June is one of the best months to visit Michigan. The weather is gorgeous, festivals are happening statewide, and there are so many Things To Do In Michigan In June to enjoy.
From exploring charming beach towns to spending time on the lakes, here are my top recommendations for making the most of Michigan in June. Please join Let’s save Michigan to learn more through this article.
1. Ann Arbor Summer Festival
Each June, Ann Arbor hosts this incredible performing arts festival offering two weeks of music, dance, comedy, film, spectacles, and family events.
Over 170,000 attendees enjoy free outdoor performances, ticketed shows, workshops, and activities. Festival highlights I’ve experienced include the art fair, indie film previews, acrobatics show, and concerts from artists like Sufjan Stevens. The event culminates with a festive July 4th celebration downtown.
2. Old Mission Peninsula Winery Tour
No visit to Traverse City is complete without touring the wineries along the scenic Old Mission Peninsula. This narrow strip of land jutting north into Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay has over 10 excellent wineries to sample.
I recommend renting a car or booking a wine tour service to cruise from winery to winery. Some favorites are Brys Estate, Bowers Harbor, and 2 Lads for the amazing views and award-winning rieslings and pinot noirs. The peninsula also has great restaurants, beaches, lighthouses, and boutique shopping.
3. National Cherry Festival
Each June, Traverse City celebrates their famous tart cherries at the National Cherry Festival. For over 90 years, this popular event features airshows, concerts, a cherry pit spit competition, parades, fireworks, and delicious cherry treats.
Additional activities include a pie eating contest, cooking demos, an arts fair, carnival rides, a cherry capital cycling criterium race, and the crowning of the National Cherry Queen!
4. Isle Royale National Park
Escape to Michigan’s remote and rugged Isle Royale National Park in pristine Lake Superior. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, this 210 square mile island offers superior hiking, camping, fishing, wildlife watching, and kayaking opportunities.
Highlights of visiting in June include lush green scenery, wildflowers, moose sightings, no bugs, and few crowds on the island’s 165 miles of trails and 36 campgrounds. It’s ideal for avid backpackers and boaters seeking wilderness seclusion.
5. Michigan Lavender Festival
Visiting the Michigan Lavender Festival is one of my favorite ways to welcome summer. This family-friendly event takes place at Cherry Creek Lavender Farm in Romeo with over 80 lavender growers selling products and giving demonstrations.
You can browse fragrant foods, soaps, oils, and crafts made from lavender. There are guided farm tours, live music, lavender lemonade, workshops, distillery tastings and artisan vendors. The lavender fields also erupt in gorgeous purple blooms.
6. Detroit Festival of Books
Book lovers of all ages will adore this free festival held in Detroit’s Midtown district each June. The Detroit Festival of Books celebrates reading, authors, and literacy over two days with author talks, creative writing workshops, live music, poetry readings, children’s storytimes, diverse vendors, a used book sale, and opportunities to get copies of books signed by acclaimed authors. It’s an excellent literary event.
7. Country Music Festival
Attend Michigan’s premier country music festival – Big Country Fest in Frankenmuth! This annual 3-day event in June draws huge crowds with major headliners like Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, and more taking the main stage each evening.
In addition to incredible live music under the stars, the festival has food vendors, merchandise, carnival rides, games, camping options and a lively atmosphere celebrating country tunes.
8. Michigan Renaissance Festival
Step back in time at Michigan’s beloved annual Renaissance Festival! This whimsical event transforms a Holly village into a 16th century English marketplace and amusement fair for weekends from June through September.
Costumed characters, jousting, musicians, artisan demos, shops, plays, games, rides, and delicious food and drink immerse you in the revelry. Special themed weekends add more excitement like fairies, pirates, mead, and heroes & villains. Huzzah!
9. Beaver Island
Escape to the remote and tranquil Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan. This pristine island offers incredibly scenic beaches, forests, dunes, hiking trails, fishing, kayaking, birdwatching, camping, and few crowds.
