EXCURSIONS

Detroit Excursions

Ludington

Michigan boasts some wonderful sandy beaches along its western coastline washed by Lake Michigan. Some of the best of these, with miles of sand and wild dunes, are near the ferry port town of Ludington. The Ludington State Park offers 14 miles (23km) of hiking and biking trails in beautiful virgin forests and dunes, miles of sandy beach and three campgrounds. There are several other popular beach resort towns along Michigan’s west coast, within easy reach of Detroit, which are known as ‘The Riviera of the Midwest’. Silver Lake resort boasts its world-renowned living sand-dunes and the world’s smallest newspaper; Grand Haven has a magnificent boardwalk along its spectacular beaches lined with restaurants, marina facilities and shops; Holland, has a Dutch flavour inherited from its founder, a Dutch clergyman; St Joseph in the south has a famous lighthouse and a French fort.

Website: www.ludingtoncvb.com; Telephone: (877) 420 6618 (Ludington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau)

Detroit Excursions

Ann Arbor

The city of Ann Arbor in southeast Michigan, 45 miles (72km) west of Detroit just north of the Ohio border, is home to the University of Michigan, one of the country’s top universities. The city and surroundings has a great deal to offer visitors in the form of historic and cultural attractions. Ann Arbor’s downtown area is extremely vibrant with never a dull moment, from live music shows to a plethora of libraries, galleries and museums, restaurants offering everything from romantic dinners to café society, some of the country’s best bookstores and often a street party. Among the many museums of interest is the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, housed in a 100-year-old firehouse, which features more than 250 interactive science and technology exhibits. There are numerous restored 19th-century houses and farms to visit for a taste of life in days of yore, and even an original old main street blacksmith shop still operating in the satellite town of Manchester. Museums in the area cover everything from geology to classic cars, early American manuscripts, dentistry and old fire-fighting equipment. On the University campus the Natural History Museum contains the state’s largest collection of dinosaur fossils and a planetarium features a 360-degree domed screen offering weekend stargazing shows.

Address: Ann Arbor Convention and Visitors Bureau: 120 West Huron Street; E-mail: info@annarbor.org; Website: www.annarbor.org; Telephone: (734) 995 7281 or (800) 888 9487 toll free