Scenic drive
M-119 Tunnel of Trees Scenic Heritage Route
A narrow, winding stretch of M-119 along the Lake Michigan shoreline north of Harbor Springs toward Cross Village, made for a slow drive.
Some of the region’s big views are from the car: bluff-top drives, peninsula loops and tree-lined roads that are at their peak in fall color.
Places for scenic drives
Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The five-mile suspension bridge that carries I-75 across the Straits of Mackinac between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, open since November 1, 1957.
Lighthouse
Mission Point Lighthouse
An 1870 lighthouse at the northern tip of the Old Mission Peninsula, with a climbable tower, a small museum, a beach and trails around it.
Scenic drive
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
A 7.4-mile one-way loop in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore with 12 stops and overlooks of Lake Michigan, the Glen Lakes and the dunes.
National park
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Dunes, high bluffs, beaches, inland lakes and two islands along 65 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in Benzie and Leelanau counties.
Attraction
Arcadia Overlook
A state scenic turnout on M-22 north of Arcadia, with a lower viewing platform by the lot and stairs up to a high deck over Lake Michigan.
On the map
Scenic drives: places on the map
6 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Recommended towns for scenic drives
Towns an independent source (such as the DNR, the National Park Service or Pure Michigan) singles out for this. Listed by town size, not ranked.
Charlevoix & Petoskey
Petoskey
A walkable bay town for stone hunting, shopping the Gaslight District and riding the Little Traverse Wheelway, with historic Bay View next door.
Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Traverse City
A bayfront city at the head of Grand Traverse Bay, with a walkable Front Street downtown, bay beaches, cherry orchards and two wine peninsulas close by.
Ludington & Manistee · Small town
Arcadia
A quiet Lake Michigan stop on M-22: a public beach at the end of Lake Street, a marina on Arcadia Lake, and Arcadia Dunes trails just north.
Benzie & Sleeping Bear · Small town
Glen Arbor
Your base for northern Sleeping Bear Dunes: a small town between Lake Michigan and Glen Lake, about 4 miles from the Dune Climb by trail.