Michigan is packed with instantly recognizable icons, from cars and Motown in Detroit to the historic escape into yesteryear at Mackinac Island or the shore-side beauty of Traverse Bay and Muskegon County.
Some cities rebuild new trademark draws every generation, like Ann Arbor’s gourmet culture or the craft beer movement in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. Every city has something to call its own, and it’s all pure Michigan.
DETROIT
Detroit has no shortage of icons—Henry Ford, the Motown sound and the Detroit Tigers to name a few. There are excellent group activities to celebrate each one, according to Bill Bohde, vice president of sales and marketing at the Detroit Metro CVB.
“This is a tremendous sports town. Our Tigers are an iconic franchise,” he says. “Going to a Detroit Tigers game anytime from April to October is a memorable event, considering our tremendous fan base.”
Bohde also notes that The Henry Ford is about more than just a museum celebrating the father of the automobile business; it’s a campus filled with national icons as well. In addition to the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, planners will also find museum exhibits such as President Lincoln’s rocking chair from the Ford Theater, President Kennedy’s limousine, and relocated historic buildings like Thomas Edison’s workshop and the Wright Brothers’ cycle shop in Greenfield Village.
When it comes to music, Bohde knows of one place every fan must go.
“There’s the Motown Museum in Berry Gordy’s studio where the Motown sound was created,” he says.
The buildings that make up the museum complex include the original Studio A, and fans can see how old-school music was made on reel-to-reel tapes before the digital age, as well as Gordy’s original living quarters and other exhibits. The museum is best suited for small to midsize group events.
ANN ARBOR
In Ann Arbor, it’s all about the food. The city has cultivated a reputation as a diverse dining destination with more than 300 restaurants, featuring cuisines from Ireland, Ethiopia, Korea, the Caribbean and many more.
“One of the most well-known spots in Ann Arbor is Zingerman’s,” says Dennis Doyle, vice president of sales and marketing for the Ann Arbor Area CVB.
While Zingerman’s Deli is primarily known for its award-winning Reuben sandwich, Doyle notes that it also has a creamery, bakery, coffee company and even a candy company to round out its offerings.
“Many of our restaurants offer chef’s tables and tasting menus by special reservation for groups,” he adds.
Sports is also a big draw for Ann Arbor, thanks to the University of Michigan (UM). Tours of the university’s football stadium, the largest in the country, are popular with groups, and the CVB works with planners to create unique sports-themed events, from a catered dinner on the floor of the Crisler Center basketball court or on the stage of UM’s Hill Auditorium.PageBreak
SAGINAW
A dedication to culture makes Saginaw an irresistible choice for groups in the Great Lakes Bay region.
The city is home to the Japanese Cultural Center and Tea House, where groups can arrange for private tours of the gardens or an informational talk and private tea ceremony. Attendees can also tour through the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum at Saginaw State University Valley, take in a show from one of the three Saginaw theater companies, or enjoy a concert of orchestral, choral or even down-home acoustic music. For meetings or off-site events, planners can take advantage of the Andersen Enrichment Center and Memorial Rose Garden, which offers an art gallery and two banquet rooms.
LANSING
Best known as Michigan’s capital city, Lansing has a bevy of historical and legislative attractions, including the state capitol building; the Michigan Supreme Court Learning Center in the Hall of Justice, which features interactive exhibits on the judicial branch of the state government; and the Michigan Historical Museum. Group tours of all three are available, and portions of the Michigan State Capitol and the grounds are available for events. The museum, which features a four-story atrium and rotating exhibits on every facet of Michigan life, is located just a block away from the capitol and is available for group rental.
The Michigan State University Museum is another rich repository of regional heritage. The museum is the state’s first Smithsonian-affiliated facility and welcomes all types of conference events, from board meetings to receptions and formal dinners.PageBreak
GRAND RAPIDS
The perfect complement to Ann Arbor’s dining reputation may be Grand Rapids, also known as “Beer City, U.S.A.” With more than 30 local craft breweries, it’s easy to sip or chug through the different tastes of Grand Rapids, especially with the help of the Grand Rapids CVB.
“Our convention services team can arrange for pub crawls and tours of the downtown craft breweries,” says Mary Manier, director of sales for the Experience Grand Rapids CVB. Tours can include Founders Brewery, rated as the No. 3 brewery in the world and producer of two of the world’s top 10 beers, according to Beer Advocate magazine, and HopCat, voted America’s Best BrewPub by Ratebeer.com. Several lodging facilities even offer hotel beer packages during selected seasons.
MUSKEGON AREA
Muskegon County is all about the Great Outdoors, from 26 miles of beaches along Lake Michigan to the 22.5-mile bike trail through the forests of Hart-Montague Trail State Park. Group activities include exploring the Great Lakes with a research cruise from the Annis Water Resources Institute, or cruising just for fun on Lake Michigan with a dinner trip aboard Port City Princess Cruises.
Planners can get their attendees moving with a trip to the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex, with customized adventures featuring skiing, skating, snowshoeing and even the luge. PageBreak
KALAMAZOO
Aside from its famous name, the city of Kalamazoo is also known for music and beer, two things that blend well.
Groups can start off with the Heritage Guitar (formerly Gibson Guitar) Factory Tour and follow with a custom tour of breweries, pubs and restaurants with West Michigan Beer Tours. Not into beer? Try a few area wineries, from the delicately flavored raspberry dessert wine at St. Julian Winery to the sulfite-free spirits from Peterson and Sons Natural Wines.
TRAVERSE CITY/NORTH MICHIGAN RESORT AREA
With Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan and Sleeping Bear National Dunes Lakeshore, it’s easy to see why Traverse City is best known for the outdoors. The Sleeping Bear Dunes rise up to 400 feet above the water in some spots, and the area is so stunning it was voted “Most Beautiful Place in America” by Good Morning America viewers.
Along the Sleeping Bear Dunes, attendees can catch a ferry to the Manitou Islands for some unspoiled natural beauty or paddle a kayak along the shoreline. For true style, groups can sail aboard the 114-foot replica schooner Manitou, or zip along in the Nauti-Cat, a high-speed catamaran.
MACKINAW CITY AND MACKINAC ISLAND
History is the watchword along the Straits of Mackinac in Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island.
The area boasts the Revolutionary War heritage of Colonial Michilimackinac, a National Historic Landmark, the 1800s history preserved at Fort Mackinac and the entire, car-free getaway of Mackinac Island. The island itself is one large National Historic Landmark, filled with shops, restaurants, biking, hiking, carriage tours and horseback riding, all amid a relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of another time.
For additional diversions, attendees can enjoy a haunted history tour or a group event held at the Wings of Mackinac Butterfly Conservatory or Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House and Insect World. On the mainland, there’s also the Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum, a World War II-era ship that offers group tours, overnight stays and team-building activities.
