8 GREAT UNDER-THE-RADAR
BELLAIRE Charming and unassuming, Bellaire indeed is the North’s fresh prince. This tiny town in the middle of nowhere (you’ll drive curving backroads for miles before it suddenly appears) holds countless jewels in its hand: access to some of the best waterways in Michigan, a mountain bike trail system that people build entire vacations around and a brewpub that’s famous statewide.
ADVENTURE
TOWNS
Out your door: Within a 10-minute drive from town, you can tackle the mountain bike trails at Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area, hike the Grass River Natural Area, ski at Schuss Mountain and boat the Chain of Lakes Water Trail. (Oh, and did we mention the seven golf courses?)
BY K A N D A C E C H A P P L E
The Chain of Lakes Water Trail is a 100+ mile inland waterway made up of 12 lakes and interconnected rivers.
photo by Grant Piering
Let’s be real: It’s one of the wildest housing markets in recent memory ... and more people are thinking hard about not just where, but how they want to live. Real estate experts share their short list of Northern towns where buyers can still find (relative) affordability, and a stellar home base for outdoor adventures. If you’re a curious local, ready to buy or deep in dream mode, look twice at these quietly cool gems in our own backyard. 40 T R A V E R S E N O R T H E R N M I C H I G A N
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4/5/23 10:58 AM
