Your Ultimate Guide To Spring Attractions And Activities In Michigan

Spring in Michigan is absolutely gorgeous as our creeks and rivers fill with snowmelt and the waterfalls rush with water. Michiganders are happy for the return of warmer weather and we can’t wait to get out in it on an outdoor adventure. The meadows bloom with wildflowers and the lush forests that surround our Great Lakes become abundant with wildlife. Springtime is the perfect time to take a road trip to explore our natural places, farmers’ markets, and wineries, and have a picnic on the lakeshore. We’ve compiled this list of the best Michigan spring activities as a guide to get you started on discovering many of the fun things to do in Michigan in spring.

Flower Blooms In Michigan

While our state is mostly known for its Great Lakes and the great American town of Detroit, we’re also blessed with a great many gorgeous meadows filled with beautiful wildflowers that come to life in the spring, showing off their vibrant colors and inspiring us to get out and explore. Plus, viewing these flowers is one of the best free things to do in Michigan in spring.

1. Headlands International Dark Sky Park

Location: 15675 Headlands Rd, Mackinaw City, MI 49701

Popularity: Quite popular in the evenings as it’s a world-class dark sky park. More moderately visited during the day.

Price: Free.

The Headlands International Dark Sky Park is an important place for viewing wildflowers, as you’ll find the endangered state wildflower here: the dwarf lake iris. It is accompanied by several other species of wildflowers and strolling this area during the day affords lovely views of Lake Michigan. If you stay for the evening you’ll get some of the best stargazing to be had in America.

2. Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary

Location: 31748-32498, Frost St, Dowagiac, MI 49047

Popularity: Fairly popular, but large enough that you won’t be at all crowded.

Price: Free.

If you’d like to see over 50 species of wildflowers during the spring, enjoy one of the best family things to do in Michigan in spring and visit the Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary. Spread out over 384 acres, this nature sanctuary is full of hiking trails where you will see blue-eyed Mary, trillium, dutchman’s breeches, lilacs, and so many other wildflowers as well as various fungi like the morel mushroom. It makes for a perfect springtime getaway to enjoy nature among tall trees and a verdant forest floor full of flowers.

3. Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary

Location: 4794 N Felch Ave, White Cloud, MI 49349

Popularity: Not very popular due to its remote location, but very much worth visiting.

Price: Day use fee of $5.

Located in the Huron-Manistee National Park, the Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary is a wonderful place for seeing swaths of wildflowers as it happens to be the only wildflower sanctuary in the National Forest System. The Michigan Garden Clubs has been supporting this stunning sanctuary for over 70 years and it is well worth your time to come to explore it and support local efforts for the preservation and protection of endangered flower species.

Botanical Gardens In Michigan

Visiting the gorgeous botanical gardens is one of the best cheap things to do in Michigan in spring. When the cherry trees and flowers are blooming and the leaves fill out the trees, it’s so lovely to walk in these wonderlands of nature and take in their beauty and their scents. Be sure to bring along the whole family when you visit these botanical gardens in Michigan.

4. Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Location: 1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Popularity: Rather popular but rarely crowded.

Price: Free.

Located in Ann Arbor, Matthaei Botanical Gardens is an ideal place to visit during the spring. It’s just one of the collections within the 700-acre Nichols Arbouretum. You’ll find stunning collections of flowers and trees and perfectly trimmed hedges. There are workshops and special events planned throughout the year, so you’ll want to visit again and again.

5. W.J. Beal Botanical Garden

Location: W Circle Dr, East Lansing, MI 48824

Popularity: Quite popular as it is part of Michigan State University.

Price: Free.

The W.J. Beal Botanical Garden is a gem hidden on the grounds of Michigan State University in East Lansing. It should be on your bucket list for gardens to visit during the spring. It just celebrated its 150th anniversary last year and has been a lush and breathtaking attraction for several generations. Sustainable practices and acknowledgment of the Native American nations whose previous lands it sits upon are woven into the fabric of this place.

Parks To Visit In Michigan This Spring

One thing we’re especially proud of in Michigan is our city and state parks that make even the most urban places come alive with natural beauty. They provide a great respite from city life and often have events like live music which are perfect for spring break. Come experience the beauty and fun to be had in these lovely parks to visit in Michigan this spring.

6. Belle Isle Park

Location: 99 Pleasure Dr, Detroit, MI 48207

Popularity: Fairly popular but quite spread out. You won’t be crowded.

Price: $7 for motorcycles, $13 for cars.

Belle Isle is a fascinating and historical island in Michigan where you can see Detroit to the north and Canada to the south. It spans 985 acres and the focal center is the James Scott Memorial Fountain which was built in 1925. You could easily fill a weekend here with all there is to see. The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, Belle Isle Aquarium, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and the Belle Isle Nature Center are just a fraction of what’s available. An honorable mention that shouldn’t be missed after Belle Isle is Greenfield Village, which is about 30 minutes away.

7. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Location: 1000 E Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525

Popularity: Very popular. Tends to get crowded on weekends.

Price: $10 - $20 depending on age.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is the ultimate park to visit during the spring. The butterfly house is worth the visit all by itself with over 7,000 tropical butterflies flitting about. The gardens have tulips and cherry trees in bloom and the sculpture park is a mesmerizing display of artistry that blends so well with the surrounding natural beauty.

8. Windmill Island Gardens

Location: 1 Lincoln Ave, Holland, MI 49423

Popularity: Quite popular and spacious. It’s often busy but not cramped.

Price: $12 for adults and $6 for ages 3-15. Free for residents of Holland, MI.

Aptly located in Holland, Michigan, Windmill Island Gardens is a tribute to Dutch culture and you won’t want to miss the Tulip Time Festival that takes place here every spring. This beautiful park in West Michigan has an old-fashioned windmill and there are shops and restaurants with traditional Dutch crafts and foods to enjoy. Be sure not to miss it this spring!

Spring Hikes In Michigan

With all the wildflowers, wildlife, and verdant foliage that comes to life in the spring, one of the best ways to experience it is to get your hiking boots on and traverse the hiking trails that are so abundant in our awe-inspiring state. Let’s take a look at two of the best spring hikes in Michigan.

9. Chapel Loop Trail

Location: Chapel Rd, Shingleton, MI 49884

Popularity: A very popular trail. You’re likely to see other hikers.

Price: Free.

If you want the most stunning spring views in the state and are willing to hike a few miles to experience them, the Chapel Loop Trail in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is well worth the trek. It’s a 10.2-mile loop trail that takes you along the cliffs overlooking Lake Superior as well as gorgeous waterfalls like Mosquito Falls and Chapel Falls. You can make a whole camping trip out of it and go paddling around in a kayak with the otherworldly cliffs towering above you.

10. Brown Bridge Nature Loop

Location: Brown Bridge Quiet Area, Traverse City, MI 49696

Popularity: This trail is very popular for spring hikes. Expect to see others on the trail.

Price: Free.

If you’re looking for a shorter, more accessible hike, the Brown Bridge Nature Loop in the Brown Bridge Quiet Area near Traverse City is a wonderful place to explore. The difficulty is easy to moderate and the trail is well maintained. Much of it runs alongside the Boardman River with amazing views and occasional benches to rest upon. The full loop is five miles long and you’re likely to see deer. Birders love this place for its variety of avian species.

Spring Picnic Spots In Michigan

What’s more romantic than a sweet spring picnic in a beautiful Michigan landscape? There are hundreds of wonderful places to have a picnic, but we’ve chosen two especially scenic spots, and a picnic at either place would be one of the most romantic things to do in Michigan in spring. Let’s take a look at these two perfect picnic spots in Michigan.

11. Marquette Park

Location: Missionary Bark Chapel, 7200 Huron St, Mackinac Island, MI 49757

Popularity: Quite popular, but surprisingly not too crowded

Price: Free.

If you’ve ever seen the romantic film Somewhere In Time starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, then you’ll recognize Marquette Park. You can even hike a very short trail to see the gazebo from the movie and the bittersweet memorial called Anne’s Tablet. There are so many places with the most marvelous views where you can have a picnic. Enjoy it out on the open grass or hidden between thick bushes. Maybe even at that memorable gazebo!

12. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Location: Maple City, MI 49664

Popularity: Popular, but there are many secluded areas.

Price: Entrance Pass is $15 - $25.

Way up in the Upper Peninsula area of Michigan is the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It takes some extra effort to get to as it’s an island in Lake Michigan, but it is so worth it. If you want a truly special picnic, come here and see a beach that’s as beautiful as any coastal beach. With lighthouses, cliffs, forests, inland lakes, and so much more to explore, you can have all the adventures you want or simply take in the beach views. Either way, it’ll be a romantic trip you won’t forget anytime soon.

How many of these lovely places have you been? Do you have any other favorite things to do in Michigan in spring? Let us know in the comments! Some honorable mentions that are worth visiting are the Les Cheneaux Islands, the tiny township of Au Sable, the charming town of St. Ignace, and the hidden gem of Boyne City. At many of these places, you’ll find craft beer breweries, water parks, and more. For something in the city, check out the Eastern Market in Detroit. Don’t forget to have a blast at the Mushroom Festival in Mesick and enjoy a weekend getaway in Grand Haven:

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/michigan/grand-haven-weekend-getaway-mi/