Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan should not be confused with the Upper Peninsula. Although a bit inaccurate, the term "Northern Michigan" is used to refer to only the northern portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan… the "fingers" of that mitten-shaped body of land.| Tap on a place to explore it |
Photo: Calm Vistas, CC BY 2.0.
Essential Destinations
Top destinations include Traverse City and Alpena.
Traverse City
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Traverse City is a scenic city on the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. Directly north of Traverse City, the Old Mission Peninsula splits the Grand Traverse Bay in two, with a beautiful windswept landscape and great views of the bay on either side.
Alpena
Photo: Ipoellet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Alpena is the only city in and the county seat of Alpena County, Michigan, United States. The population was 10,197 at the 2020 census, making it the third most populated city in the Northern Michigan region, after Traverse City and Cadillac.
Petoskey
Photo: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Petoskey is a gorgeous tourist town on the shores of Little Traverse Bay in Northwestern Michigan, USA. Renowned for its spectacular lakeshore views year-round, abundant shopping, nearness to ski slopes, world-class golf and an undeniable small-town charm.
Destinations to Discover
Explore places such as Grand Traverse Bay Area and Mackinac Area.
Grand Traverse Bay Area
The Grand Traverse Bay Area is a region in Northern Michigan, known for its lakes and lakeshores, for its cherries and grapes and mushrooms, and for its boating and downhill skiing.
Mackinac Area
The Mackinac Area is the northernmost part of Northern Michigan, just south of the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge to St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula.
Northeastern Michigan
Northeastern Michigan is the part of Michigan that stretches along the shore of Lake Huron from the Straits of Mackinac to Saginaw Bay, and the extensive forested areas inland.
Grayling
Photo: Notorious4life, CC0.
Grayling is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the only incorporated community in Crawford County. The population was 1,884 at the 2010 census.
Gaylord
Gaylord is a small city of 3,700 people in Northern Michigan. Gaylord styles itself as an "alpine village" and the city center features many buildings with Tyrolean traverse style motifs.Reed City
Photo: Charles W. Chapman, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reed City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,490 at the 2020 census. It is located in southwestern Osceola County and is the county seat.
Atlanta
Atlanta is a small community of about 830 people in Northern Michigan. It is the seat of Montmorency County, and has been proclaimed as the "Elk Capital of Michigan". It is a popular destination for hunting and fishing.
Houghton Lake
Photo: Hgjudd, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Houghton Lake is a city in Rosscommon County in the state of Michigan. Home of Tip Up Town, USA, the largest winter carnival in the United States, the site of the movie Frozen Stupid, and amazing vacation spot for those on a budget or with children.
Northern Michigan
- Type: Region
- Description: northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan
- Also known as: “Northern Lower Michigan” and “Up North”
- Neighbors: Central Michigan and West Michigan
- Location: Michigan, Midwest, United States, North America
- View on OpenStreetMap
This page is based on GeoNames, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikivoyage.
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Satellite Map
Discover Northern Michigan from above in high-definition satellite imagery.
In Other Languages
From Bengali to Spanish—“Northern Michigan” goes by many names.
- Bengali: “উত্তর মিশিগান”
- Chinese: “北密歇根”
- Chinese: “北密西根”
- French: “Nord du michigan”
- French: “Nord du Michigan”
- Hebrew: “צפון מישיגן”
- Slovenian: “Northern Michigan”
- Slovenian: “Severni Michigan”
- Spanish: “norte de Míchigan”
- Spanish: “Norte de Míchigan”
Michigan: Must-Visit Destinations
Delve into Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, and Grand Rapids.
Explore These Curated Destinations
Discover places selected for their distinct character and enduring appeal.
About Mapcarta. Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, except for photos, directions, and the map. Description text is based on the Wikivoyage page “Northern Michigan”. Photo: Calm Vistas, CC BY 2.0.