp that goes right down to the water’s edge. We’ve never seen anything else like it!
Relaxed small towns
Our four Michigan vacation picks are not hustle-bustle big cities. Nor are they so rural that it’s hard to find activities or amenities. Nope. Instead, these are decent-sized towns who have found a balance of changing with the times while keeping alive their traditions and history. That’s not an easy thing to do, and their ability to pull it off endeared us to each place.
History, geography, nature, and more
You want history? Michigan’s history includes settlers who held no illusions about enduring through tough conditions.
To the state’s credit, Michigan is doing more to illuminate Indigenous cultures, as folks from Indigenous peoples throughout the area have lived in Michigan for thousands of years (in fact, one of our favorite finds was a museum display outside Chelsea, that displayed the crafting and many uses of arrowheads—set on a backdrop of hundreds of arrowheads found throughout the area).
The area’s geography includes forests, wetlands, beaches (“unsalted and shark-free,” noted one t-shirt), hills, and waterfalls. State parks were home to vast campgrounds that filled to the brim on weekends with folks visiting from out of state or from the next town over.
Find lakes, history, food, a slower pace & more in these 4 Lower Peninsula towns
Whether the Upper Peninsula or the Lower Peninsula, Michigan is full of destinations that deserve your consideration. However, we have only made it to four places so far. We’re going to talk up where we’ve gone:
If they work for you, awesome.
Even if they’re not quite what you’re looking for, odds are they’ll point you in the right direction for the Michigan vacation that’s right for you. (Further down we’ll also note other destinations that have our attention for future trips.)
Each location is near water. None is too big or too small. Each area has great food, cool local businesses, and scads of outdoor recreation.
Our summer visit encompassed four main destinations. Each was on Michigan’s Lower Peninsula (sorry, U.P., but we’ll get there).
Here’s a quick snapshot, with links to more in-depth guides based on our experiences, including what we did, how each stood out, and why we keep talking about each destination long after leaving. Our more in-depth guides also have notes on the area’s accessibility for various attractions.
Southwest Michigan (including St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, Bridgman, and Stevensville)
Love the beach but without salt and a fear of sharks? This area by Lake Michigan was like being at an ocean beach destination. We also enjoyed kayaking in a calm river, chowing down on wood-fired pizzas, and making our own candles.
But the true highlight?
This area has done a lot to make its beaches and outdoor recreation spots more accessible. For someone like Jodie, who uses a prosthetic leg for her walking mobility, that made all the difference in her enjoying our trip more, instead of focusing more on getting around.
A few highlights:
- Chatting with folks next to us while enjoying wood-fired pizza
- Accessible beach crossings at multiple beaches
- Lake Michigan sunsets
- Accessible boat launches and easy kayaking on the St. Joseph River
- Diverse dining options at local restaurants
- Making candles
- Making pasta
- Smoked salmon omelets
Travel guide and our experiences with family and accessible travel in Southwest Michigan
Ann Arbor (including Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, and Ypsilanti)
Ann Arbor had us at Rosie the Riveter. And Middle Eastern cuisine. And the Law Library at the University of Michigan, where Jodie’s grandfather (99 years old as of 2024) studied to become a lawyer.
From downtown sculpture walks to an escape room, arrowheads to aviation history, Ann Arbor combined small towns, delicious food, and easy access to the outdoors.
And we haven’t even gotten to making our own chocolate truffles from heirloom Ecuadorian cacao.
A few highlights:
- Making chocolate truffles (and learning about an amazing entrepreneurial family and their woman-owned business that spans Michigan and Ecuador)
- Enjoyable downtowns with a kid-friendly sculpture walk
- Easy access to a visitor center, multiple trails, and immersive exhibits at one of Michigan’s largest state parks
- Breakfast at a World War II-themed restaurant, complete with a photo of one of the original Rosie the Riveters
- Aviation museum
- An imaginative escape room in Ypsilanti
- Taking a family photo for Jodie’s grandfather, so he could see his granddaughter and great-grandchildren in the very law library where he studied as a younger man
Travel guide and our experiences with family and accessible travel in the Ann Arbor area
Alpena
I was smitten with Alpena the moment I found their tourism board’s website while researching Michigan family vacation destination ideas.
