About

Started in 2015, Travel the Mitten is a travel blog started by two brothers dedicated to the great state of Michigan. Let’s face it, our great state of Michigan looks like a mitten. That is why the 26th state will always be known as the mitten state, along with other nicknames like Wolverine State and Great Lakes State. While other states share unique shapes to identify themselves, no other state allows its residents to quickly use their hand as a map.

Michigan’s state motto translates to “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you”. We hope that when looking for travel reviews and the best our state has to offer, you will seek out Travel the Mitten.

Jon Katje was born and raised in Hastings and has lived in Grand Rapids since 2001. He enjoys visiting the waterfalls and lighthouses of Michigan as well as checking out the ever-increasing number of breweries or taking in a Grand Rapids Griffins game. As a student at Cornerstone University, he was very involved with The Herald, the on-campus newspaper. He also previously was a Detroit Red Wings writer and NHL senior writer for Rant Sports.

Chris Katje was born and raised in Hastings and now lives in Grand Rapids with his wife and two sons (ages 2 1/2 and 8 months). He will be focusing on family-oriented trips and activities for this site, as well as upcoming events in the arts and entertainment areas. In addition to this site, Chris is an award-winning finance writer at SeekingAlpha.com and previously covered the Detroit Lions for Rant Sports. Chris also manages an investment portfolio with a focus on stocks priced under $20. Chris’s work has also been featured on TheStreet, Motley Fool, Variety, and Yahoo Finance.

Interested in advertising on the site? Have an idea for a story? Want to invite us to your location or upcoming event. Contact us at travelthemitten@gmail.com and we’ll try and get back to you as soon as possible.