This MI Small Lake Town Is Best In The Nation: List

HARBOR SPRINGS, MI — A small northern Michigan town, known for its sandy beaches and fall colors is one of the best hidden gems in the nation, according to a popular travel magazine.

Harbor Springs, located along Little Traverse Bay and directly across from Petoskey, was named the best small lake town in the country by Travel + Leisure.

"Measuring just 1.3 square miles on the furthest reaches of Lake Michigan, the town of Harbor Springs barely qualifies as a radar blip, even for lifelong Midwesterners," Travel + Leisure editors wrote. "Knowing that the best of anything is often overlooked, the lucky lakesiders — including titans of American industry and their families — who have spent time in this historic 19th-century hub of fur and lumber trading are drawn as much to its hush-hush seclusion (bereft, as it is, of any signs of big-city commerce) as they are to its surrounding scenery, unspoiled and ripe for recreation."

The publication noted Harbor Springs's turquoise beaches are similar to those found down in the Caribbean, but in color only, noting the temperatures get quite cold and snowy in northern Michigan.

Harbor Springs also features many enchanting roads that take you through forests of birch, maple, and cedar trees. Some are also embraced by leafy canopies, including the Tunnel of Trees, which is a 20-mile road along the M-119 highway.

You can see the entire list of winners and other awards here.