2021 Best Counties for Outdoor Activities in Michigan

Grand Traverse County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Former Resident: Traverse City is a beautiful family-friendly town filled with incredible beaches, hiking trails, wineries, breweries, restaurants, activities, and tourist attractions. Downtown has unique restaurants and shopping stores. No matter where you are, you are never further than 10 minutes away from the water. Nightlife is average, with some bars downtown, but there are a lot of places that offer live music. However, cost of living is very expensive, and there is a lack of diversity within the town...Read 2 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• 92,181 Population

Ottawa County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.44 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: There are many mom and pop shops in the local area, and many of them are artistically pleasing to visitors from all over the US. Every year there is a festival and all the college students from the area treat themselves to great entertainment and beautiful views on the beach. I would like to see bigger name branded stores in the area, especially for how busy the downtown area can get during the warm seasons. All year long there are job openings and the cost of living is just outstanding from any place i have ever lived. The schools here are very up to date and allows parents to flexibly get involved with their children's learning. Overall, it is an amazingly peaceful place to live...Read 16 Reviews

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• grade A

• 286,558 Population

Charlevoix County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Charlevoix is a beautiful place in the summer with plenty of water activities and fun events to enjoy the warm weather. There isn't much to do outside of outdoor activities (beach, mushroom house tours, hiking), which becomes more of an issue in the winter. The extremely cold temperatures and high amounts of snowfall should be considered if you are someone not used to Michigan weather. There is a local ski hill and sledding hill but not many indoor winter activities. ...Aside from the entertainment portion, I've had a very good experience with the public school system and the safety of the community.Read 3 Reviews

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• grade B+

• grade A

• 26,188 Population

Berrien County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 3.92 out of 5  12 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived in Berrien County for my entire lives. Not only is it a mixing pot of different cultures, but there are also thousands of places to go in the light of day. I, for one, take advantage of these opportunities as they arise. Whether it's attending the Berrien County Youth Fair or browsing shops in Downtown St. Joe, I never find myself at a loss of entertainment and activities. Berrien County has so much heart in its community, and living here has definitely made my standards high when I'm looking for other places to live in my future...Read 12 Reviews

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• grade A

• 154,133 Population

Emmet County

• County in Michigan

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• grade A

• 33,104 Population

Washtenaw County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: Washtenaw County is home to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It is always bustling with life and it is very family friendly.Read 13 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A

• 367,000 Population

Muskegon County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 3.8 out of 5  55 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived here all my life. I lived in North Muskegon area from birth through high school. I graduated from Reeths-Puffer High School and went to school in that district since preschool. The area is very nice and many of the people in the community were too. The school had people from all types of backgrounds coming from all over Muskegon County, from low income to high income. There was always opportunities as kids to be involved in extracurricular such as sports and the fine arts. I know other school districts in Muskegon do too. The Fraulenthal Theatre in downtown is a great place to see live shows and performances and many schools were able to do so there. The county is also full of beautiful beaches along Lake Michigan. Pere Marquette Park, Muskegon State Park, and Duck Lake State Park to name a few. The activities there were fun for people of all ages. Other lakes like Muskegon Lake offer great fishing as well. The whole county is working on becoming better as well...Read 55 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• grade A

• 173,297 Population

Delta County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: I have always enjoyed living and growing up on the west side of Lansing. There are many things to do- great stores and restaurants. There are many schools to choose from. There are many parks to go to and recreational activities to participate in. It is also close to East Lansing and even closer to Downtown Lansing. While I can't say that I always fell safe at night, it is still definitely the place I call home. There are many great communities to get involved in...Read 1 Review

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• 36,026 Population

Allegan County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.22 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: It is a nice community, mostly clean, reasonable coast of living. The parks are really nice. Public service seems responsive. The housing market is always changing.Read 9 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• 116,143 Population

Kent County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.05 out of 5  62 reviews

Current Resident: Kent county is a great area for families with young children hoping to get quality education. Depending on where you chose to live, there are different immersion programs.Read 62 Reviews

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• grade A

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• 648,121 Population

Leelanau County

• County in Michigan

• grade A

• grade A minus

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• 21,652 Population

Houghton County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.25 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: Houghton County is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise year round! Summers afford outstanding beaches, water sports, hiking, biking and breath taking views. Winters are unparalleled for skiing, skating and snow shoeing. Don't miss out on the small town hospitality!...Read 8 Reviews

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• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• 36,070 Population

Marquette County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.52 out of 5  21 reviews

Current Resident: The friendliness of the community and kindness is overwhelming! We are surrounded by amazing views, creative artists and kind souls. Living in this community fees like you are constantly surrounded by family...Read 21 Reviews

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• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• 66,686 Population

Cheboygan County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: Many new opportunities for entrepreneurs who are looking for a small close-knit community. The 40 mile inland waterway is a boaters paradise and unrivalled in other parts of the country. The schools are great and we live in a safe community where law enforcement is top notch...Read 1 Review

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• grade A minus

• 25,418 Population

Kalamazoo County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.06 out of 5  97 reviews

