Michigan is a beautiful place to visit in the fall. The air is crisp and the leaves are turning brilliant shades of orange, red, yellow, and gold. It’s a time of year when you can take in the beautiful scenery as you do fun outdoor activities like hiking and biking. You can attend fall festivals, pick apples, and sip cider to celebrate the season.
Visit Gun Lake Casino
Driving to Gun Lake Casino in Michigan is a pleasure in the fall. It is located off Exit 61 on the U.S. 131, halfway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. Fall is a good time to visit as it is quieter than during the summer months. The beautiful high-tech casino sits on tribal land and has an online casino called Play Gun Lake.
You won’t just discover some thrilling gaming options but you can also enjoy delicious dining and live entertainment. At the Harvest Buffet, you can feast on delicious foods with fresh seasonal ingredients. The 131 Sportsbar & Lounge has more than 1,000 square feet of space with panoramic views of live events.
Tour an apple orchard or cider mill
Michigan is well-known for its apple harvest in the fall. At Robinette’s Apple Haus and Winery in Grand Rapids, you can find bushels of freshly picked apples. Pick your own favorite varieties at U-Pick orchards all over the state. You can also enjoy apple season by visiting a Cider Mill such as Yates Cider Mill in Rochester. Freshly pressed cider is the perfect treat for a fall experience. Yates has produced cider since 1863.
Visit a waterfall
Michigan is known for its waterfalls, and it is wonderful to visit them at all times of the year. The bonus of visiting them in the fall is that they are framed in the most vibrant colors. In the Upper Peninsula, there are more than 300 waterfalls. Tahquamenon Falls in the state park is one of the largest waterfalls in the United States east of the Mississippi. Ocqueoc Falls in the northeastern Lower Peninsula is easy to access during a fall road trip.
Attend a fall festival
Small towns all over Michigan celebrate harvest time with fall festivals. The Elk Rapids Fall Festival, Oktoberfest in Frankenmuth, and Appleumpkin Festival in Tecumseh are all annual festivals. They feature seasonal foods like pumpkins, crafts, and plenty of family-friendly activities. At Oktoberfest, you can enjoy polka and dancing, wiener dog races, traditional German fare, and beers from the Frankenmuth Brewery. There are plenty of pictures you can take to share on Snapchat and make your friends jealous about the fun you are having.
Take a scenic drive
One of the famous fall color tours takes you on a scenic drive along the M-119. The 20-mile drive between Cross Village and Harbor Springs is lined with thick tree canopies in shades of gold, red, and yellow. Another perfect scenic drive is along the M-22 with Lake Michigan peeking through the fall foliage all along the shoreline. The drive up from Brockway Mountain to Copper Harbor is another favorite. Check out the M-26 along the Keweenaw Peninsula that passes through the Copper Country State Forest.
Enjoy Big Ten football
As the air grows cooler and the leaves start to fall, you can count on some exciting football matches. It doesn’t matter whether you support the University of Michigan Wolverines or the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing.
Go to Mackinac Island
Fall is a good time to visit Mackinac Island as the ferry boats aren’t as full and the room rates at the Grand Hotel and Mission Point Resort are lower. You can enjoy the historic charm of the island and the fall scenery without the summer crowds. Biking around the island will give you amazing views of the changing leaves.
Visit Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
One of Michigan’s best attractions in fall is the colors at Sleeping Bear Dunes. The red, orange, and yellow leaves contrast against the blue water of Lake Michigan. You can hike on a scenic trail and see panoramic views of the dunes and fall foliage. Combine your hike with a run down the dunes for a real adrenaline rush.
