Midland Michigan - Best Things To Do! See Dow Gardens, Longest Canopy Walk in the United States, Tridge, Great Lakes Loons Baseball! Best Restaurants, Coffee Shops and Hotels
Midland Michigan: Top Things to do, Great Restaurants! Longest Canopy Walk in the US, Dow Gardens, Loons Baseball, Kayaking...
Midland Michigan - Best Things To Do! See Dow Gardens, Longest Canopy Walk in the US, Tridge, Great Lakes Loons! Best Restaurants and Hotels | By: Sherry Trautman | Travel-Mi.com
Midland Michigan is rich with adventures and fun!
Are you ready for fun!? While visiting the Great Lakes Region, be sure to:
Let's Explore Downtown Midland Midland! See the Tridge, Downtown, East End and Founder's Garden
At a Glance: Here's What You Can See and Do in Midland Michigan!
- Visit Dow Gardens
- Soar along the Longest Canopy Walk in America
- Attend an exciting Great Lakes Loons baseball game
- Explore the Chippewa Nature Center
- Walk the famous Tridge
- Hike and bike Midland City Forest
- Tour the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio
- Discover Dahlia Hill
- Explore Midland's scenic downtown
- Take a Class at Creative Uplift Center!
- Visit Santa at the Midland Santa House and ride the Northern Star Christmas train!
- See the Post Street School, the Oldest House in Midland Michigan
“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” T.S. Eliot
Grab our Super Useful Midland Michigan Interactive Map!
- Click on the plus and minus in the left corner to zoom in or out of the map.
- Click on the icons for more info, addresses and photos of the stops.
- Click on the map to drag and move it to view surrounding areas.
- In the Header, click on the rectangle in the upper left of the map to see a menu of all of our stops. Click on anything that looks interesting to see where it is on the map. To hide the menu, click the rectangle in the header.
- In the Header, click on the "square" icon in the upper right side to expand the map for better viewing.
1. Discover Dow Gardens: Incredible Botanical Gardens in Midland Michigan
Dow Gardens Midland Michigan
Dow Gardens is a spectacular 110-acre botanical garden located at 1809 Eastman Avenue, Midland, MI. It is one of my absolute favorite places to visit!
Since we live close, I walk and explore about 4 times a month! Dow Gardens is a wonderful botanical gardens in Michigan where you can spend the entire day. Enjoy paved walking trails, children's gardens, ponds, rose garden, a waterfall, and so many nooks and crannies to explore!
Dow Gardens is gorgeous all year! Winter, spring, summer and fall offer new experiences and beautiful gardens to discover. Wonderful place to add to your "things to do in Michigan" list!!
Dow Gardens: Butterflies in Bloom
Don't miss Dow Garden's Butterflies in Bloom! See my tips and "Know Before You Go!" It's an amazing experience!
See the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational!
See the World's Best Women Golfers Compete for $2.3 Million! The LPGA happens each year at the Midland Country Club in July. See photos of the players, grab the schedule of events and more info on the LPGA!
2. Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens: Home to the Longest Canopy Walk in the United States!
2203 Eastman Ave, Midland, Michigan
Wander among the treetops and marvel at the expansive views at Whiting Forest, home to the Nation’s
Longest Canopy Walk.
This famous walk is 1,400
feet long and soars up to 40 feet above the ground! You've got to see this Dow Gardens Canopy Walk to believe it!
Whiting
Forest is connected to Dow Gardens so you can spend the day exploring forest
trails, playing in the children’s playground, and enjoying the 110-acre garden. Relax after your adventures with a hot cup of soup or a latte in Whiting Forest's café.
I love listening to the spring peepers, searching for new sprouting plants and breathing the fresh air every spring! Summer offers a cool place to power walk while enjoying luscious shade and pausing to peer over the bridge in search of frogs and darting fish.
Winter at the Whiting Forest is a completely new experience! The views of the forest blanked in sparkly snow from the canopy walk is an exquisite vantage point!
Midland Country Club
The Midland Country Club is such a scenic golf course! The course is a private club.
3. Love Baseball? Catch a Baseball Game with the Great Lakes Loons!
Great Lakes Loons Baseball in Midland Michigan
825 East Main Street, Midland, MI
The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball of the Midwest League and the Class A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Games begin in May!
We absolutely LOVE going to the Midland Loons games! My nephew and I had a blast...obviously!! The stadium is so beautiful! Usually I don't say that, but it's true! It is very clean, the seats are as comfortable as possible, the home team sits in the shade and there are ton of bathrooms. The food at the Great Lakes Loons is great too. I always get the Michigan Cherry Chicken rollup as it's fresh and tasty.
