Last year Michigan destinations took the top spot in two of the biggest fall polls – the USA Today/10Best Reader’s Choice polls for Best Place To Visit For Fall (Mackinac Island) and Best Destination for Fall Colors (Upper Peninsula). Both of these locations are once again in the running for these titles in 2026, and today we will look at why each is worthy of a repeat and how you can help with your votes.

Mackinac Island was named Best Place to Visit for Fall last year, with 10best praising its vibrant foliage and slower pace of life. Michigan’s most popular vacation destination has been in the news quite a bit this year as a fight over ferry rates continues and it also somehow ended up as a topic in a hotly contested Michigan Senate race. As the busy summer months wind down this poll is a great reminder that there’s still plenty to see and do on the island in September and October.

A fall color carriage ride is a great way to see the island, and the Great Turtle Trail Run takes place October 24th. We had a great time running this race in years past, as you get to see just how beautiful the island is with its trees full of red, yellow, and orange leaves. The Halloween celebration takes place the same weekend as the race, with downtown trick-or-treating, live music, adult costume parties, and a haunted trail and maze at the legendary Grand Hotel.

Other finalists in this contest include Stowe (VT), Sleepy Hollow (NY), Gatlinburg (TN), Branson (MO), and Aspen (CO). You can vote for Mackinac Island once per day now through September 7th and the winner will be announced on September 16th.

The Upper Peninsula is looking to make it three years in a row of being named Best Destination for Fall Colors. 10best praises its multiple fall color driving routes, miles of shoreline on three Great Lakes, and its abundant forests. The U.P. remains one of our absolute favorite places to visit in the fall and we will never tire of seeing it get some national recognition.

Some favorite fall color destinations for us include the Whitefish Bay Scenic Byway, Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, Marquette, the Copper Country Scenic Byway, the Cut River Bridge, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

This year, the Upper Peninsula is up against the Adirondacks (NY), Cuyahoga Valley National Park (OH), Hocking Hills (OH), Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and several others. You can vote for the Upper Peninsula once per day through September 7th and the winner will be announced on September 16th.