Since our family is all about travel at a slower pace, and we love water, a destination that calls itself “The Sanctuary of the Great Lakes” immediately got our attention.
Water defines Michigan, but perhaps no more so than in the Alpena area. Whether the river outside our hotel window, the tourable shipwrecks along Lake Huron, or the most accessible waterfall we’ve ever visited, Alpena indeed gave us sanctuary, a slower pace, and memories we’ll savor—and that motivates us for another visit.
A few highlights:
- Whimsical murals throughout downtown
- The view of the Thunder Bay River from our window (and the paved path that parallels both sides of the river)
- Watching the bridge rise to let a ship pass
- Cider and pizza at an apple orchard
- Snorkeling a shallow-water shipwreck
- Lighthouses
- Local t-shirts with Michigan pride, such as “Great Lakes: Unsalted and shark-free,” and “Your bait sucks and your boat’s ugly”
Travel guide and our experiences with family and accessible travel in Alpena
Muskegon
An Irish festival by the waters of Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan? And a state park that not only makes it possible for people to have outdoor adventures, but that has adaptive equipment and protocols to handle a range of accessibility needs?
For our family, Muskegon was music, relaxing chairs on a pond floating dock, the thrills of ziplines, and more.
A few highlights:
- A beautifully kept RV park with waterslides and other outdoor fun that makes it like a combo theme park
- The annual MuskegonIrish Music festival, full of music (not to mention Irish stew in bread bowls)
- Adventure Luge State Park’s zip line, trails, luge, archery range, and climbing wall, accessible to folks with a range of mobility needs (we also saw wheelchair users heading to attractions, and a member of our zip line group was a woman who wanted to zipline for the first time—for her 80th birthday)
- Craft beer and delicious food at a hilltop downtown brewery in the White Lake area
- Swans paddling along a lake
Travel guide and our experiences with family and accessible travel in Muskegon
The pleasant surprises of Michigan
Throughout our family vacations in Michigan, we found accessible outdoor activities, easy access to water recreation, and a dining scene that ranged from classic American to the Middle East and East Asia, and beyond.
The temperatures?
Delightful.
Most days greeted us with sunshine. Late summer evenings brought a touch of coolness, but it was rare that we so much as needed a light jacket.
Winter cold and freeze-thaw cycles can make some of Michigan’s roads bumpy. However, highways were easy to travel. From the fields and farms in the south, the northern reaches of the Lower Peninsula abounded with forests. (Jodie and I often commented that the conifers reminded us of Central Oregon.)
Where to stay in Michigan
Our time in Michigan included hotels, RV campgrounds, state park campgrounds, and vacation rentals. Michigan has a range of accommodation options to fit your preferences and budget. Here are some of the places we stayed, along with maps to help you search out the right accommodation for your Michigan family vacation.
Southwest Michigan
The Fairfield Inn & Suites St. Joseph Stevensville was comfy and offered convenient highway access to points throughout the region, from Warren Dunes State Park to the south, to St. Joseph and surrounding areas in the north.
Where to stay in Southwest Michigan
Ann Arbor
Hidden Lakes RV Resort
2024 was the first full season for this new park, located just south of Chelsea, in the Manchester area. Ann Arbor was about 20 minutes away, but Hidden Lakes RV Resort was also a great jumping-off point for the towns of Dexter, Chelsea, and Manchester.
At the park, we enjoyed free kayak rentals on the ponds there, not to mention incredible sunset views and the air-conditioned, airy, comfy common room.
Waterloo State Recreation Area
Campgrounds in Michigan do not mess around, especially the state park system and its Waterloo State Recreation Area.
Our experiences with our 25-foot Class C motorhome included well-maintained facilities, beautiful overlooks, easy access to lakes for kayaking, and more quick waterside kayak rentals that could be arranged via smartphone.
