The US State of Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline in the United States, lakes that feel like oceans, beaches and many miles of cherry orchards.

There are more than 100 public beaches, some of the highest freshwater sand dunes in the world, multi-colored sandstone cliffs and two National Lakeshores.

The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Lake Huronand is the only national marine sanctuary in the Great Lakes.

The state also has more than 129 lighthouses, maritime museums, ten shipwreck-diving preserves and historic military fortifications along Michigan's Great Lakes shoreline.

Activities to consider in summer include :

Accommodation in a Lighthouse

With its many lighthouses, Michigan offers the chance to spend nights at a lighthouse Bed and Breakfast.

Michigan's Sand Dunes

Saugatuck Dune Rides in the beach town of Saugatuck or Mac Wood's Dune Rides in Silver Lake offer open buggy rides around a 200-foot mountain of sand.

Paddleboarding in Detroit

The Detroit waterfront is an unexpected spot form kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.

Guides are available for exploring Detroit's Eastside canals and there is a tour that heads into the

Detroit River and around its islands including Belle Isle.

Detroit River Sports offers "paddle to table" tours that highlight the city's burgeoning culinary scene.

Sail on a tall ship

The schooner Appledore, which sails out of Bay City offers a night sky trip and dinner, family ecology and storytelling sailings.

The Manitou in Traverse City also offers a bed and breakfast sail and Friends Good Will in South Havenoffers a 1 ½ hour "pirate chaser" on an 1810 replica sloop.

The shipwrecks of the Great Lakes

There's the chance to snorkel and dive among hundreds of wrecks that are preserved in the fresh waters of the Great Lakes.

An easier option is with a narrated trip on one of the glass-bottom shipwreck cruises.

The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary's Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center's glass-bottom shipwreck tours takes youto some notable wrecks within the 4,300 square mile preserve.

Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours in Munising floats over three Lake Superior wrecks and past the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, where mineral staining has added streaks of colour to the rocky, glowing cliffs.

Michigan Craft Beer

Grand Rapids is nicknamed 'Beer City USA' and the Belgian-inspired Brewery Vivant brews in a former chapel.

The Founders Brewing Company is the country's fastest growing microbrewery.Water parks

Michigan's Adventure, the state's largest amusement and water park, has 15 water attractions and an amusement park.

Drive a Model T

Visitors can learn to drive an authentic Henry Ford creation at Kalamazoo's Gilmore Car Museum and its driving school.

The story of the car's invention is related at Detroit's Ford Piquette Avenue Plant.

Finally, there's the chance to take a ride in a Model T at Greenfield-village.

Established by Henry Ford, the village has nearly 100 historic buildings and a wide collection of artefacts.

Useful links

​ www.Michigan.org