Travel the Mitten 2019: A Look Back at Our 19 Most Popular Posts

2019 marked a fifth year of operation for Travel the Mitten, and we were once again thrilled to see that so many people cared about reading what we write about. As we take a quick look back at what our most popular posts were for last year, it provides us some guidance moving forward as we have a better idea what our readers are looking for. In keeping with trends from previous years our most popular posts centered around lighthouses, Michigan beer, and waterfalls. Roadside Attraction posts also continue to prove popular, so we’ll be doing our best to find more unique, quirky, and historic quick stops as we travel in 2020. Below you will find, in order, the 19 most popular posts from last year. A link to each article is provided in case you missed it the first time around or want to read it again. Thanks again for reading what we write and supporting our efforts, we look forward to bringing you more great content this year!

18(tie). Grand Rapids Comic Con 2019: 11 Things We’re Looking Forward To (Nov. 3) – Our preview post for the annual Grand Rapids Comic Con highlighted some great guest appearances (Patrick Warburton, a Power Rangers Villains panel, Star Wars guests) as well as the other reasons to attend this still-growing three-day event held at DeVos Place. http://travelthemitten.com/arts-and-entertainment/grand-rapids-comic-con-2019-11-things-were-looking-forward-to/

18(tie). Mackinac Bridge Sets Traffic Record In July 2019 (Sept. 4) – More than 612,000 vehicle crossings of the Mackinac Bridge took place in July, making it the busiest month on record and marking a 0.4% increases over the same month in 2018. http://travelthemitten.com/landmarks/mackinac-bridge-sets-traffic-record-in-july-2019/

17. Michigan Brewers Guild 2019 U.P. Fall Beer Festival: The Upper Peninsula Beers We Can’t Wait To Try (Sept. 5) – Jon once again had the chance to attend the Michigan Brewers Guild U.P. Fall Beer Fest in Marquette. Before heading out of town, he previewed one offering from each U.P. brewery headed to the festival that he was excited to try. http://travelthemitten.com/breweries/michigan-brewers-guild-2019-up-fall-beer-festival-the-upper-peninsula-beers-we-cant-wait-to-try/

16. Photo Gallery Friday: Huron Lady Cruises in Port Huron (Aug. 23) – An August vacation to the east side of the state and into Ontario finally offered a chance to check out the Huron Lady Cruises in Port Huron. This two-hour trip takes guests up and down the river between Michigan and Ontario, where they will see the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, passing/docked freighters, the Blue Water Bridge, and more while learning about the history of the area. http://travelthemitten.com/family-trips/photo-gallery-friday-huron-lady-cruises-in-port-huron/

15. Barry County Brewfest A Success in Nashville, Michigan (Aug. 8) – Chris’ wrap-up post on what he liked about this year’s Barry County Brewfest in Nashville included favorite beverages from Schramm’s Mead, Blackrocks Brewery, Haymarket Brewery, Witch’s Hat Brewing Company, and more. http://travelthemitten.com/breweries/barry-county-brewfest-2019-a-success-in-nashville-michigan/

14. Barry County Brewfest 2019 In Nashville: Our Preview (July 27) – Our preview of this year’s Barry County Brewfest pulled in around 100 more views than the post-festival wrap-up, as we looked at soem fo the new breweries that would be represented, the unique opportunities presented by the festival being in Nashville, and the great value the festival continues to provide. http://travelthemitten.com/breweries/barry-county-brewfest-2019-what-were-looking-forward-to-at-this-awesome-event-in-nashville/

13. Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Holland’s New Wizard of Oz Exhibit (Jun. 26) – One of our favorite new additions in Holland this year was the yellow brick road and Wizard of Oz display in Centennial Park. Author L. Frank Baum used to spend summers nearby on Lake Macatawa. Look for a follow-up post this year as several statues are added to this display. http://travelthemitten.com/arts-and-entertainment/follow-the-yellow-brick-road-to-hollands-new-wizard-of-oz-exhibit/

12. Michigan’s Best Small Towns Need Your Votes in Latest 10 Best.com Poll (Apr. 10) – Michigan continues to see many nominations in every 10best.com Reader’s Choice Poll that comes out, and in April we asked you to help some small towns win their contests. Marquette (Best Small Town for Adventure), Allen (Best Small Town for Shopping), Traverse City (Best Small Town Cultural Scene; Best Small Town Food Scene), Mackinac Island (Best Historic Small Town), Frankemuth (Best Small Town Food Scene), and Saugatuck (Best Coastal Small Town) were all nominated as finalists in 2019. While the Mitten State didn’t produce any winners in 2019, Marquette and Mackinac Island each finished 2nd and Traverse City finished 3rd (food) and 8th (culture). http://travelthemitten.com/arts-and-entertainment/michigans-best-small-towns-need-your-votes-in-latest-10best-com-poll/

