Find the best Michigan Hotels

Many people overlook the Midwestern state of Michigan despite its location in the middle of the northern United States. One of Michigan's charming tourist attractions, Mackinac Island, is sandwiched between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Most Michiganders live in the mitten-shaped lower region, while the more sparsely populated upper region is located between northern Wisconsin and the Canadian border. It takes over 20 hours to travel the 13,758 km between Bangkok and Detroit, with all flights having at least one stop.

As one of the northernmost states in the US, Michigan is famous for its notoriously cold winters. The Upper Peninsula receives heavy snowfalls and lower winter temperatures than the Lower Peninsula, where temperatures hover around the freezing point between December and February. Summer is Michigan's busiest and warmest tourist season, but the state is vulnerable to thunderstorms and tornados during June and August. Autumn is probably the best time to visit Michigan as the leaves change colour and the summer crowds die down.

Detroit is Michigan's largest city and most famous for motorcars. The Detroit International Jazz Festival focuses on the city's talented musicians, while the August Woodward Dream Cruise and January North American Auto Show feature some of Detroit's finest automobiles.

There is not a lot of food in Michigan which cannot be found elsewhere in the United States, but one unique local specialty is a coney dog. Diners can enjoy one of these chilli, onion, and mustard covered hot dogs at Coney Island restaurants throughout the state. The most famous Upper Peninsula signature dish is the pasty, a handmade meat and vegetable pie which Cornish miners imported from southwest England. Two more tasty Michigan foods are Mackinac Island fudge and Traverse City cherries. Detroit, with its lively bars, casinos and jazz clubs, is Michigan's main nightlife spot.

Water sports are the main attraction in this 'Water Wonderland' which boasts 38 deep water ports, 12,000 lakes, and the country's longest coastline outside of Alaska. Michigan's best beaches are located on its west coast, which extends from Warren Dunes to Mackinaw City. One of Michigan's most popular eco-tourism destinations is Mackinac Island, an automobile-free island 75 per cent of which is occupied by Mackinac Island State Park. It can only be explored by hiking, cycling, or horse drawn carriage.

Michigan is one of the cheaper United States shopping spots. Mackinac Island’s Market Street, Holland’s Downtown, and Lansing's Old Town are especially famous for their quaint 19th century shops. The small community of Allen is known as the world's antique capital. Pewabic pottery tiles and Stormy Kromer wool caps are some of Michigan's most unusual souvenirs.