2024 was a busy year for us here at Travel the Mitten, as we made our way around the state visiting parks, nature preserves, waterfalls, lighthouses, and more. We published more than 140 articles about our Great Lakes State, and some of them proved to be quite popular. As we do each year, in December we take a look at which posts got the most views. There are always a few surprises for us on these end of year lists, and it helps us know what our readers are interested in knowing more about. The northern Lower Peninsula once again proved to hit home with readers, as a third of the posts mentioned below come from the area. Here’s a look at out 24 Most Viewed Posts from 2024, starting with number 24 and counting down to number one:

Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve (May) – We made a few spring visits to Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, a great spot for hiking and birdwatching on the eastern shore of the lake. This was a fun spot to see change as temperatures warmed up and things got more colorful. We saw many different birds (swans, blackbirds, herons, starlings, woodpeckers) here and look forward to returning next year to see the progress on the reconstruction of the Wilder River Walk.

Walk of Art Sculpture Park (May) – One of our goals this year was to visit more sculpture parks, and the Walk of Art Sculpture Park in Elk Rapids ended up being one of our favorites. This collection of more than 20 pieces of art fits into the landscape of a beautiful piece of land on Grand Traverse Bay. A trail loops through the property and takes you past the art, while also leading to a sandy beach.

2024 Freighters and Boats in Michigan Photo Gallery (November) – The most recent post to make it on this list was a photo gallery full of all the freighters and other boats we saw on the Great Lakes this year. From 1,000 foot freighters passing by our Soo Locks boat tour to the busy ferries of Shepler’s heading to and from Mackinac Island, this was a fun look back at all of the beautiful boats you can see from our Michigan shores.

Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival Celebrates 100 Years (May) – This preview of a big year for the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival featured a look at all the special events and concerts planned for the big summer celebration. You can be sure that “Coast Guard City U.S.A.” has even more family fun planned for the 101st festival in 2025!

Durand Union Station (May) – On our way over to Port Huron for the eclipse in April, we stopped at one of Michigan’s most famous railroad depots. The Durand Union Station dates back to the 1900s and still serves passengers today. It is also home to the Michigan Railroad History Museum.

Does Detroit Have the Best Street Art or Art Museum? (January) – Several posts that appear on this end of year list are from USA Today 10best Reader’s Choice polls that featured Michigan destinations. In January, Detroit was up for two polls: Best Street Art (finished fifth) and Best Art Museum, which the Detroit Institute of Arts won!

Four Michigan Lighthouses Will Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries in 2024 (March) – This was a big year for four Michigan lighthouses as they celebrated milestone anniversaries. The Au Sable Point Lighthouse, Little Sable Point Lighthouse, and Spectacle Reef Light all celebrated 150 years, while the Ludington North Pierhead Light celebrated its centennial. Stay tuned in January to learn about the lighthouses that will hit milestones in 2025!

Sarett Nature Center: Family Friendly Trails and Environmental Education (May) – Spring saw us make our first visit to Sarett Nature Center. This great place for outdoor education has several miles of trails, a welcome center with live animals, and plenty of interactive displays for the kids. Our favorite part was the Tree Top Walkway, which provides sweeping views of most of the preserve from up above the trees and wetlands.

Portman Nature Preserve (April) – Portman Nature Preserve near Paw Paw has two miles of trails and plenty of opportunities for birdwatching. We loved the boardwalk on Lime Lake, where we saw. a bald eagle flying overhead. The observation platform on Mud Lake gives visitors a chance to observe ducks, swans, geese, and more.

Is Ludington the Best Historic Small Town in America? (March) – In March the folks at 10best asked of Ludington was the Best Historic Small Town in America, and voters said yes it is! This post called out some of the reasons for Ludington being nominated, including its lighthouses, the Lumber Heritage Trail, White Pine Historic Village, and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum.

Menominee North Pier Lighthouse Tours (July) – In June we finally timed a visit to the Menominee North Pier Lighthouse when it was open for tours. It was awesome to get to climb to the top of this 34 foot tall bright red lighthouse while learning about its history.

Lake Michigan Crossings on the S.S. Badger Will Resume in 2024 (February) – The 2023 sailing season for the S.S. Badger, a coal-fired passenger and car ferry that travel between Ludington and Wisconsin, was abruptly halted when a piece of docking equipment malfunctioned and needed repairs. The Badger was back in action in 2024 and it seems like readers were excited to learn about how to take a trip on this historic ship!

Is Michigan Home to the Best Flower Festival in the U.S.? (February) – Another 10best Reader’s Choice Poll in the spring was looking for the Best Flower Festival in the country, and Holland’s Tulip Time and Mackinac Island’s Lilac Festival were nominated as finalists. While we didn’t get a Michigan winner in this contest, the Lilac Festival finished in second place and Tulip Time finished in third.