Current Resident: Kalamazoo is located directly between Chicago and Detroit, off I-94. I love the college atmosphere we have here with two large universities plus several medical leaders. There is a wide range of things to do here (golf, mini golf, college sports, skiing, water sports). Being known as the Great Lakes State, it is especially awesome that Lake Michigan's beaches are less than an hour away and run all the way from the southern border with Indiana all the way up to the Mackinaw Bridge. At times, there are waves that compare with the ocean (minus the sharks). When it's too cold to swim, something different to do is to drive to the beach and watch from a distance when a storm comes in. It's a great State to visit!...Read 97 Reviews

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• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• 262,745 Population

Wayne County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.22 out of 5  45 reviews

Current Resident: I live in New Boston in Wayne county. We love it here! We are on a quiet dirt road where trees line your way. It is beautiful and peaceful. We live between a horse farm and Crosswinds Marsh. My kids and grandkids love to be at my house, where they can see deer and plenty of other wildlife. I feel privileged to live here!...Read 45 Reviews

• grade B

• grade C minus

• grade A minus

• 1,757,299 Population

Oakland County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.15 out of 5  27 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Oakland County for almost my entire life. I feel very safe an at home here. People are friendly and helpful. There is few cases of crime. And overall it is very family friendly. But I do notice that Oakland County is overly Caucasian in terms of diversity. But in the past few years more African Americans and other ethnicities have been moving in. The cost of living is fairly high, and real estate can be crazy expensive due to several properties being located near or next to lakes. Another problem are the road conditions. Due the harsh and unpredictable winters in Michigan, the roads are in very poor condition. Mainly pot holes are a huge problem. Recently the governor has pushed the need for fixed roads, but only the main roads are being fixed. But this is my home, and I hope other residents also think that way...Read 27 Reviews

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• grade A

• grade A minus

• 1,253,185 Population

Van Buren County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 3.5 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: Van Buren County in Michigan is a wonderful place to be. The schools are competitive and are friendly. The area people live in is an exciting place and everyone treats others with respect and hospitality...Read 14 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• 75,358 Population

Mackinac County

• County in Michigan

• grade B

• grade C+

• grade A minus

• 10,780 Population

Newaygo County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 4.57 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: Newaygo County is my home town. I have attended Newaygo Public Schools and have had great experiences while attending. All schools in the Newaygo area have been modified for the protection of children, including an officer in the building. Newaygo is a very safe and family friendly community with many small businesses and parks. An issue, however, is diversity. Newaygo population is made up of 94.80% White, 1.12% African American, with the remaining 4.08% is made up of other races. To me, these percentages are not ideal. Although Newaygo County may have some imperfections, all places do...Read 7 Reviews

• grade B minus

• grade C+

• grade A minus

• 48,366 Population

Alger County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: Alger county is a beautiful place to live and to also visit. It is mostly known for its pictured rock lake shore running along Lake Superior. It is a fun and adventurous atmosphere in the summer time with plenty of places to hike. You can visit naturally occurring waterfalls, and also see beautiful rock formations caused by the largest great lake. Another great thing about Alger county is that the crime level is very low, and it is a pretty safe place to live and raise a family. The schools in this county are very small, giving people a chance to get a personal education from the teachers. It is a great place to live or visit...Read 1 Review

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• 9,151 Population

Crawford County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: Two of the most amazing thing about this town is that it lyes in the heart of the Huron National Forest and the beautiful internationally known Ausable River. Within these two amazing places you will find a different way of life. Here is where we care about our neighbors, we consider them family.. As I sit here and try to come up with a reference to give you on what the way of life is here, I simply can not. Inorder to full grasp the understand and way of life here in Crawford County, you have to come to visit for more than a day or two. Once people come here they always come back time and time again, in knowing that there is a simple life here, there's a calmness. You can find it on I75 north bound or I127 North bound once you reach this area on either one of those highways you can physically and spiritually feel the difference the calmness, the stress of your everyday life just float away...Read 1 Review

• grade B

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• 13,892 Population

Monroe County

• County in Michigan
• Rating 3.54 out of 5  35 reviews

Current Resident: Monroe is a beautiful place to live. It provides a small town feel, but there are enough inhabitants, that every day I see people I have never met before. We house not only a State Park, but also a National Park, and a beautiful Community College. A plethora of churches adorn our streets, and there's always something unique to do downtown. We have a lot of good restaurants and bars (if you're into that sort of thing), and various themed evenings in downtown Monroe. Every August, St. Mary's Park in Monroe hosts the River Raisin Jazz Festival, with notable artists like Alexander Zonjic, Kenny G, and David Sanborn. Did I mention these downtown events are all free? We also hold to a lot of local history, ranging from the French and Indian War, and War of 1812, and beyond. Historical reenactments are a normal occurrence. In addition, we can easily access Detroit, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Dearborn, Dundee, Ida, Maybee, Bedford, and Erie, MI, and Toledo, OH. Come visit us!...Read 35 Reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B

• grade A minus

• 149,727 Population

Antrim County

• County in Michigan

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• 23,206 Population

Gogebic County

• County in Michigan

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• 15,061 Population