With a population of 5,000, Cheboygan ranks as one of the largest cities along Lake Huron. While the town offers history buffs a few interesting sites, including a 19th-century opera house, it mainly appeals to outdoor enthusiasts, who venture beyond the city limits to explore surrounding lakes, rivers, and forests.

Boaters and anglers especially focus their gaze inland, where a 45-mile-long waterway links Lake Huron with several large inland lakes, ending just shy of Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay. Cheboygan sits at the mouth of this popular waterway, welcoming boaters with open arms. Hikers, bird-watchers, and other lovers of the outdoors will find plenty to interest them here, too.

Getting to Cheboygan

From Pellston Regional Airport (PLN) (231/539-8441, www.pellstonairport.com), you can rent a car, head north on U.S. 31, and take County Road 66 east to Cheboygan. In addition, you can take a bus via Greyhound (300 Mill St., 800/231-2222, www.greyhound.com). If you’re already traversing Michigan by car, you can reach Cheboygan via M-27, M-33, or U.S. 23.