Make sure you shop in the Loons loft (the Great Lakes Loons store), I'm sporting a loons baseball shirt that I love so much! So come on out and watch a Loons minor league baseball game this summer!
Great Lakes Loons Baseball in Midland Michigan
Sherry and Louie with the Great Lakes Loons Baseball in Midland Michigan4. Chippewa Nature Center in Midland Michigan: Awesome Kayaking, Hiking, Nature Tours, Events
400 S Badour Rd, Midland, MI 48640
The Chippewa Nature Center is one of my favorite places to wander along a picturesque Chippewa river while spotting nature. The Chippewa Nature Center in Midland Michigan offers tons of programs throughout the year for kids and adults.
The Chippewa Nature Center in Midland Michigan encompasses over 1,348 acres of forest, rivers and wetlands. The Nature Center is perfect for walking, hiking and biking.
During the maple syrup
season in March, you can take a wagon ride to the Sugar House to taste iced
maple syrup on a stick and watch an 1870’s sap boiling demonstration.
I love kayaking with the Chippewa Nature Center during organized trips in May, June and July. I absolutely love spotting turtles, roosting turkeys, deer, eagles and so many different types of birds during our adventures on the river.
Be sure to visit their Homestead Farm featuring an 1870's-style farmstead, complete with a log cabin, timber frame barn, root cellar, wagon barn and chicken coop.
Chippewa Nature Center's Homestead Farm
Chippewa Nature Center
This is a lovely trail located right behind the Nature Center. It's my favorite trail when I'm short on time and just need my nature fix.
Chippewa Nature CenterDuring the winter, rent some snowshoes and see what you can discover during the cold winter months! The trails are also very scenic during the winter.
5. Midland Michigan Tridge: Incredible Views, Walking and Biking Opportunities!
The Tridge is the formal name of a three-way wooden footbridge spanning the Chippewa and Tittabawassee Rivers in Chippewassee Park near downtown Midland, Michigan.
The Tridge is THE LAUNCH SPOT for biking, running and walking. We park at the tridge (restrooms available) and bike all the way to the Chippewa Nature Center or north along the paved Pere Marquette Rail Trail. This trail miiiiiiight lead you right to an ice cream parlor!
The Tridge in Midland Michigan was recently renovated so it is absolutely stunning in all seasons. It is also the home of the Midland Farmers Market! Make plans to visit today!
- Bikes are available to rent with an app
- Restrooms
- Lots of free paved parking
- Picnic tables
6. Midland City Forest: Incredible Trails for Mountain Biking, Hiking and Skiing!
If you love cross
country skiing, fat bike trails or wooded walking trails, visit Midland City Forest for
an afternoon of exercise and fun. Entrance and parking are free.
There are so many trails to explore that you can visit dozens of times and find new trails and things to do.
During the winter, bring your sled or tube and zip down the designated sledding hill. Afterward, grab a cup of hot chocolate at the nearby chalet to warm your hands.
Horses are even welcome for an afternoon of riding along the scenic wooded trails.
7. Tour the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio
When visiting Midland Michigan, you absolutely MUST book an incredible behind the scenes tour of the home and studio of prolific architect, Alden B. Dow.
During this 1.5 hour guided tour, you will learn all about the fascinating life, working studio and home where Mr. Dow designed, created, lived and raised his family.
You'll be shocked to discover the studio/work space is 6,000 sf and their family home is 14,000 sf!!
Who is Alden B. Dow? What is his claim to fame?
Alden B Dow (April 10, 1904 – August 20, 1983) was well known for his contributions to the style of Michigan Modern. From the 1930s through the 1960s, he and his team designed more than 70 residences and dozens of churches, schools, civic and art centers, and commercial buildings in Michigan. The Midland Center for the Arts and Grace A. Dow Memorial Library are great examples of his work.
Highlights of our Alden B. Dow Home and Studio tour:
- We loved walking through the submarine room that is sunken lower into the river that flows right past the window!
- The movie and entertaining room has tiny bulbs in the ceiling, massive art on the walls and a geometric carpet you just have to see!
- The kitchen is surprisingly small for how large the home is, but it was interesting to learn that kitchens at that time were only used for cooking. Visitors never entered the kitchen and it wasn't a hang out area.
- I loved all the "found art" in the home. Alden saw beauty in leftover materials and proudly displayed them throughout the home.
Read more about our visit and see lots of pics!
Enjoy Winter Wanderland-Ice Carving Event!
In February, Midland's downtown turns into a winter wonderland! Games such as chess or foosball are carved out of ice and live ice carvers transform large blocks of ice into delightful winter creations.
