Adventure is calling in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as you kayak cliffs, chase the northern lights, explore festivals, and stay wild in 2025’s top nature escape.

What was once an 80-foot-tall heap of refuse on Johnson Street has been reclaimed and transformed by nature into a place of refuge from the city below in the 34 years since the landfill was capped.

Mt. Gilead State Park offers 181 acres of tranquil beauty just waiting to be discovered. Think of it as Ohio’s best-kept secret, a pocket-sized paradise where you can escape the noise without driving ...