You know those “don’t want the party to end” pangs you’re having, as the final days of summer fun slip by?
Yeah, we have those too over here at MLive. And because of that we’re extending one of our weekly email newsletters, Before You Drive Up North, into the fall color season.
“I shouldn't be surprised that we got to Labor Day weekend and remembered, ‘Wait, Michiganders never stop going up north,’” said Gillian Van Stratt, the director who oversees newsletters for MLive. “Every Friday the traffic flows north, so every Friday we can be there to help.”
Before You Drive Up North launched just before Memorial Day to give Michiganders the information they needed to recreate: A weather forecast, a beach and boating report, and a feature story about some great destination or activity.
We reconsidered our original intent – to sunset it on Labor Day – for two reasons. First, reader engagement with the newsletter continued to grow throughout the summer. It’s good to know that you find the information useful for planning purposes.
Second: One of the best times of year for getting outside in northern Michigan is on tap.
Our MLive meteorologist, Mark Torregrossa, previewed the spectacle earlier this month with his first fall color timeline report, which you can read by clicking here. Tanda Gmiter, the director who oversees weather and travel coverage for MLive, said there’s more to come as green turns to yellow, orange and red.
“We will continue to update this for our readers, because Michigan’s leaf-viewing timeline is a bit different each year depending on things like temperature, the amount of rain we get, and wind events,” she said. “And we’ll bring readers lots of suggestions for places to see great fall color across both peninsulas.”
One example of that kind of coverage Gmiter wrote on great places to take in fall colors around Gaylord. There will be more pieces on specific regions and routes, but Gmiter also has tips for color tourists that go beyond the obvious.
“I tend to work from the inside out when it comes to picking my viewing areas,” she said. “Imake plans to see my favorite inland spots first, whether they’re in Gaylord or Lansing or Kalamazoo, then I visit the Great Lakes shorelines and our islands later in the fall.”
One reason that’s sound strategy, she noted, is because fall color clings to the shorelines longer than it does in the interior of Michigan. She also suggests that you go off the beaten path.
“Make it a point to look for hiking trails or state/county parks so you can be out in the trees and not just drive past them – that’s a big plus,” Gmiter said. “And don’t forget to pair some food with your adventure. Whether you bring snacks or get a bead on a restaurant in that area you want to try, it makes it seem more like a color tour event.”
Nicely put. Fall color season is an event, and MLive is here with the weekly program, called Before You Drive Up North. Will we extend the newsletter into winter when the leaves drop?
Stick around and find out. Until then, keep checking your inbox on Friday morning, and happy touring around the Mitten.
You can sign up for the free newsletter here (it's in the fourth row, just check the box and enter your email at the bottom): Before You Drive Up North
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John Hiner is the vice president of content for MLive Media Group. If you have questions you’d like him to answer, or topics to explore, share your thoughts at editor@mlive.com.
