Michigan travelers choose from 35 Best Western hotels.

Blue Bridge - Grand Rapids, MI

Home to cities like Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Lapeer, central Michigan is a delight in the spring and summer. The Wolverine State warms up and visitors flock – don’t miss a fun afternoon at the R. E. Olds Transportation Museum in Lansing, or an interesting tour of the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids. Continue touring the history of central Michigan in Mount Pleasant. A fine city, Mount Pleasant is home to the Museum of Cultural & Natural History, and Central Michigan University. Spring means no more snow, but it also opens up a world of golfing choices – check out the Rolling Hills Golf Course in Lapeer.

Lapeer, a small city set west of Port Huron, proudly boasts the Lapeer County Historical Society, and yields plenty of springtime fun at the Sunset Drive-In, and Horton Lake. Lapeer features plenty of local history, too – check out the Lapeer County Courthouse, and the Pix Theatre. Many guests of the Best Western Lapeer hotel enjoy an authentic taste of central Michigan, at the Lapeer Farmers Market Pavilion, which operates through October.

As the capital of Michigan, Lansing is an eclectic and diverse city. Home to Michigan State University, Lansing is a premier springtime destination – especially for sports fans. Head to McLean Baseball Stadium at Kobs Field on April 20, as the MSU Spartans baseball team opens up a three-game series against the University of Minnesota.

Take a tour around the city of Lansing, and check out the Impression 5 Science Center – great for all ages. Lansing also features the Michigan Historical Museum, which is a section of the larger Michigan Library and Historical Center. Help Lansing celebrate a local historical figure when the MSU Museum hosts The Wanamaker Collection: A Tribute to Susan Applegate Krouse, a daily event scheduled to end on April 22.

Head north into Mount Pleasant. An affable city, Mount Pleasant is home to the Central Michigan University Chippewas. Looking for a fun, family friendly activity? Head to Theunissen Stadium and watch as the Chippewas take on the University of Toledo, on April 6. Sneak in 18 holes before breakfast at Bucks Run Golf Course, a sterling example of scenic central Michigan – especially during the spring.

West of Lansing is Grand Rapids. One of the largest cities in Michigan, Grand Rapids is affectionately known as the “Furniture City,” as it’s home to five of the largest office furniture companies in the world. Enjoy a pleasant Grand Rapids springtime stroll around Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. In mid-May, keep an eye open for the entertaining Festival of the Arts A Celebration of the Arts in West Michigan.

Detroit, Michigan

It’s summer in the city - Detroit, known as the City of Champions, celebrates the season with Detroit Tigers Baseball at Comerica Park. Famous for music, Detroit’s summer calendar also features music events and festivals for all tastes. Called the birthplace of Techno music, Detroit kicks-off summer with "Movement: Electronic Music Festival" at Hart Plaza. The sound continues with DSO summer Neighborhood Concert Series and Annual 4th of July Salute to America. Jazz fans are treated to the Michigan Jazz Festival in the Detroit suburb of Livonia. Sports, culture and music - all part of Detroit’s summer 2012.

Famous for its music culture Detroit launches into summer with Movement, Electronic Music Festival. The 2012 festival runs Memorial Day Weekend Saturday May 26th through Monday May 28th. Five stages of entertainment filled with music from noon to midnight, keep music fans on their feet. Continuing as a leader in progressive music, Detroit draws music fans to Hart Plaza for three days of electronic music.

North of downtown Detroit the suburb of Sterling Heights continues the community tradition of the Sterling Heights Memorial Day Ceremony & Parade. Join family and friends at Sterling Heights City Hall on Monday morning May 28th for the ceremony, followed by the Sterling Heights Memorial Day Parade at 10am. Stake out your spot on Dodge Park Road as the parade travels from City Center to Metro Parkway.

Detroit Symphony Orchestra spreads classical music through Metro Detroit and its suburbs through the 2012 Neighborhood Concert Series. DSO wraps up the summer schedule with the 20th Annual Salute to America celebrating the fourth of July. Greenfield Village & Henry Ford Museum host DSO June30th through July 4th, featuring evening concerts accompanied by food and drink from a delicious concert picnic menu. Spectacular fireworks displays are the ideal end to each evening.

And even more music – Livonia, west of downtown Detroit hosts the 2012 Michigan Jazz Festival at Schoolcraft College. Mark Sunday July 15th on the calendar for an afternoon and evening of Jazz performances. Schoolcraft College is conveniently located north of Interstate 96, off Interstate 275. The Michigan Jazz Festival showcases jazz soloists and groups on multiple stages. Admission is free, making for a relaxing day listening to Jazz and mixing with friends, musicians and fans.

Art aficionados don’t miss visiting Detroit Institute of Arts summer exhibition of Five Spanish Masterpieces. Celebrating the return of DIA’s Picasso painting, Melancholy Woman, Detroit’s Institute of Arts combines masterworks from other famous Spanish artists for the exhibition. See paintings by El Greco, Francisco de Goya and Salvador Dali from June 21st through August 19th, 2012.

