This park is a hidden gem! We stopped in town to grab lunch, and we were looking for a place to…read moreeat and for the kids to get their energy out. The gentleman who checked us out at the register recommended this park, so we drove this way, and we were pleasantly surprised! The park is scenic, has an amazing jungle gym for kids to play, plenty of benches, beautiful walkways, public restrooms, and much more! The kids loved the all wood jungle gym. The park is very clean and well kept. We will definitely be back!

Love this park in downtown West Branch!! They have a little something for everyone. Walking…read moretrails, basketball courts, tennis courts, a covered bridge, a giant playscape, a little stream with ducks, a pavilion, and lots of green grass. Kids and adults can sled on the hill in the winter and ice skate on the court in the winter as well. A definite community gem!

What a stunning beach! Everything about the Oscoda Beach Park was perfect. The sand was super clean…read moreand the water. Cute shops, ice cream, restaurants, and much more within walking distance. Dog friendly.

If you're itching for a day at the beach but can't leave the Mitten, Oscoda Beach will scratch just…read morethat itch for you, and leave you ready to come back another time! On a recent hot weekday, I found myself off of work with no particular plans. I had heard about how beautiful Lake Huron was, especially up by Tawas Bay and further north, and decided that today was the day to check it out. I grabbed my partner in crime, and off we drove! Just a few hours later we were at the short, and kept driving until we reached Oscoda Beach Park. There we were greeted with a clean sandy beach, clear water, and clean restrooms, all in a place that also boasted free parking. We set out our chairs on a quieter stretch of the shoreline, and enjoyed the beautiful day. I closed my eyes and listened to the seagulls calling from above, and the gentle roll of the waves as they hit the shore. Shore, I miss the salty waves of the ocean, but when you can't stand your cabin fever anymore, Oscoda Beach Park is a great place to go for that escape!

300 stairs. From the top of the springs to the Au Sable river below, that is how many stairs it…read moretakes to descend the nearly 200 foot vertical drop at this local North Eastern Michigan outdoor adventure spot. And while it might not seem like much while you are walking DOWN them, in this antigravity paradox just remember, what goes down must also come back up--unless you plan on sleeping down there. Once you've descended the 300 stairs (actually, even on the way down), the views are absolutely spectacular. The setting is tranquil and relaxing, and there are several placards along the way which tell the story of the Springs and describe so many interesting aspects of this Huron National Forest site. Feel free to take your time meandering about in the shade of the canopied forest--for your looming ascent will have you longing for that serene setting. Once you've read all the informational signs and committed the gorgeous views to memory (or at least snapped some memorable phots thereof), its time to climb. Yep, those same 300 stairs that seemed so innocent on your decent now become your nemesis. In the mid summer heat, you also gain a deep appreciation for the perspiration-evoking power of Michigan's humidity. And, for those ultra-tough cross fit types out there that may scoff at those panting, wheezing, sweating souls such as, perhaps, me, maybe you should attack the 300 stairs Rocky Balboa style and enjoy yourself a victory dance at the top (after which, if you are feeling a little humanitarian urge, you could send down a tow rope or some other means of pulling my kind up the 186 stairs I still need to climb).

I guess I'm really only reviewing the 22 mile river road scenic byway. A beautiful late winter day-…read more60 degrees and sunny, left water over ice on all walkways and lookout points. Tennis shoes weren't going to allow that to happen. Turned into a nice drive, nonetheless.

Tawas Point State Park was the destination for our annual friend camping trip this year. We try to…read morepick a different state park or campground each year and our friend had mentioned this spot. We camped in early May and it was pretty chilly - it got down to the upper 40s the first night and was a bit rainy. There was a strong breeze off the water which made it feel colder. But we still had a great time and the campground was at about 1/3 capacity. When we arrived, the employees at the check in station were really friendly and helpful. Like most campgrounds, they had plenty of brochures for the area and campground maps. They also gave us a birding checklist! They told us that it's a great area for bird watching, so we had fun checking birds off. We did not see all 230 birds listed, but quite a few. The campground has electric hookups at most, if not all, sites, and is fairly small compared to some other parks we've visited. The spots were mostly grassy and decently sized. There's not a ton of shade here, so keep that in mind for sunny summer days. One of the bathrooms was closed while we were there, but the one that was open was clean. Shower facilities are available, and there is a camp host that has books and games to borrow, as well as free coffee on weekend mornings. The highlight for our friend's 2 year old were the playgrounds - there is one at the campground and another near the lighthouse. There's a small beach at the campground and a much larger one near the lighthouse. I really liked the yurt and cabins - if we came back to this park I'd try to reserve one of those, specifically one of the two cabins that overlook the lake. There's not a ton in Tawas, but there's fast food, a Walmart, a couple gas stations, and a very small downtown with some shops and restaurants. We typically like more options for afternoons outside of the campgrounds we stay at, but we enjoyed our time at Tawas Point State Park.

