When You Think Vacation, Think Michigan

One doesn't usually think about Michigan getaways when a person thinks about vacation or weekend travel packages. But if you live anywhere within the Great Lakes region and have been considering a "stay cation" for a romantic weekend, there's no reason why other Michigan getaways should fall off your radar. Don't limit yourself to your home city, or even no travel vacation at all, when, as I found, some of the Michigan getaways travel packages offered give ample reason to travel away from your local city. Whether you're looking for golf, lake activities, romance or all of the above, one of the two below Michigan getaways will suit you: Michigan getaways you ought to consider when you plan your next weekend or romantic vacation: Traverse Bay / Traverse City: The water is blue and crystalline, and the beach is sandy and extensive (there's actually an entire 180 miles of it!) - but no, you're not on a romantic vacation in Aruba - you've found yourself in what is often dubbed "the Caribbean of the North." This is one of Michigan getaways' best if you're looking to kick back for a getaway weekend of sand and surf. But beyond the beach, there are things you'll find in this Lake Michigan vacation spot that you won't find in the Caribbean! This includes historic lighthouses and local wineries (for the vacation-hungry foodie in your life, sure beats a trip to a rum distillery -- not to mention, a little more romantic to boot!) This is one of the Michigan getaways that also offers the sort of world-class golf christened with names like Palmer and Nicklaus, pluse the chance to leave the harbor on a massive sailboat or ship that you would find at any other seaside or lake destination. Or, if being sporty is more what you had in mind during your getaway weekend, you can kayak or even hit up a session of fly fishing. Of course, it wouldn't be a vacation without an ample shopping district, and you can expect a weekend of hitting up boutiques and galleries in a charming historic city district. There's good reason that Traverse City has been recognized by several national news media outlets for being a city in America that is most beautiful and foodie-friendly. If you're thinking about Michigan getaways with variety, Traverse City is a good place to start. Grand Rapids: Art, gardens, nightlife. If you're looking into Michigan getaways and it's something a little more cosmopolitan that you're craving for the weekend, look no further than this Michigan getaways city south of Traverse City. For children and art lovers, this vacation offers plenty of venues to explore, including the Grand Rapids Art museum and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, which boasts one of the Midwest's most thorough outdoor art collections. There's also ArtPrize in the fall - a true hallmark of the sort of Michigan getaways with an art bent that attracts artists and spectators by the thousands who travel from afar. Food and nightlife also figure prominently into this Michigan getaways' highlight -- think locally grown apples and pumpkins grown that you can actually travel through! The quick escapes Detroit has within weekend travel distance and the romantic Michigan getaways for anyone within the Great Lakes region are many! Traverse City and Grand Rapids are just a couple of excellent options worth looking into for some excellent weekend travel packages!

The water is blue and crystalline, and the beach is sandy and extensive (there's actually an entire 180 miles of it!) - but no, you're not on a romantic vacation in Aruba.... Learn more at Michigan Getaways and Harbor Springs