Take This Gorgeous Fall Foliage Road Trip To See Michigan Like Never Before
Fall in Michigan brings the promise of so much more than just the changing colors of the trees. It also means fall festivals and everything pumpkin-spiced and colorful. It’s a season that offers a unique set of sensory treats, from a color palette brimmed with scorching reds, golds, and oranges to the olfactory delight of drying leaves. Autumn in Michigan is also the perfect time to take a road trip to experience these things firsthand. Michigan is so big that, with the help of PureMichigan, we’ve put together three regional road trips where you can delight in the new fall colors, smell the leaves and experience some local flavors. Pick the road trip nearest you and enjoy the best fall foliage in Michigan! ROAD TRIP #1: UPPER MICHIGAN
We call this the “Lighthouse and Parks Fall Foliage Excursion.” If you love Michigan lights (who doesn’t?) and have an affinity for the great outdoors, then you’ll love this fall foliage road trip in the UP. Here’s a link to the Google Map that you see below. Have fun!
There's no better place to start a fall foliage road trip in Michigan than at the Menominee North Pier Light. Even if you've already seen it in person, fall is a great time to rekindle your love for this beacon.
After, you'll head north on M-35 enroute to the next stop. With the right timing, you should see plenty of these bright living art exhibits along the way.
Escanaba is home to one of Michigan's Sand Point Lights. The other one is in Baraga. This one is open for tours from Memorial Day through the end of September. Even if you only get to see the outside of this historic landmark it's worth the effort. She is stunning!
Now, go have breakfast or lunch at another Escanaba landmark....
Water Plant Road, Water Plant Rd, Escanaba, MI 49829, USA
The Swedish Pantry is a quirky and unique eatery with delicious foods and interesting gifts. Fill up on both, and then hit the road for more fall foliage.
People who've seen the Big Spring in person say photos just don't do it justice. You'll head into Manistique to Palms Brook State Park to see this amazing natural wonder. Take the "boat" ride and look down into the spring that fills this oasis. It's amazing!
If you enjoy this fall foliage road trip through the UP and want more autumn colors, there are two more road trips below!
Sawmill Road, Sawmill Rd, Thompson Township, MI 49854, USA
ROAD TRIP #2: WESTERN MITTEN
Take this road trip if you're up for adventure and trying new things. You'll start off at a lighthouse, but in Michigan that's no surprise. Here's a link to the Google Map below to guide you along the way. Have fun!
The "western" fall foliage road trip starts on the water here in Manistee. Start out all the way at the end of the pierhead at the foot of the light looking back at all the fall colors in Michigan.
The Bottle House is a must-see and worthy of a stop in Kaleva. Now home to the Kaleva Historical Museum, this one-of-a-kind building is made of up 60,000 bottles and was built back in 1941. You can admire the fall colors all over Kaleva while you're here.
14551 Wuoksi Ave, Kaleva, MI 49645, USA
3. Optional Food Stop: Mr Foisies Pasties - Cadillac, MI
As you roll through Cadillac enroute to the next stop, Mr. Foisies Pasties is a perfect place to stop and refuel. Mr. Foisies makes fresh beef and veggie pasties every day. You can almost taste one now, right?
Experience life in Mason County as it was 100 years ago by immersing yourself in this interactive historic village of 30-plus buildings and exhibits. Fall is a great season to learn more about Michigan's past here at Historic White Pine Village.
1687 S Lakeshore Dr, Ludington, MI 49431, USA
5. Big Sable Point Lighthouse - Ludington State Park - Ludington, MI
The last stop on this fall foliage tour, the Big Sable Point Lighthouse is a must-see on any road trip near Ludington. If you dare climb to the top you'll get a bird's eye view of autumn from the observation deck.
If you still haven't had your "fill" of fall colors in Michigan yet, you may want to take the third road trip below!
5611 N Lighthouse, Ludington, MI 49431, USA
ROAD TRIP #3: CENTRAL & SOUTHERN MITTEN
Named the "Cities and Attractions Fall Foliage Tour," this journey will take you through some cities in Michigan when they are alive with color and show you some attractions in each that you may not have found on your own.
Take this road trip if you're up for discovering new things in old places. Here's a link to the Google Map below. But hurry, don't miss the fall foliage window!
Autumn is a great time to explore the grounds of the state capitol building. Bring your camera and get some great fall shots from vantage points you don't ordinarily think of when it comes to the state capital.
Arrive early in the morning for easier parking opportunities, and then hit the road for the next stop on this fall foliage excursion in Michigan.
Michigan State Capitol, 100 N Capitol Ave, Lansing, MI 48933, USA
2. Eaton Rapids and Aunties Deli - Eaton Rapids, MI
(Editor's Note: Aunties Deli is permanently closed.)
Enjoy the charming Main Street of Eaton Rapids as you pass through. Stop for breakfast or lunch at this downtown eatery right on Main. Enjoy the fall colors of the tree-lined street as you sit inside and refuel at Aunties. Then, hit the trail headed for more fall colors in Michigan and the next stop.
Head still further south to the town of Albion where you'll drive by the charming and beautiful campus of Albion College founded in 1835. Downtown Albion now boasts the restored Bohm Theatre, also a must-see when you're in Albion.
Ferguson Building, 611 E Porter St, Albion, MI 49224, USA
4. Marshall, Michigan and the American Museum of Magic
Founded nearly 40 years years ago, the American Museum of Magic has amassed a huge collection of amazing, quirky and just plain bizarre tricks of the trade. Enjoy the autumn colors of Marshall as you make your way to this unique museum you'll only find in Michigan.
Follow the Google Map to make your way to the last stop on the fall foliage tour: The Leila Arboretum and Childrens Garden in Battle Creek, MI.
This 72-acre oasis should be even more stunning with the colors of fall lighting the landscape! You'll see some of the best fall foliage in Michigan here.
928 W Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49037, USA
Autumn in Michigan offers stunning vistas and amazing color transformations. Take any of these three amazing road trips to enjoy the most splendid fall colors in Michigan. These routes will take you to the best fall foliage in Michigan and show you the best our state has to offer this season.
What are your favorite things to do in the fall in Michigan? We’d love to know in our comments!
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Fall Foliage In Michigan
August 15, 2019
Elisa Regulski
What is the best time to see peak fall foliage in Michigan?
Fall colors first arrive in Michigan in mid-September and last until the end of October. The upper peninsula sees autumn colors before the rest of the state, but the exact dates vary year to year.
Where are the best places in Michigan to see fall foliage?
The Leile Arboretum, located in Battle Creek, is the perfect place to experience Michigan’s amazing fall colors. Albion College is another place to visit when you’re craving a bit fall scenery. You’ll also see stunning sights at the Michigan State Capitol.
What are the best Michigan hikes to take in the fall?
The Porcupine Mountains waterfall hike, located in Bessemer, is a fabulous autumn hike. Along this 11-mile journey, you’ll see breathtaking trees and feel the crisp autumn air. Chapel Loop in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is another beloved fall hike. This 6.5-mile loop is packed with incredible sights. Bring your camera! You’ll want to document every last bit. The Tahquamenon Falls Trail is also worth exploring. This trail is a bit shorter, only 4.5 miles long, and it looks especially colorful in the beginning of October.
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Robin Jarvis is a travel writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. She's lived in the Carolinas for nearly three decades and currently resides in Charleston. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. General questions and FAM tours: rjarvis@onlyinyourstate.com.
