Michigan's Lake Michigan
Isn't the Midwest supposed to be bland and boring, a flattened landscape of cornfields and barns and cows? A trip along Lake Michigan's eastern shore will cure you of any such notion. From the twin cities of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, Michigan, all the way up to Charlevoix and Petoskey – a stretch covering nearly the entire length of this Great Lake – the shore offers up constant surprises and delights.

There are sand dunes of Saharan scale rising above sparkling beaches. Picturesque old lumbering and fishing villages hugging quiet harbors. Dense forests of beech and hickory and white pine interrupted only by quiet rivers. Blueberries, cherries, apples, and grapes hanging heavy from bushes and trees and vines.

In summer, locals and visitors flock to the beaches and the numerous and excellent state parks that line the shore. In winter, downhill skiers head to places like Boyne Mountain for some of the best skiing in the Midwest, while snowmobilers and cross-country skiers take advantage of an extensive network of trails. And throughout the year, shoppers and art lovers browse the galleries and unique shops of places like Saugatuck, Douglas, and Petoskey.

Clearly, this stretch of shore is made for vacations. But even if you have several weeks, you won't be able to sample all of its pleasures. With that fact in mind, we present this list – admittedly arbitrary and subjective – of 18 top things to see and do.

1. Go way down yonder to the Paw Paw Patch. Located along the Paw Paw River a few miles northeast of Benton Harbor, Sarett Nature Center is a real gem. Five miles of trails meander through peaceful upland meadows and across the river's marshy floodplain. The bird-watching is excellent, and you'll probably see more deer than people.

2. Pick blueberries 'til you're blue in the face (and hands). What Napa Valley is to grapes, southwestern Michigan is to blueberries. "U-pick" farms are so abundant along the Blue Star Highway that it should be renamed "the Blueberry Highway." One of the best-known places to pluck the plump fruit is DeGrandchamps Blueberry Farm, located just south of South Haven.

3. Let Sherman put a smile on your face (and maybe an inch or two on your waist). You simply can't pass through South Haven without stopping at Sherman's Dairy Bar. If it's not actually forbidden by law, it should be. The homemade ice cream is legendary, the scoops are huge, the price is only a couple of bucks. Try praline pecan, banana macadamia crunch, or chocolate chip cookie dough.