Originally Posted by Denny Koll
Ugly Michigan? I grew up on the West side of the state on the shores of Lake Michigan. Dunes and beaches there are beautiful. The ride up Lakeshore Drive from Grand Haven to Holland is very scenic and nice.
The East side of the State can be ugly. I live in Saginaw and I would guess that's the type of area the poster was thinking about. Still you can find some beatiful trails. Pere Marquette in Midland is a nice 60 mile ride.
The beaches on Lake Huron are as nice as the ones on Lake Michigan, and often less crowded. Try the northern coast of the thumb, around Grindstone City, or the whole area around Tawas City and north from there. Frankenmuth, near Saginaw is the top tourist attraction in Michigan (although I don't care for it myself).
Now that the state is moving away from manufacturing, we need to spiff up all the areas to make them worth visitin and living in. Michigan is one of the most beautiful states, underneath the rust and smog.