USA Today names Mackinac Island, Crane Orchards among the top fall destinations in US
Two of the top fall destinations in the country can be found right here in Michigan, according to USA Today readers.
Mackinac Island secured the third spot for Best Place to Visit for Fall, while Crane Orchards in Allegan County earned the eighth place for Best Apple Orchards in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice 2023 fall categories.
Experts collaborate with the 10Best editorial team for initial nominations, and the winners are determined by popular vote.
USA Today and the Detroit Free Press are both part of the Gannett network.
Mackinac Island: 3rd best place in the US to visit during the fall season
"Recognitions like these are important to the island," said Mackinac Island Tourism CEO, Tim Hygh. "They act as good marketing tools for an island that is comprised mostly of family-owned properties. We don't have any corporate hotels like Mariott or Hilton to tell our story, so we do it ourselves and these affirmations from national publications go a long way to build out credibility in the marketplace."
The national recognition from USA Today is also important for the Straits of Mackinac region and the entire Pure Michigan brand, Hygh added.
While this marks the first time Mackinac Island has been awarded by USA Today for their fall offerings, the island was named the No. 1 2023 Summer Travel Destination in the country by the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards. Travel & Leisure Magazine also named Mackinac Island the Best Island in the Continental U.S. last year; this year, the island was ranked second in the nation and 19th in the world.
"Our island businesses and employees love getting this type of recognition," Hygh said. "They all work so hard in a very short six-month season and this definitely puts wind in our sails."
The No.1 winner for USA Today's 2023 Best Place to Visit for Fall is Gatlinburg in Tennessee, while the No. 2 winner is Allegany County in Maryland.
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Crane Orchards: 8th best apple orchard in the US
Crane Orchards U-Pick and Corn Maze is a family-owned business in Fennville, near Holland, that has been open since the 2000s. Although, the land itself has been in the family for much longer.
"It's a family business. My twin boys are here working with my wife and I, and my daughter in-laws, so it's very family-run business with great employees," said owner Rob Crane. "I'm the fifth generation here and my boys are the sixth. When we opened, I knew people wanted what we had. ... I think originally people thought they were coming for the product, which they still do, but we don't get to the position of being eight in the county with just product, it's about who we are and the love we have for the customers and just being able to share what we've been blessed with."
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The orchard, open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., has 27 varieties of apples. Honeycrisp, Golden Supreme, Gala, Blondee, Macintosh, Cortland, Jonagold and Empire apples are currently available for customers to pick at $1.45 a pound.
In addition to their diverse apple selection, Crane Orchards boasts a lot of beautiful scenery and several fall activities. This includes a 20-acre corn maze open during u-pick hours, access to the pumpkin patch starting Saturday, Sept. 23, as well as hayrides and a cow train — both available exclusively on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 pm to 5 pm, starting Sept. 23, until the u-pick season is over.
The orchard also offers 10 different varieties of peaches and sweet cherries when the fruits are in season.
Crane Orchards is located at 6054 124th Ave. and features a white picket fence.
Contact Nour Rahal: nrahal@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mackinac Island, Crane Orchards among top fall destinations in US
