Cold water, pine air, cherry stands — and one of the most distinctive stretches of coast in America. We ride along and tell you what really happened; a few things are ours.
4 experiences · 39 story stops · GPS audio · Downloadable narration
Choose from
4 tours
Stories on location
39 stops
Typical length
33 min–44 min
Best value
$14.99 city pack
Every neighborhood has a story worth hearing.
Mackinac Island
"You're standing on Main Street, Mackinac Island, and something is missing. It might take you a second to place it. There are no cars. None."
Downtown Traverse City
"You're in Traverse City. Which means you're standing in a town that took an insane asylum and turned it into a place whe..."
Tunnel of Trees
"You're in Harbor Springs, at the bottom end of one of the most famous stretches of road in America — twenty miles of two..."
Exploring more than one neighborhood?
The city pack is a one-time purchase with all 4 currently available Northern Michigan tours—39 narrated stops you can take on your own schedule.
Secure checkout · Redeem instantly in the app
Preview the storytelling
Read a few of the places covered across Northern Michigan, then hear the complete stories on location in the app.
landmark
Look up. That's Arch Rock — a natural limestone arch, curving out of the cliff a hundred and forty-six feet above the water, with nothing but blue lake and blue sky framed inside it.
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historic site
You've made it to British Landing — the far side of the island, right about the halfway mark of the loop, and a good place to catch your breath. There's a nature center here, and restrooms, and usually something cold to drink.
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park
You're at Clinch Park, right on the edge of West Grand Traverse Bay. That building behind you showing movies — the Bijou by the Bay — has one of the best origin stories in town, and it belongs to a man named Con Foster.
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landmark
Slow down. The road is about to double back on itself in one of the sharpest curves on the whole route, a real white-knuckle hairpin, and there's a name for this spot that the highway crews and the locals have used for well over a century.
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landmark
You're on the west shore now, and there are two things to look at. Close up, right off the road, there's a small dark cave scooped into the rock — that's Devil's Kitchen.
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historic site
You climbed the hill, and it was worth it. You're at Fort Mackinac — long white limestone walls, black cannon pointing out over the harbor, the whole town and the blue straits laid out underneath you. It is a genuinely commanding position.
Read the storyPut in your headphones, press play, and start walking. The app does the rest.
No account needed. Start whenever you're ready.
Choose a tour, hit play, and start walking.
Stories play at each stop. Pause, wander, and continue whenever you want.
Plan with confidence
Compare the subject, neighborhood, duration, route, and exact stops on each tour page. Individual tours show their one-time price before you open the app.
No. Start whenever it suits you, pause for food or a detour, and resume later. Check the opening hours of any venue you personally plan to enter.
Download the tour narration on Wi-Fi. Cached audio does not need to stream, though map tiles and other online features may still require a connection.
No. Your purchase covers the Bad Historian audio experience. Transportation, food, and admission to third-party attractions are separate.
Every Northern Michigan tour
4 tours · $14.99 one-time
