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It's almost apple season in Michigan, which means we're approaching that magical time when I'll happily circle the parking lot of an apple orchard waiting for an open spot while navigating the legions of people with the same mission of procuring a big bag of fruit and a couple dozen apple cider donuts.

Whenever I go on vacation, one of the first things I do is look up the best hiking trails in the area. I’ll drive way out of my way just to tackle one if the reviews and views look good enough. The funny thing is, I hardly ever hike here in Michigan, which is kind of ridiculous when you think about how many incredible trails we have right in our own backyard.

Carland is another of those little Michigan burgs that gets overlooked. It's an uncompromising, friendly-looking little town that was one of the last places in Shiawassee County to be settled. It was 1850 when the first white settler came to the area. It was heavily wooded with no roads whatsoever, and no trails, either.....just trees, trees, trees. Among a handful of establishments that were raised was a schoolhouse, constructed in 1855. The entire student body consisted of one boy and eleven girls.

Down in Hillsdale County, about seven miles from the Ohio border, I happened to come across the village of Frontier, tucked away in Woodbridge Township. This is another of the endless supply of Michigan small towns that bears a drive-thru and look-see. The town originated as a post office station between Hillsdale and Amboy, but it grew just a little larger than anticipated.

Usually not too hot. Usually not too cold. September is one of the best months of the year to get out and about in Michigan, and the Mitten State has no shortage of events to keep you and your family entertained. Here are 13 festivals and events happening in Michigan this September that you won't want to miss. Grab a turkey leg and prepare to hear "Huzzah!" approximately 400 times.

If your Kroger feels like it was designed during an era when grocery carts were much smaller and nobody had even thought of curbside pickup, good news: Kroger is spending some serious cash on Michigan. According to DBusiness, Kroger has broken ground on new stores in Dearborn and Commerce Township, a combined investment of about $73.5 million expected to support nearly 350 jobs. Jon Cherry, Getty Images Jon Cherry, Getty Images There is a tiny price-tag-sized asterisk here.

Mention "hunting season" in Michigan, and most of us immediately picture deer camp, blaze orange, and somebody insisting the buck they missed was approximately the size of a Buick. But Michigan's small game hunting seasons are about to get busy too. According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), several popular seasons open statewide on September 15, 2026, including cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, fox, gray squirrel, ruffed grouse, and woodcock.

Vin Diesel isn't exactly the first name you'd expect to hear singing Dolly Parton. But the Fast & Furious star offered an unexpectedly emotional tribute to the country music icon Wednesday (Aug. 26), sharing his own rendition of one of her most famous songs. The performance quickly drew attention as Diesel's voice cracked while singing lyrics that now carry an especially poignant meaning following Parton's death.

There are a lot of ways to pay tribute to Dolly Parton. Playing her music. Watching 9 to 5. Maybe breaking out enough hairspray to single-handedly punch another hole in the ozone layer. Or, apparently, you can carve Dolly into 6.5 acres of Michigan corn. And I absolutely love this. Robinette's Apple Haus & Winery near Grand Rapids is getting ready to open its annual corn maze on September 1, and this year's design celebrates the late country music legend in a pretty spectacular way.

One of Lansing's most famous names is getting a permanent place in one of the city's longtime community spaces. The YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing has announced new details for its Westside Branch, which is being renamed the Earvin "Magic" Johnson YMCA in honor of the Lansing native, Michigan State legend and NBA Hall of Famer.