Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (Empire, Michigan)

Even though we've stayed in Northern Michigan many times now, this is the first year we visited the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a US National Park encompassing a 35 miles stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline and the Manitou Islands. Established for its outstanding natural features including forests, beaches, dune formations, and ancient glacial phenomena, the Park also contains many cultural features including an 1871 lighthouse, Coast Guard Stations, and an extensive rural historic farm district. There are over 100 miles of trails available for walking, biking, or cross-country skiing in the winter. In 2011 the area won the title of "The Most Beautiful Place in America" from Good Morning America, and it isn't hard to see why once you've spent time hiking the dunes, swimming in the lake, camping out, or winding your way through the maple and beech forests.