Best lookout points in Michigan
Visit any given lookout point near you on a Saturday afternoon, and you're likely to be joined by several other people angling to get a glimpse of the view. Humans have always been drawn to vista points, whether for practical reasons such as surveying a large swath for scouting or simply to enjoy the natural (or human-made) landscape.
This has led to local and federal governments investing in parking, platforms, and public binoculars to better manage crowds gathering at lookout points across the United States. Arizona's Horseshoe Bend, where the Colorado River snakes around sandstone rock, gets 2 million visitors per year. The city of Page, Arizona, where Horseshoe Bend is located, has spent more than $5 million in parking and safety improvements due to the growing crowds.
More than 2 million people visit 30 Rockefeller Plaza to get a panoramic view of a landscape that's a little different than Horseshoe Bend: the concrete-laden skyline of New York City. Since visitors get an 850-foot-high-up view on the building's observation deck named Top of the Rock, it attracts everyone from out-of-town visitors to people ready to propose a wedding engagement.
There are thousands of lookout points across the United States that offer special views like these, which means there are beautiful vistas near you. Stacker compiled a list of the best lookout points in Michigan using April 2024 data from Tripadvisor to help you find your next great view.
Tripadvisor ranks businesses using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a business with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5.
#10. Detroit Observatory
- Rating: 5/5 (1 reviews)
- Address: 1398 East Ann St. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. Topinabee Scenic Lookout
- Rating: 5/5 (1 reviews)
- Address: I-75 At: Topinabee Rest Area 407 Cheboygan, Michigan
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Bare Bluff
- Rating: 5/5 (5 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Copper Harbor Overlook
- Rating: 5/5 (3 reviews)
- Address: Brockway Mountain Drive Copper Harbor, Michigan
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. Samuel Bassett Viewing Platform
- Rating: 5/5 (5 reviews)
- Address: Park Ave. Millie Hill Estates Dr. Iron Mountain, Michigan
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. Au Train Point
- Rating: 5/5 (7 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. Lookout Louise
- Rating: 4.5/5 (9 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. High Rock Bay
- Rating: 4.5/5 (17 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. Arcadia Overlook
- Rating: 5/5 (114 reviews)
- Address: Highway M-22 Arcadia, Michigan
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Castle Rock
- Rating: 4.5/5 (659 reviews)
- Address: 2811 Mackinac Trl Saint Ignace, Michigan
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Sheeka Sanahori, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 37 states.