This month, I’m taking a break from blogging about my thoughts and experiences in Detroit. This month, it’s all about #puremichigan. Because Michigan, is beautiful.

Honestly, Michigan wasn’t even really a part of my vocabulary before moving here. I don’t have family that lives here or friends that moved from here. I knew Michigan was west of Ohio and surrounded by a lot of lakes. And that’s about it. To me, it was just another one of the 50 states. Until August of this year, of course.

As someone who loves to explore, moving to a new place means endless possibilities to do so. While most of my exploration has been in and around Metro-Detroit, last weekend, I finally had the chance to “go North,” as Michiganders put it.

I jumped in the car on Friday afternoon with my fellow, fellow and great friend, Sarah Robb, and drove north to explore the places I had been hearing about since I moved here. The landscape quickly changed from city and suburb to lush forest, lakes and rolling hills. When we arrived in Traverse City, our first destination, we were awed by the vastness and clear blue water of Lake Michigan. I grew up near the Finger Lakes in New York, which are pretty beautiful, but whose color could not compare to what was before our eyes.

Every stop throughout the weekend was more beautiful than the last, from the vineyard dotted shores to the massive Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. Hopefully, these pictures will help portray the beauty we saw.  But to truly appreciate it, you’ll need to come explore for yourself. I certainly will be doing more of it, myself.