Visiting Central Michigan

Michigan summers mean time on Great Lakes shorelines. Travelers in central Michigan choose beaches to the east on Lake Huron, or west to the shores of Lake Michigan. Visitors to Midland and Birch Run in the central Michigan Great Lakes Bay Region are a short drive to the shores of Michigan’s “Thumb” region. Lexington, 20 miles north of Port Huron, is the southernmost launching ramp into the Tip of the Thumb Heritage Water Trail – an ideal adventure for sea kayaking enthusiasts. On Michigan’s western shores, Saugatuck celebrates the 2012 Venetian Festival in July and Grand Haven honors the U.S. Coast Guard at the 88th Annual Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival - time for summer fun.

Enjoy a casual getaway to Port Huron and take in concerts from Port Huron’s 34th Annual Twilight Concert Series. Performers for the 2012 season include Port Huron’s SC4 Fine Arts Theatre Symphonic Band and jazz and symphony musicians from Osnabruck, Germany’s Angelaschule.

Baseball fans - want to see America’s favorite pastime played as it was originally? Take in a Welkin Old Time Baseball Game on your visit to Port Huron. These are gentlemen’s games played with no gloves, as in the 1860s. Games are played at the Welkin Home Field next to the St. Mary Catholic Church and School. The season runs through Saturday August 4th.

The Blue Water International Sculpture Exhibit installation in Port Huron begins summer 2012. Organized by Blue Water area Arts Committee’s, fifteen major sculpture and art pieces are on display throughout downtown Port Huron. Keep your eyes peeled as you travel through Port Huron to enjoy the art.

Grand Rapids, Michigan’s second largest city is the commercial and cultural hub of the state’s west central region. Summer 2012 in and around Grand Rapids, is the place to be for music fans. From the 2012 Electronic Forest gathering filling the woods with art, light shows and music, to Grand Rapids' downtown GRandJazzFest and the Cowpie Music Fest south of town in Caledonia, it is a summer of music.

Michigan’s 2012 Cowpie Music Fest takes place August 10th and 11th at Shagbark Farm, in Caledonia. The festival is approximately 20-miles southeast of Grand Rapids, past Gerald R. Ford International Airport. GRandJazzFest 2012 takes place August 18th at Rosa Parks Circle, in downtown Grand Rapids. The festival is free and features artists including the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra, Grupo Aye’ and Tim Bowman. Enjoy the best of central Michigan Jazz, at this one day festival in Grand Rapids.

Celebrate the end of the season at Grand Rapid’s Celebration on the Grand. Gather at Rosa Parks Circle and Ah-Nab-Awen Park the weekend after Labor Day and enjoy the best of Grand Rapids music, entertainment and food. Be sure to stay late on Friday for the evening fireworks – stake out a spot on the lawn of the Gerald R. Ford Museum for the best views. The 2012 COTG is September 7th and 8th, and all events are free.

Central Michigan Hotel Map