Now is the time to start planning your summer get-away. Avoid the hassle and expense of airline travel by planning a trip close to home. Michigan offers an incredible array of activities that will fit any budget and any lifestyle.

Beaches, big cities, forests and sand are all within several hours drive from your Ann Arbor home. Craving the big city nightlife? Head to Grand Rapids, where you’ll find The B.O.B. keeping the party going all night long with its “Four Floors of Fun” bars, clubs and restaurants. Check out the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum and the Grand RapidsArt Museum.

Looking for nightlife a little closer to your Ann Arbor condominium? Just over a half an hour away, Detroit offers big city life. After a dinner out in Greektown, take in a Red Wings game, cheer on the Detroit Tigers, and then close out the evening with a drink at The Coach Insignia, a bar high atop the Renaissance Center overlooking the Detroit River.

If you crave the peace and quiet of the outdoors, head “up north.” Michigan’s state parks offer solitude and nature in the wilderness, beautiful blue lakes, and adventure galore. Whether your ideal vacation includes camping, cabins or luxury hotels northern Michigan offers something for everyone.

Petoskey and Cheboygan on the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula offer a small town resort feel. With gourmet restaurants and fun boutiques in a beautiful setting on the beach, as well as ideal fishing and hiking conditions, these villages are perfect for the entire family.

Take a trip across the straights of Mackinac to Mackinac Island, where you’ll find the only state highway in Michigan that does not allow motor vehicles. The entire island is car-free, except for several emergency vehicles. Transportation is on foot, via bike, or in a horse-drawn carriage. The island will take you back to a time when life was slower and you woke up to the sound of birds chirping and horses clip-clopping down the road.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula offers a wealth of natural beauty. The shorelines of the “U.P.” offer excellent fishing, beautiful waterfalls, and amazing hiking in the PorcupineMountains. With its abundant snowfall in winter, the Upper Peninsula is great for snowmobiling, skiing, ice fishing and snow shoeing.

Whether you are planning a quick weekend getaway or a leisurely long vacation, Michigan offers the perfect setting for a relaxing and fun trip. You will treasure your memories of your vacation in the Great LakesState.

Image courtesy Flickr: Farlane