Welcoming, wondrous, warmhearted and whimsical -- the northwest comer of Michigan has been a popular vacation destination for more than a century. Referred to by locals as "The Land of Little Bays", this region's sweeping bays and lush peninsulas beckon you to explore its nostalgic villages and natural scenery. in the heart of bay country, sheltered at the foot of Grand Traverse Bay is Traverse City. Plenty of beaches, trendy sidewalk cafes and shops, a sailboat marina. Victorian-style buildings, tree-lined streets, an opera house. golf courses and more can be found here. "The Insiders' Guide "RM" to Traverse City" will help you experience the charm and character of this corner of paradise with the help of local authors who obviously love where they live.

Comprehensive, at-a-glance travel and activity guides to some of Michigan's best-known destinations

This selection of 12 stories from Michigan's past explores some of the Great Lakes State's most compelling mysteries and debunks some of its most famous myths.

From tales of pirate treasure to Jimmy Hoffa’s mysterious disappearance, Michigan Myths and Legends makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the state’s most fascinating and compelling stories. Most people have heard about the Bermuda Triangle, where ships and people disappear without a trace—but few have heard about the equally deadly Great Lakes Triangle, where one-third of all unsolved sea and air disasters in America take place. Night after night, curious onlookers congregate on a remote hill near the Michigan/Wisconsin border to watch for mysterious lights that rise out of the ground, hover, and then disappear. Are the orbs merely optical phenomena created by headlights of passing cars? Or are they spirits returning to haunt where their earthly bodies met their demise? In the mid-1960s, the number of reports to the US Air Force of UFO sightings spiked across the country. Were people seeing unfamiliar technological innovations in aircraft? Had the rising popularity of the new-fangled television’s sci-fi programs sparked Americans’ imaginations? Or were extraterrestrial beings actually responding to signals from newly constructed deep-space radio transmitters?

"Do you get told what the good life is, or do you figure it out for yourself?" This is the central question of Opting for Elsewhere, as the reader encounters stories of people who chose relocation as a way of redefining themselves and reordering work, family, and personal priorities. This is a book about the impulse to start over. Whether downshifting from stressful careers or being downsized from jobs lost in a surge of economic restructuring, lifestyle migrants seek refuge in places that seem to resonate with an idealized, potential self. Choosing the "option of elsewhere" and moving as a means of remaking self through sheer force of will are basic facets of American character, forged in its history as a developing nation of immigrants with a seemingly ever-expanding frontier. Building off years of interviews and research in the Midwest, including areas of Michigan, Brian Hoey provides an evocative illustration of the ways these sweeping changes impact people and the communities where they live and work as well as how both react--devising strategies for either coping with or challenging the status quo. This portrait of starting over in the heartland of America compels the reader to ask where we are going next as an emerging postindustrial society.

A travel guide for the paddling-inclined. The Paddler’s Guide to Michigan takes users to the best quiet waters in the Great Lakes state, including rivers, inland lakes, and the Great Lakes. The guide is full of helpful suggestions for how to have the best paddling trips, even at the most popular destinations. Just because a river can be paddled, it doesn’t mean the experience will be a good one, so outdoorsman and journalist Jeff Counts has researched and paddled all these waters to bring you tips and details to make your outings as enjoyable as possible. He offers comprehensive information to help those who own kayaks arrange their own trips as well as info for the more casual kayaker who wishes to work with outfitters.

The 1998-99 edition of The Insiders' Guide RM to Madison is a 400-plus-page exploration of all that's available in this renaissance city. More than 25 chapters include History, Restaurants, Getting Around, Brewpubs, Wine Bars and Cigar Bars, The Literary Scene, Daytrips, Accommodations and Festivals and Annual Events. Additional chapters provide relocation and newcomer information.