8. Photograph Stunning Dahlia Hill Located in Midland Michigan - Mid Michigan
Dahlia Hill, Midland Michigan
Address: 2809 Orchard Dr, Midland, MI 48640
Dahlia Hill is a beautiful terraced garden in Midland Michigan. Each year, you can see at least 3,000 stunning dahlia plants blooming every August through October.
Dahlia Hill in Midland Michigan is free and open to the public so stop in and enjoy the incredible beauty! There are no set hours and the parking area is gravel/dirt.
The gardens are terraced with several levels and a few art studios are located at the top.
Midland Area Farmers Market
Location: Dow Diamond, Midland Michigan
Shop local and support Midland's hardworking farmers! The Midland Area Farmers Market is a great place to get vegetables, fruit, baked goods, meat, fish, cheese, eggs, plants and flowers.
The market season begins the first Saturday in May and is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. until Saturday, October 31. The Midland Area Farmers Market is open select Saturday's in November.
Walk, Bike or Run the Pere Marquette Rail Trail
Midland Pere Marquette Rail Trail
Where to park to walk the Pere Marquette Rail Trail: We like parking at the Tridge or the Upper Emerson River Overlook Park.
The Pere Marquette RailTrail is 30 miles of paved, flat, scenic trail between Midland and Clare, Michigan. It occupies a 28-mile abandoned CSX railroad! There are lots of scenic views of the Tittabawassee River with several overlooks.
Tour the Heritage Park Site - Midland, Michigan
Along the trail (about 1.5 miles from the Tridge) is the Heritage Park Site where you can tour:
- Herbert D. Doan County History Center
- Carriage House and Hall
- Bradley Home Museum
- Herbert H. Dow Historical Museum
- 1950's Brinewell Derrick
Call or check their website before you visit to see when they are open, hours and more information.
9. Wander Scenic Downtown Midland Michigan
Wander Midland Michigan's downtown on E. Main Street for great gathering areas with firepits, comfortable chairs, shopping and great restaurants.
We love shopping in downtown Midland stores for health food, boutique shops, sporting goods and so much more!
Sherry and Chris enjoying the fireplaces in downtown Midland!
Evenings are the best time to relax and enjoy Midland Michigan's downtown area. Grab dinner, ice cream and a seat in front of the glorious fire pits. It's one of our favorite things to do in Midland Michigan!
10. Take a Class at Creative Uplift Center!
I had an absolute blast taking a goats milk soap making class at Creative Uplift Center in Midland, Michigan! They offer a variety of classes throughout the year, so be sure to check them out!
11. Visit the Midland Santa House and ride the free Northern Star Train This Christmas Season!
This Christmas, visit the Midland Santa House and ride the free Northern Star Train! Bring on the Christmas cheer by riding one of our favorite Michigan Christmas trains!
12. See the Post Street School, the Oldest House in Midland Michigan!
If you love old buildings, check out the Post Street School which is the oldest building in Michigan! Built in 1875!
Best Midland Michigan Hotels - Recommendations + Photos From a Local (Holiday Inn, H Hotel, Hampton Inn, etc)
We highly recommend these Midland hotels because we are extremely familiar with the area and the best places to stay in Midland. These locations are safe, conveniently located and close to amenities.
Book a Midland Michigan hotel and stay awhile!
Discover the Best Midland Michigan Restaurants!
We have so many great Midland Michigan restaurants that we decided to make a guide dedicated just for them! Lots of great steakhouses, bbq, sushi, wine bars, new places to try and restaurants with outside seating (perfect for warm summer evenings!)
Plus, we have our favorite spots to get drinks!
Top Coffee Shops in Midland Michigan
We love fantastic coffee shops! The comfortable atmosphere, friendly baristas and tasty drinks are reason enough to stop for a bit to unwind, catch up with friends or do a little work away from your desk at home.
So...(just for you), we drank A LOT of coffee. And after the caffeine buzz hit, we took lots of photos and wrote up a review of great coffee shops in Midland Michigan.
Keep Reading!
Dow Gardens is an absolutely stunning place to visit all year round! The paved walk paths are perfect for exploring and enjoying nature.
While you are visiting Midland, be sure to drive west only 20 minutes to Bay City, Michigan. You will love this quaint river town with lots of antiques, restaurants and shopping!
We also highly recommend touring Port Huron Michigan! You can tour (and climb) the oldest lighthouse in Michigan, go on a sightseeing cruise, tour the Huron Lightship and so much more!
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Click on the images above to know more about Dow Garden's Butterflies in Bloom and Bay City fun!
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