Spring is always a long awaited celebration in Michigan as the days are longer, the sun starts to shine more, flowers begin to bloom, and people are emerging from a long, winter hibernation. Spring is also a wonderful time to visit Southwest Michigan to enjoy some of the most popular restaurants, hikes, and wineries or breweries before the summer crowds arrive. Keep reading to discover my top picks for exploring the Stevensville/Bridgman area during an overnight escape. 

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Southwest Michigan Tourist Council. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

When doing any research while planning a trip to Maui, it's guaranteed that the Road to Hana will be top on the list of must-sees. The 64.4 mile stretch of highway consists of 620 curves and 59 bridges and leads you through lush rainforest terrain, waterfalls, and deep valleys. It truly is a once in a lifetime experience and, as cliche as it sounds, is more about the journey than the destination. In my opinion, the drive itself isn't worth it (and honestly quite stressful) unless you plan to make frequent stops and get out of the car to enjoy the beauty along the way. 

No matter how you decide to conquer the Road to Hana, or what route you take, you'll need to dedicate a full day to this activity and plan on an early wake up call. The itinerary I outline below took around 11 hours and we left Lahaina around 6:15 a.m. 

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While the town of Bar Harbor is full of shopping, restaurants, and charm all on its own, you can't visit this area without venturing into Acadia National Park on Maine's Mount Desert Island. Acadia's landscape is marked with woodland, rocky beaches, and glacier-scoured granite peaks including many unique rock formations. We spent two full days exploring the National Park which seemed like a good amount of time to cover a lot of ground and check several hikes off our bucket list. 

There is a shuttle that runs through the park and allows you to hop on and off. However, we rented a car and drove into the park both days to give ourselves a bit more freedom and we and didn't run into any issues with parking or traffic. Park Loop Road is actually very parking friendly and if you can't find a spot in one of the main lots, the road is one way with two-lanes and cars are allowed to park along the right side of the road. The only lot that filled up quick was Jordan Pond House so I recommend getting there early if you can. You'll also need to purchase a recreational pass for Acadia ($30 and good for seven days) and have it displayed on your dash at all times to avoid being ticketed. All the trails we hiked were marked well with signage and blue markers on rocks which was super helpful in keeping us on the right trails. I also had enough cell service on most trails (with T Mobile) to access the All Trails app. So lace up your hiking boots and keep reading to discover my top picks for trails in Acadia National Park. 

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When visiting Pictured Rocks in Munising, Michigan there are several ways to enjoy the beauty of this area. You can view the famous rock formations from the water while on a boat tour or get up close while paddling in a kayak. Many waterfalls and overlooks are easily accessible from a short walk to an overlook, or even right along the roadside in some cases. But, if you're in search of the best way to experience Pictured Rocks (in my opinion) you'll want to conquer the 10-mile Chapel Basin Loop trail.

I will admit that initially I wasn't sure I wanted to do the entire hike because I had never completed a trail that long before, but I am SO glad we decided to just go for it. You can make the hike shorter by going out and back to Chapel Rock/Beach which is just over 6 miles, but some of the best views are past this point and I would have been very disappointed if we didn't do the entire hike. And don't let the distance scare you, the trail is well marked with minimal elevation gain so it really wasn't that strenuous. I've completed much harder hikes that were far fewer miles. 

Keep reading for everything you need to know if you plan to hike this breathtaking trail! 

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Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is arguably one of the most beautiful places in Michigan. While the sandstone cliffs get most of the attention, the area is also full of majestic waterfalls ranging from 5 to 70 feet vertical drops. I was shocked to learn how easily accessible the falls are with most requiring only a short hike and others located right along the highway. I was a bit concerned about visiting the the middle of summer and whether or not the water level would be low, but much to my surprise they were all flowing.

We spent one afternoon driving around and checked off four different waterfalls in a couple hours. We saw Chapel Falls and Mosquito Falls while hiking the Chapel Basin Loop trail and Spray Falls while on a boat cruise. 

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When planning my birthday trip this year I was in search of a destination that would make for a short weekend getaway and offer great hiking and lots to see and do. After some research I landed on Gatlinburg, a mountain town in eastern Tennessee. Known as the Gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it would also allow us the opportunity to check another national park off our bucket list. While this is a great road trip destination from many major cities, since we were limited on time we decided to fly into Knoxville and make the short hour drive to Gatlinburg.

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It's pretty easy to see how Sedona earned its name as red rock country. Even just driving around the area you'll be blown away by the stunning red rock formations and spectacular landscape views. However, the best way to experience all Sedona has to offer is by hitting the trails. We recently visited for three days in January and were able to complete four different hikes - each one more jaw dropping than the next. Keep reading to discover my picks for can't miss hikes.

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The mountains are calling and I must go! There is just something so refreshing about that cool mountain area. Asheville, North Carolina has been on my travel bucket list for quite some time and my husband and I finally had a chance to visit this fall. One of the main reasons I wanted to go was to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway. This massive road weaves 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina with countless hikes, overlooks and amazing views the whole way. The parkway is also unique in that big trucks aren't allowed to drive it and the speed limit is 45 mph which allows you to really slow down and take in all the beauty around you. 

I had honesty never heard of Hocking Hills State Park until a few months before we booked our trip. But a few Google searches later and I knew we had to check this Midwest gem off our travel bucket list. Located only 5 1/2 hours from Southwest Michigan, it made for the perfect anniversary road trip destination. It's also only about 50 minutes outside of Columbus so we decided to spend two days there before driving the rest of the way to Hocking Hills. Check out my foodie guide to Columbus, Ohio here - yum! 

Hocking Hills has 7 different hiking areas - all of which are relatively short and moderate making it easy to visit multiple stops in one day. We stayed for two nights and it seemed like the perfect amount of time to explore it all. Keep reading for all the details you'll need to know to plan your own trip and a breakdown of how we spent each of our days.

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Located only 30 minutes outside of Traverse City, Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore encompasses a 35 mile stretch along the Lake Michigan coast line. It is truly a can't-miss natural wonder when visiting Northern Michigan offering a range of landscapes including forests, beaches, and of course the star of the show - towering sand dune formations. While there are a few accommodations in the surrounding areas, area can easily be explored on a long day trip. You'll find a variety of hiking options here for all ages and fitness levels - each rewarding you with breathtaking views. I'm sharing 5 of my top Sleeping Bear Dune hikes below. 

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