5 Hotels in Michigan Perfect for Your Nature-Based Adventures

The Great Lakes State is laden with natural wonders. From the dunes of Lake Michigan to the sandy beaches of Lake Huron and the rugged sandstone shoreline of Lake Superior, and all the forests, rivers, and lakes in between, there are countless things to see and do in Michigan.

That's why Michiganders spend so much of their time outdoors. Getting outside and enjoying nature doesn't always mean roughing it, though. To the contrary, you can set yourself up in some pretty nice digs near many of Michigan's most beautiful places from which to stage your exploration. Here are a handful of our favorite hotels for nature-based adventures in Michigan.

Hampton Inn Marquette/Waterfront, Marquette

• Best Room Type: One-bedroom suite with a patio and a lake view
• Price Point: $$, prices are seasonally average for the area
• Top Amenities: Indoor pool, fitness center, free hot breakfast

Michigan's Upper Peninsula (UP) is home to some of the state's most pristine natural areas and rugged, scenic beauty. From dramatic waterfalls to national forests and shoreline along three Great Lakes, the UP is a nature lover's paradise—and Marquette is at the center of it all.

That's why the Hampton Inn Marquette/Waterfront is the perfect place for launching your UP adventures. Gorgeous Presque Isle Park is just minutes away and many of the state's best waterfalls are within easy driving distance. When you get back to the hotel, you can relax with gorgeous views out over Lake Superior.

Fletchy's Pictured Rocks Resort, Grand Marais

• Best Room Type: The suite offers plenty of space with Lake Superior views
• Price Point: $$, prices are seasonally average for the area
• Top Amenities: Onsite restaurant, private beach

Fletchy's Pictured Rocks resort is all about location. Parked on the Lake Superior shoreline just outside of Grand Marais, Fletchy's offers its guests a classic UP beachfront experience. Soak in all the rugged natural beauty this part of Michigan has to offer, tell stories around a bonfire, and enjoy a meal in the onsite restaurant—all without leaving the property.

The real selling point, though, is the resort's proximity to the park for which it's named. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is practically in Fletchy's backyard, which makes this resort a perfect base camp for exploring the trails, waterfalls, and otherworldly shoreline in the park.

Tru by Hilton, Traverse City

• Price Point: $$, prices are seasonally average for the area
• Top Amenities: Fitness center, free hot breakfast

Tru by Hilton in Traverse City makes an excellent starting point for exploring the most beautiful part of the Lower Peninsula. Here, you're close to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the charming town of Petoskey, and all the area's beaches, rivers, bays, islands, and shoreline. Tru by Hilton offers a no-nonsense lodging option for adventurers visiting this area.

Inn on Mackinac, Mackinac Island

• Best Room Type: Victorian Harbor View for the beautiful island vistas
• Price Point: $$$, higher end
• Top Amenities: Heated pool, porter, bedtime cookies, on-site breakfast available

Although it's known as a bastion of genteel civility, Mackinac Island is also one of the best places to revel in the Great Lakes State's natural beauty. The best place to set up base camp for your Mackinac Island adventures is the Inn on Mackinac, a quiet, historic harborfront Victorian that's slightly off the beaten path but still right in the thick of things.

A stay at the inn will put you in good stead for exploring all the island has to offer. Lying in the strait bears its name, Mackinac Island is surrounded by the commingled waters of Lakes Huron and Michigan. The island is laced with trails and dotted with natural wonders like Arch Rock. Better still? No motor vehicles. You have to get around on foot, by bike, horse-powered conveyance, or some other form of transportation, and experience the island's beauty slowly, up close and personal. Best of all? Fresh-baked bedtime cookies when you get back to the Inn.

Hampton Inn Sault Ste. Marie, Sault Ste. Marie

• Best Room Type: King room with jetted tub for soaking after a day of exploring
• Price Point: $$, prices are seasonally average for the area
• Top Amenities: Indoor pool, fitness center, free hot breakfast

The wonders of Sault Ste. Marie are largely manmade—and they are something to behold, indeed—but this town at the northeasternmost tip of the UP is the perfect place to set up if you want to explore places like Whitefish Bay and the unparalleled Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Stay at the Hampton Inn Sault Ste. Marie, which is just minutes from Whitefish Bay and less than an hour from one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi (Upper Tahquamenon Falls).

Next time you're heading out to enjoy the best of Michigan's natural beauty, book a stay at one of these properties. It'll set you up right for exploring the Great Lakes State's premier wonders.