Northern MI Region Picked Among Best Tourist Spots In The World: List

MICHIGAN — A northern Michigan region was picked among the best tourist spots in the world for 2024, according to a CNN list.

The news station picked Michigan's northwest region, specifically areas around Glen Arbor, Leland and Traverse City, as a hidden gem that outsiders may not have visited or know about yet.

Here's what CNN senior producer Marnie Hunter said about the region:

Refreshing, unsalty Lake Michigan lures boatloads of tourists in summer, but the shoreline, quaint towns and rolling countryside of Northwest Michigan have plenty to offer year-round.

On Grand Traverse Bay, Traverse City makes a great home base for exploring wineries on the Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas or picking cherries or apples in season. Then fall’s foliage is ripe for peeping, followed by winter’s inviting blankets of snow.

From Traverse City, the scenic M-22 highway winds up the Leelanau Peninsula and hooks back down through Leland, home to a historic fishing village and a collection of interesting shops and galleries.

Glen Arbor is another town worth perusing on the way to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, where off M-109 an all-sand, 3.5-mile hike over massive dunes to the Great Lake and back preps hardy hikers for a delicious dinner.

Farm Club, a farm-restaurant hybrid seven miles from downtown Traverse City, serves beautifully prepared dishes showcasing the region’s ingredients — many grown on site — in a minimalist, barnlike space that spills outdoors.

Other U.S. areas that made the list included Texas' Hill Country and Florida's freshwater springs.

See CNN's full list here