“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” Clarence Zylman Statue, Muskegon (April) – We love finding unique statues on our travels around Michigan, and in the spring we stopped in Muskegon to see one that honors Clarence Zylman. “Clarence Zylman served his country as a bugler, playing reveille in his own boogie-woogie style. He became a military legend as the bugler who got the troops up with a jitterbug in their step. He was an ordinary man who led a remarkable life, and, thanks to an extraordinary song, will forever be known as Muskegon’s own boogie woogie bugle boy.”

March is Women’s History Month: 10 More Michigan Women You Should Know About (March) – A Women’s History Month at Travel the Mitten this year included a look at 10 amazing women like abolitionist and suffragist Laura Smith Haviland, writer and teacher Margaret Drake Elliott, civil rights leader Helen Claytor, and lighthouse keeper Elizabeth Whitney Williams.

Charlevoix Depot (May) – Dating back to the 1890s, the historic depot on the shore of Lake Charlevoix played an important role in northern Michigan’s tourism. is worth a stop if you’re in the area. “A Charlevoix Historical Society sign tells more about the depot’s history, and its service with the Chicago and West Michigan Railway. There was once a large inn here almost the size of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, and many of its visitors came via the railroad. Shortly after the depot opened the Pere Marquette Railroad absorbed C & WM, which eventually merged with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. Passenger service continued through the 1960s and freight traffic lasted a bit longer, with the last train leaving in 1982.”

Burns Landing Historic Park (August) – Sandy beaches aren’t as common in the Upper Peninsula, but we found a great one in Big Bay at Burns Landing. Enjoy scenic views on Lake Superior and a restored 1800s cabin at this beautiful park, which also features a short boardwalk trail that leads to the beach.

New Statue in Manistee County Honors James Earl Jones and Mentor Donald Crouch (February) – Legendary actor James Earl Jones passed away in September of this year. A few months before that we had a chance to visit the Manistee area and see a new sculpture that honors him and his mentor Donald Crouch. As Jones’ teacher, Crouch helped him overcome a stutter and find a love for public speaking. It was great to learn more about the Michigan roots of the man behind iconic performances in Field of Dreams, The Lion King, Star Wars, and more!

Michigan State Park Campground Updates: What to Expect in 2024 (January) – As the Michigan DNR continues to catch up on a backlog of projects with funds from the American Rescue Plan, they had a healthy list of closings for 2024 while work was ongoing. Campgrounds at Tawas Point State Park, Port Crescent State Park, Interlochen State Park, and Tahquamenon Falls State Park were among those that closed for campground upgrades. We can’t wait to see these parks back open and offering an even better experience for visitors in 2025!

WMU Dinosaur Park (May) – Most people don’t know there’s a free and family-friendly dinosaur park on the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. Stroll around next to utahraptors, a stegosaurus, a triceratops, a brontosaurus, and more while learning about them from signs placed in front of each sculpture.

World of Winter 2024 (January) – The annual World of Winter art exhibition in Grand Rapids has become one of our favorite winter activities. This year we loved the “Night Walkers” (large inflatable frogs) in Ah-Nab-Awen Park, the Lunar Lamp Posts (pictured above) in the North Monroe Lot, and the “Permafrost” mastodons on the Blue Bridge. Stay tuned in early 2025 for a look at the next set of art installments!

A Petoskey Sunset Cruise Aboard the Harbor Princess (July) – One of our top summer experiences was a sunset cruise in Petoskey aboard the Harbor Princess. This fantastic trip took us past the elusive Little Traverse Lighthouse, into the harbor at Harbor Springs, out on Little Traverse Bay for a stunning sunset, and past the stunning homes and yachts of Bay Harbor. We can’t recommend this cruise enough to anyone who loves being on the water or getting a different look at some iconic northern Michigan destinations.

Don’t Miss the New Mackinaw Crossings Transformer This Summer (June) – We made stops in Mackinaw City a few times this year, and when we stopped in June on our way to the Upper Peninsula we could see that construction had started on something cool. When we passed through again a week later, we were able to see “Mack-a-Tron,” a 30 foot tall Transformers-style robot statue. You can see this for yourself at the Mackinaw Crossings Mall, located next to the playground and movie theater.

Is Petoskey or Traverse City the Best Small Town in the Midwest? (March) – This year’s most viewed post was another 10best reader’s choice poll, this time looking for the Best Small Town in the Midwest. Michigan had two finalists in Traverse City and Petoskey, and there was some spirited debate about which one was better. Traverse City would finish eighth in this poll, while Petoskey finished fourth.