Visitors can take a ferry or plane to access the island’s natural beauty and slower pace of life. I love renting a bike or golf cart and exploring at my own pace. Don’t miss the freshwater beaches, sea glass hunting, and starry night skies.
10. Leelanau Peninsula
Spend a day touring the charming Leelanau Peninsula near Traverse City. Stop at wineries like Leelanau Cellars, Tandem Ciders, and 45 North for fantastic wine and cider tastings.
Admire the lighthouse at Leelanau State Park, visit Sleeping Bear Dunes, and explore the quaint villages of Suttons Bay, Northport, Glen Arbor, and Leland. There are also great swimming beaches, boating, kayaking, boutique shops, galleries, and restaurants to enjoy on the peninsula.
11. Muskegon Summer Wine Up Festival
Sample some of Michigan’s best wines at the annual Summer Wine Up Festival in Muskegon. This lively event in late June features live music, gourmet food trucks, and tastings from over 15 Michigan wineries.
Sip wines while grooving to tunes from popular bands. There are also craft vendors, contests, lawn games to play, hula hoop performers, and food and drink specials at downtown bars and restaurants after the main event.
12. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Climb the towering sand dunes along Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This scenic park has over 35 miles of gorgeous sandy beaches, dense forests, wildflowers, and biking trails to enjoy.
Must-see sights include the Dune Climb with panoramic views and scenic Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Go swimming, rent a kayak, hike, camp or join a ranger-guided activity to make the most of this natural wonder.
13. Detroit Riverfront events
June brings tons of exciting events to Detroit’s scenic riverfront. Some highlights are Downtown Hoedown’s country music and BBQ, GM River Days with powerboat racing, the huge annual Ford Fireworks display, and River Days’ carnival rides, concerts, and tall ship tours.
Most events center along the Detroit Riverwalk downtown and are free for all to enjoy. It’s awesome seeing Detroit buzzing with summer activity!
14. Keweenaw Peninsula – Things To Do In Michigan In June
Take a summertime road trip along the scenic Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Drive along Lake Superior’s shoreline, hike through forests to towering waterfalls, tour historical sites from the region’s copper mining past, and visit quaint lake towns like Eagle Harbor, Copper Harbor, and Houghton.
Don’t miss spots like Brockway Mountain Drive, McLain State Park, and the free A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum.
15. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Behold the vibrant sandstone cliffs along Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising. Take a sightseeing cruise to admire formations like Chapel Rock, Lover’s Leap, Miner’s Castle, barrel caves, waterfalls, and Grand Portal Point.
Or hit the trails to hike and backpack the scenic shoreline. Either way, Pictured Rocks’ colorful cliffs and turquoise waters are sure to dazzle.
16. Holland State Park Beach
Holland State Park has an amazing expansive sandy beach along Lake Michigan that’s perfect for summer days. Visitors will find beach volleyball, kayak rentals, a fun water slide raft ride into the waves, and rolling dunes with hiking trails.
The swimming is great, especially when the weather is hot. Stick around for the spectacular sunsets over Lake Michigan too!
17. Frankenmuth – Michigan’s Little Bavaria
Experience Bavarian-style architecture, shopping, and dining in charming Frankenmuth. This town goes all-in on its German heritage with floral decor, old-world buildings, and family-style feasts complete with polka music.
Popular stops are the massive Bronner’s Christmas store, the Historical Museum, covered bridge, and the Cass River’s kayak liveries. And don’t miss indulging in a fried chicken dinner at Zehnder’s or The Bavarian Inn!
With its abundance of festivals, outdoor activities, and cultural events, June is an incredible time to visit Michigan. From admiring lavender fields in bloom to cheering on race cars in Detroit, there are so many unique experiences to be had across the state during the summery month.
If you’re looking for the quintessential summer getaway filled with charm, natural beauty, and excitement, put Michigan on your June travel bucket list! With so many fun things to do in june, from metro Detroit to up north, you’re sure to make unforgettable memories.
