All the United States Michigan

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Michigan

270 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Michigan

Updated May 13, 2025

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Ann Arbor
  2. Baldwin
  3. Battle Creek
  4. Bay City
  5. Cadillac
  6. Carp Lake
  7. Cedar
  8. Charlevoix
  9. Crystal Falls
  10. Dearborn
  11. Detroit
  12. Durand
  13. East Lansing
  14. Grand Rapids
  15. Grayling
  16. Hickory Corners
  17. Holland
  18. Ishpeming
  19. Kalkaska
  20. Lansing
  21. Leland
  22. Mackinac Island
  23. Mackinaw City
  24. Marquette
  25. Midland
  26. Mount Pleasant
  27. Paradise
  28. Petoskey
  29. Port Austin
  30. Port Huron
  31. Saugatuck
  32. Sault Ste. Marie
  33. South Lyon
  34. Traverse City
  35. White Pigeon
  36. Williamsburg

Unusual Attractions in Michigan

See All 270 Things To Do in Michigan

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Michigan

See all 25 Places to Eat in Michigan
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

7 Mechanical Marvels in Michigan

Michigan is famous for its steep, sweeping sand dunes, freckling of lakes, and unique fossils—but across the state, you'll find slews of automated wonders, past and present. From old animatronic toys to the ruins of early assembly lines, here are seven places to be dazzled by industry.

View Itinerary

Explore Michigan

Museums 31
Architecture 23
Architectural Oddities 18
History 17
Water 15
Transportation 13
Roadside Attractions 13
Abandoned 13

Michigan Leaderboard

Recent Michigan Activity

Stories About Michigan

A potential source of the mysterious Windsor Hum.

Podcast: Atlas Obscura Presents 'Windsor Hum' From Twenty Thousand Hertz

In 2011, residents on the U.S.-Canadian border started hearing a strange rumbling noise.
by The Podcast Team

How the Great Lakes Formed—And the Mystery of Who Watched It Happen

Skilled hunters adapted to the changing landscape and left tantalizing clues to who they were.
by Gemma Tarlach

Podcast: It’s Getting Hot in Here

A history of Michigan's own personal Hell.
by The Podcast Team

The Rise and Fall of the Mormon King of Beaver Island

Rumors of piracy, polygamy, and betrayal shape the tumultuous history of King James Jesse Strang.
by Roxanne Hoorn

Podcast: Moose Boulder

How far would you go to find the largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the largest lake in the United States?
by The Podcast Team

These Intrepid Surfers Chill Out Riding the Great Lakes' Wintry Waves

Stressing the need for proper gear and training, members of this close-knit community say their sport gets them through the long, cold season.
by Eden Arielle Gordon
Adam Johnson (center) dresses up as Heikki Lunta as part of the Upper Peninsula’s Heikinpäivä festival in Hancock, Michigan.

The Dancing Snow God That Brings Blizzards to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Heikki Lunta even has his own song.
by Daniel Bromfield
The Milky Way and curtain-like auroras fill a clear southern sky off Nugget Point, at the edge of New Zealand’s remote Catlins. While the island nation is too far north to see the aurora australis regularly, aurora-hunters flock to the Nugget Point lighthouse area for its dark skies and unobstructed view off the South Island’s southeastern coast.

Aurora Hunters Capture the Wonder of the Northern (and Southern) Lights

A curated collection of images shows why this natural phenomenon has fascinated and inspired humans for millennia.
by Gemma Tarlach

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