Some parks even had equipment libraries, where kids could borrow outdoor sports gear, scooters, and even bicycles. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, many parks even offered free coffee and cocoa.
Weber’s Boutique Hotel
As Jodie’s granddad and University of Michigan alum put it, if you know UM, odds are you know Weber’s Boutique Hotel. This family hotel and restaurant has served the Ann Arbor area since 1937. The Weber moved to its present location in 1961, and added its first hotel sectio in 1971.
We appreciated the poolside rooms (with barrier-free shower), where our room’s back door took us right to the pool, sauna, and fitness center area. Plus, the in-house restaurant’s breakfast was delicious (we recommend the brie and asparagus omelet).
More places to stay in the Ann Arbor area
Alpena
The Holiday Inn Downtown Alpena looks out over the Thunder Bay River (ask for a riverview room), but it is an easy stroll to downtown. We loved the walkability, and kept our rig parked so we could enjoy downtown’s murals, shops, restaurants, and outdoor markets on foot.
More places to stay in Alpena
Muskegon
For RVers, the Duck Creek RV Resort offers a beach, a calm pond, floating dock lounge chairs, an arcade, water activities, and a huge bouncy jumping pillow. We especially appreciated the full hookups (with 50-amp electric), spacious sites, kind staff, mini-golf, and well-kept grounds.
Staying here puts you across the street from the Michigan’s Adventure theme park. Plus, Muskegon State Park and the town of Muskegon itself are only about 15 minutes away.
More places to stay in the Muskegon area
Other Michigan vacation destinations that we’d consider for future family trips
Naturally, Michigan is so, so much more than just these 4 areas. From our family vacation research as well as ideas from while we were traveling in Michigan, here are a few other Michigan vacation destinations we’d consider for future family trips:
Upper Peninsula
We’ve got to start in the north, along the shore of Lake Superior and just across from Canada. Throughout our travels in Michigan, people told us again and again that next time we had to visit the state’s upper segment. Nicknamed the “Yoop,” the Upper Peninsula is home to natural areas galore.
Big on our to-visit list? The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Kitch-iti-kipi (Michigan’s largest natural freshwater spring), and Isle Royale National Park.
Kalamazoo
For starters, Kalamazoo has one of the coolest place names of anywhere on Earth. And Kalamazoo backs it up with quiet trails, interactive museums, a historic pedestrian mall, and nearby outdoor recreation.
We’re especially inspired when both visitors and locals can’t wait to share their suggestions for what to do. We’ll be drawing heavily on this list of 269 Cool Things to Do in Area Code 269, compiled from recommendations sent in by tourists and the folks who live there.
Mackinac Island
When people talk about this island, they all but tear up. Mackinac Island strikes us as one of those places that seems part of this world, yet also part of a world all its own. The island is especially known for its car-free streets and use of horse-drawn carriages. When you want a slower pace on your vacation, it’s hard to do better than that.
Traverse City
Cherries, kayaking, and wine? Sign us up for some time visiting Traverse City. Located at the northern end of the Lower Peninsula, this region especially abounds with opportunities for water recreation, and the Wall Street Journal named Traverse City one of the 10 Best Places to Go 2025.
Detroit
That’s right. If you’re familiar with Detroit mostly for the rough patches it’s gone through, now’s a good time to refresh your perspective.
This enduring city has been not only changing but revitalizing. The good stuff has often been happening off the front page and under the radar. Arts, dining, and nature have brought new life to Detroit, and we find ourselves most Motor City curious.
Plus, we could visit our namesake body of water at St. Clair Lake. No relation. We think.
Yes, you want a family vacation in Michigan
Is Michigan worth visiting with kids? Having never visited Michigan before, we were excited to visit, but we did wonder what we would wind up thinking of the state.
Now, after 4 destinations, we are full-on Michigan converts, and we can’t wait not only to return to Michigan, but to revisit some fave spots—and visit the Upper Peninsula.
Michigan offers accessible and family friendly destinations and activities. We hope it’ll be in your vacation plans soon.