Such a lovely state park that my friends and I camped at last weekend! It's definitely a super…read morepopular one, given it's wonderful location and proximity to so many awesome cities and things to do, so you'll find that throughout the summer months, it'll always be busy and full for the most part. For us, we booked a campsite at the far end of the campground, which was PERFECT for us! It was right by the path that leads to the Tawas Point Lighthouse, so it was just mostly foot traffic and a lot of people taking their dogs to the nearby dog beach down that same path a little bit, so we got to do plenty of people and dog-watching, which was a dream to us giant group of dog people! I love this campground as well for its wonderful beaches, both dog and human alike, the easy access to the lighthouse, and its proximity to Lake Huron! There were a ton of kite surfers on the big lake and a ton of beach to walk and relax on there. The weekend we were there was pretty windy, so Lake Huron was gorgeous, but the waves were pretty choppy and not conducive to swimming/laying out and enjoying the beach. Thankfully, Tawas Point SP also has a the entire Tawas Bay area lining the other side of the park, so you have your pick of beaches! The water on the bay side was way more calm and ideal for perfect beach days, so we got the best of both worlds here truly! A+ all around to everything this state park had to offer - water, trails, beaches, campsites, amenities - it was lovely! The town of East Tawas and Tawas itself was also wonderful and such a quick trip over with some cute restaurants and bars to take advantage of! I can't emphasize enough how wonderful this state park is. It's a new favorite of ours and we'll definitely be coming back to camp here soon! We had a lovely time with perfect weather conditions as well, so it was truly a perfect weekend!

I absolutely love this park! Amazing views, lots of smooth hiking trails and plenty activities for…read morethe whole family.

My husband and I took our fat tire bikes on a ride during December of 2018 here. Beautiful place…read moreto ride and enjoy nature. We rode on the seasonal road and enjoyed a leisurely ride through the park. You should definitely drive through this gorgeous area when in Rose City. It's well worth it. Looking forward to going back in the spring, summer and fall.

A lovely place I stumbled upon when planning a trip and a perfect place for a lunch stop. If I had…read moreonly known the next destination was rainy I would have stayed longer. A bargain of a spot for $3 a day as there is a great beach, kayak rentals, changing facilities all on the beautiful Saginaw bay. We saw jet skis and a lot of boat trailers so there must be a launch nearby. There was also campers and tents with people enjoying a pure Michigan day.

Super small beach but clean and the water was warm. Fun to watch the boys come and go. Picnic…read morebenches and park.

Iconic Tridge downtown Midland. Must see! Relaxing walk over the unique tridge connecting three…read morerivers. Grab a coffee or lunch to-go nearby and enjoy sitting on the benches at the center of where the three bridges meet. Dog park and skate park are located nearby. HIGHLY recommend visiting!!!

This is a fun stop if you're in town! It's a three-legged wooden pedestrian bridge that spans the…read moreconfluence of the Tittabawassee and Chippewa Rivers in Chippewassee Park. It's pretty rare to see a three legged bridge, and even more rare to see one as well maintained and gorgeous as this one. We came from the side closest to downtown, and there was plenty of parking in the lot, with free three hour parking on the street as well. There's a watercraft access point for kayaks and the like, and a few people boating and people fishing at the shores of the lake. There were also people having a picnic at the picnic tables. It's a peaceful place to visit and the surrounding grounds are well maintained.

Great place to relax and take the family, you can sled in the winter, go hiking, fishing, play disc…read moregolf, or bring the camera and get some amazing pictures.

Who made the maps of this place? The park is beautiful, Chippewa River runs through it.read more

Oh my gosh- there are so many cute deer and peacocks here. A fun place to visit and a relaxing…read moreplace to being the family for a picnic or just to feed the animals.

I was just driving through and seen this pier on the map and thought I'd stop for a break…read more What a fantastic river front park. Peaceful and lots of nice waking paths. Many on the paths go out over the water which was super cool. If you driving though this would be a great place to stop and have a picnic or just wander around. With all the piers I bet I'd be a cool place to do some sunrise photography .

Beautiful views and awesome bridges. My husband and I came on a quick walk here while we were in…read moretown. It was very peaceful.