It’s not summer without a day at Comerica Park, experiencing baseball with the Detroit Tigers. Take in a game on Fridays, and enjoy Friday Night Fireworks capping off the game; July 4th features the Red, White and Blue Detroit Tigers Hat promotion; and take the family on Sundays for “Every Kid, Every Sunday” giveaways. The Tigers 2012 season runs through September for a full summer of baseball action.

Northern Michigan

Northern Michigan has ushered the frigid chill of winter out, and welcomed in the rejuvenation and fun of spring and summer. From cities like Cheboygan, home to the Nicholas’s Black River Vineyard & Winery, and Petoskey, home to the Boyne City Historical Museum, to Alpena, and Mackinaw City, home to Dinosaur Gardens Prehistoric Zoo, and Wilderness State Park, respectively – northern Michigan is a premier spring and early summer destination. Baraga, an agreeable city set just inland of the Keweenaw Bay, is home to the Hanka Homestead Museum, and Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge – a great springtime destination.

Set along Thunder Bay in northern Michigan is Alpena. A welcoming city, Alpena is home to the Jesse Besser Museum, and as the spring and summer emerges, it's a sterling example of northern Michigan hospitality. Play 18 holes at River’s Edge Golf Club, and continue to take advantage of excellent weather conditions with a visit to Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge.

On April 15, be sure to visit the Thunder Bay Theatre for a live productions of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. The week after, the same Thunder Bay Theatre will be hosting a series of live performances of the award winning Steel Magnolias. Nearly a month later, you’ll want to taste local cuisine at the VFW Hall, which will be hosting the All You Can Eat Spaghetti Dinner and Bake Sale, on May 18.

North of Alpena along Highway 23, and set alongside Lake Huron, is Cheboygan. An engaging city, Cheboygan is home to the Cheboygan County Historical Museum, and Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. Experience a true taste of northern Michigan when you tour Nicholas’s Black River Vineyard and Winery.

Explore Cheboygan State Park and do a bit of fishing on Duncan Bay – there’s no better time to visit Cheboygan than during the spring and summer.

Petoskey, an hour southwest of Cheboygan, welcomes spring and summer visitors with its easy access along Highway 31 and close proximity to Little Traverse Bay. Spend the afternoon at the Virginia McCune Crooked Tree Arts Center, then tour the Little Traverse History Museum. A diverse and eclectic city, Petoskey, and the surrounding area, host many different events. Be sure to check out the 5th Annual Chefs Challenge to Benefit Challenge Mountain, held at Boyne Mountain.

Don’t miss out on Mackinaw City. Set just along I-75, and just inland of the Trails End Bay, Mackinaw City is a great stop for northern Michigan travelers heading into the Sault Sainte Marie State Forest Area, or just looking for a charming city with a small town vibe. Spring and summer yield plenty of fun at the Mackinaw State Historic Parks, and golfers love playing 18 holes at the Indian River Golf Club.

St. Joseph Lighthouse
Benton Harbor, MI

Spring and summer have arrived in southern Michigan – no more ice skating, and snowball fights. From cities like Kalamazoo, as fun to visit as it is to say, and Battle Creek, to Hartland and Howell – southern Michigan features the charm of rural America, while maintaining a sense of modernity and hospitality. Enjoy the advantageous spring and summer conditions with a visit to River Bluff Park – just one of the many sights and attractions in Saugatuck. Cities like Romulus, and Livonia straddle the line between southern Michigan and the Detroit metro area, but are still premier spring and summer destinations.

Battle Creek, an hour southwest of Lansing and just half an hour east of Kalamazoo, is home to Binder Park Zoo, a wonderful spring and summertime destination set to open for the season on April 20. Guests of the Best Western Battle Creek hotel are in prime position to explore the nearby Leila Arboretum, and then take a stroll around Kolb Park. Traveling with the kids? You’ll want to head to Nottke’s Family Fun Center for bowling, food, and games.

On May 13, plan to visit Kellogg Arena which hosts the Tran-Siberian Orchestra, as they perform Beethoven’s Last Night 2012.

East of Battle Creek is the city of Howell. Accessed easily from I-96, Howell is a quaint city that hosts the annual Howell Melon Festival. Explore the city during the fine spring and summer seasons – don’t miss out on the Brighton Center for the Performing Arts, or the Community Theatre of Howell. Many guests of the Best Western Howell hotel make time to visit the Howell Nature Center, where on April 7 you and the kids can have Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, a yearly event.

Endearingly known as the “Mall City,” Kalamazoo yields great fun during the spring and into the summer. Whether it’s a stroll around Portage Creek Bicentennial Park, or an exploration of the Gilmore Car Museum, Kalamazoo can’t be beat when it comes to southern Michigan hospitality and amusement.

Look for some local insights to the past with a visit to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, or enjoy local art and culture with tour of the Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts. On April 7, head to the State Theatre for a night of comedy as Kalamazoo welcomes Paula Poundstone.

Set just inland of Lake Michigan, Saugatuck is an affable city, and home to River Bluff Park set on Kalamazoo Lake. For an aquatic adventure, Saugatuck Boat Cruises will take you and family on a nice tour down the Kalamazoo River. May 5-7, don’t miss the charming Tulip Time Festival, held in nearby Holland.

Anglers and boating enthusiast love the spring and summer in southern Michigan while exploring Whitmore Lake.