11. Photo Gallery Friday: Butterflies Are Blooming at Frederik Meijer Gardens 2019 (Apr. 12) – Each spring thousands of visitors head to Grand Rapids’ Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park to see the butterflies at the Fred and Dorthy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibit. More than 7,000 butterflies representing 50 different species provide a splash of color to this indoor exhibit, which we were happy to finally get a chance to photograph in 2019. http://travelthemitten.com/arts-and-entertainment/photo-gallery-friday-butterflies-are-blooming-at-frederik-meijer-gardens-2019/

10. Michigan Roadside Attractions: Rathbone School, Eagle Harbor (Jan. 19) – The Upper Peninsula is full of well-preserved small schoolhouse full of history. In Eagle Harbor the Rathbone School is noteworthy for being the location where Justus Rathbone founded the fraternal order The Knights of Pythias. http://travelthemitten.com/roadside-attractions/michigan-roadside-attractions-rathbone-school-eagle-harbor/

9. Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive: 12 Scenic Stops at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (May 1) – Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will celebrate 50 years in 2020, and our 2019 post on Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is one you should bookmark for future visits. Take a seven mile drive through some of the park’s most beautiful scenery, with 12 interpretive stops highlighted along the way. http://travelthemitten.com/family-trips/pierce-stocking-scenic-drive-12-scenic-stops-at-sleeping-bear-dunes-national-lakeshore/

8. Kraft Hockeyville USA 2019: Calumet and Cadillac Need Your Votes (Mar. 25) – In March we asked you to help vote for Calumet and Cadillac after they were named finalists for Kraft Hockeyville 2019. Calumet saw a lot of votes pour in as they won the competition and were able to host a pre-season NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues in September. The Calumet Colosseum also received $150,000 for upgrades. http://travelthemitten.com/sports/kraft-hockeyville-usa-2019-calumet-and-cadillac-need-your-votes/

7. Michigan Lighthouses You Can Stay At (Jun. 29) – It should be no surprise that the state with the most lighthouses also offers many opportunities for overnight stays in these historic structures. We featured close to 20 lighthouse you can stay at in various capacities, whether they are bed and breakfasts, volunteer keeper opportunities, rental properties, or other options. http://travelthemitten.com/lighthouses/michigan-lighthouses-you-can-stay-at/

6. Michigan Roadside Attractions: Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn (Jan. 27) – Our most-read Roadside Attraction post of 2019 featured the iconic Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, which has been serving up legendary chicken dinners since the 1950s. http://travelthemitten.com/landmarks/michigan-roadside-attractions-frankenmuth-bavarian-inn/

5. Check Out These Michigan Breweries on the Lake Superior Ale Trail (Jan. 12) – The Lake Superior Ale Trail highlights 17 breweries in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario on the Lake Superior Circle Tour route. This post gave all the information about the five Michigan breweries featured in this program. http://travelthemitten.com/breweries/check-out-these-michigan-breweries-on-the-lake-superior-ale-trail/

4. Michigan Waterfall Road Trip: US-2 in the Western Upper Peninsula (Mar. 3) – We love waterfalls, and it was great to see that all of you do too! Our top waterfall post featured maps and a guide covering 330 miles of US-2 in the Upper Peninsula, visiting 21 waterfalls along the way. http://travelthemitten.com/waterfalls/michigan-waterfall-road-trip-us-2-in-the-western-upper-peninsula/

3. White Shoal Lighthouse Opening to the Public for First Time Ever (Jan. 4) – One of our first posts of 2019 highlighted the efforts of the new owners of the White Shoal Lighthouse to open the state’s most iconic beacon to the public. Day trips and overnight stays began this year, and given the great public response we can hopefully expect even more opportunities to be available in 2020. http://travelthemitten.com/lighthouses/white-shoal-lighthouse-opening-to-the-public-for-first-time-ever/

2. Michigan Beer: The Ultimate Upper Peninsula Brewery Road Trip (Mar. 27) – Our top-performing post about Michigan beer last year was our road trip post highlighting the Upper Peninsula. In this post we provided maps and directions to 21 stops in Marquette, Munising, Escanaba, Sault Ste. Marie, Houghton, Ironwood, and more. http://travelthemitten.com/breweries/michigan-beer-the-ultimate-upper-peninsula-brewery-road-trip/

1. Vernors Michigan Lighthouse Cans Return in 2019 (July 23) – Our most popular post by far (with nearly 10,000 more views than any other post) featured the return of Vernors Pure Michigan lighthouse cans for 2019. The nine cans showcased the Harbor Beach Lighthouse, Tri-Centennial Light (Detroit), Big Red (Holland State Park) Lighthouse, Au Sable Point Lighthouse, DeTour Reef Light Station, Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse, South Haven Pier Light, and the Port Austin Reef Light. Our Instagram post featuring all nine cans was one of our top nine posts there, so if we learned one thing it’s that our readers and followers really love Vernors and Michigan lighthouses! http://travelthemitten.com/lighthouses/vernors-michigan-lighthouse-cans-pure-michigan-2019/