[rebexa]

Ok, this thread was inspired by the "No need to scare Michigan newcomers" issue.

I will be leaving the state in just two short months, but I can honestly say that I am glad to have been raised here. With that, I would like to invite everyone to share their favorite thing(s) about Michigan (a place, an event, an experience) in the hopes that 1)we will remember that for all our complaining there's a lot to love here, and 2)the newcomers will feel a bit more at ease about their decision to live in our Spectacular Peninsulas- I'm sorry, but those license plates crack me up.

I'll start:

I love Torch Lake around the 4th of July
I love being only a couple hours from three of the Great Lakes
I love that I have walked the Mackinac Bridge on Labor Day
I love roughing it in the U.P.
I love the way Michiganders go absolutely crazy in the summer because we know how precious those two or three warm months are
I love color tours up north

This is a very basic list- what's on yours?

[Schaumburger]

My favorite thing to do in Michigan? I'd rank being in downtown GR with a camera and my girl as a number one. I love visiting my better half's family in Charlotte-Olivet, especially in summer. The smells of honeysuckles in the country are ultra soothing.

I'd also add fishing the Grand River and Thornapple Rivers along with Campau, Campbell Lakes.

And who can't forget to add Lake Michigan!

[jeeg]

I love Lake Superior
I love the wilderness areas (of which there are many)
I love all of the rivers and streams everywhere
I love the 6+ month long winters (least thats how long everyone else says they are!)
and and and..............
I should mention that I'm in the U.P.! LOL

[5kingsinvegas]

Even though we left Michigan last summer because of economic reasons my husband and I were both raised there. We both grew up in Livingston county which is such a beautiful area. I love all the lakes and we did actually live on a lake for many years. I miss the beautiful fall colors and the crisp fall days. Our family loved going to Traverse City in the summer as well as Ludington and Charlevoix. I know my husband misses hunting season and "real" deer. We love where we are now, and it is nice to actually have jobs, but if we could have there what we have here we wouldn't have left. Oh, I forgot, the one thing I don't miss at all are the long dreary no sun days of January thru March. I also don't miss shoveling all that snow.

[Angel Bear]

Let's see, going to look on the bright side and be positive Proud to be a Michigander though

Here's what I like best...

1) Football Saturdays at the University of Michigan...Go Blue!
2) The sunsets on Lake Charlevoix
3) Shopping and dining in Royal Oak
4) My cabin in Boyne Ciity...goin' Up North to Charlevoix, Petoskey, Traverse City, etc.
5) The Dream Cruise in August along Woodward Ave.
6) Tigers' games
7) Finding Petoskey stones
8) The fall colors of the trees
10) Always having water around for recreation
11) Swan Creek soy candles
12) Mackinac Island
13) Mountain biking on all the great trails
14) Sanders Hot Fudge--I love buying this as a gift for others tho' I don't eat it any more
15) Driving on Jefferson from Detroit to St. Clair Shores...What beauty!
16) The squirrels and birds that come visit me in my backyard
17) Being the Motor City--I love seein' everyone's nice cars!
18) The importance of family here
19) The wineries in Northern Michigan along the Mission Peninsula
20) Classic car shows and Autorama
21) Hanging out on a summers' day in Ann Arbor
22) The Henry Ford Estate and museums
23) The fun malls: Great Lakes Crossing, Birch Run Outlets, Lakeside Mall, Somerset Mall, Twelve Oaks Mall, etc.
24) Having family and friends that you love here...
25) Having all four seasons Even if I don't like winter any more lol.

[Wabbit]

YEAH! I love your positive post!
I 've done everything on your list but 11 & 15.
Like you, I also love my backyard squirrels and bluebirds, though I probably make them all too fat. Take care and stay possitive!

[bonni0827]

Love the Upper Penninsula. Copper Harbor and Lake Superior are beautiful.

[Rapunzll]

I'll be leaving hopefully by the end of the year, but I do love a lot about Michigan.

I love that my family and so much of it's history is here
I love the rolling hills and the general greenness of the state
I love the water, what Michigander doesn't love the water?!
I love that not only myself, but so many others here have family in not only MI, but ON too.
I love that I can tell people where I live by holding up my hand and pointing
I love Greenfield Village
The Detroit Zoo
US 12
All the little towns that are so nice to visit on Sunday drives
The auto show
Coney dogs
Vernor's
Saunders
Awrey Bumpy cakes as well as their coffee cakes
I love Hines Drive

Lot's more too, but that will have to do for now.

[Storz]

Great thread Bex

For me it really doesnt get much better than a day out on the lake, MI is blessed with hundreds of lakes, you're never far from one

I am also a huge gear head and there are quite a few tracks, as well as autocross and rallycross almost everyweekend

[movingfromil]

My husband and I grew up in Michigan and moved away in 2002. We still come back so many times a year to experience what we left behind. We are now in the process of moving to NC and we will be too far away to visit as much as we would like and that is making me very sad. This post has brought back some good memories. Here are my Michigan favorites:
The Cherry Festival in Traverse City
The wineries on the penisula's
Camping with my family every year at Holland State Park
The Tulip Festival in Holland
Snowmobiling in the UP
Biking Mackinaw Island
The fall colors and the crisp, fall air
College Football games at MSU and UofM
Cherry Republic
Sleeping Bear Dunes and Bar Lake
The International Freedom Festival Fireworks (The best I have ever seen and I have been all over)
The Auto Show
Tiger games at Comerica Park