Michigan's Forgotten Coast is a Great Place for Children
The Forgotten Coast is an ideal place to raise your children. I know this to be true wholeheartedly from personal experience, both my own as a child growing up here and as a parent raising kids here now.
Growing up, I didn’t know how good I had it.
I had a huge yard with what seemed like more space than my imagination could fill. My parents kept a garden that I can remember “helping” with as I stuffed my face with fresh-picked strawberries. The woods were a short walk from our house and I can remember building forts with my friends and secretly guarding its location from our parents and older siblings. Deer feasting on the fallen apples in our backyard or grazing in the fields around our house, turkeys and pheasants that quickly crossed our path as we went by, and birds of all shapes and sizes were often welcome visitors, not to mention the many friends we had in the barn. Cows, calves (baby cows), pigs, and rabbits to name a few, were not only our furry friends, they gave us kids our first “job” as we learned to care for them as we were required to feed and water them regularly.
And then there were the seasons. Summer was always a welcome time of year as school would let out and our days were spent outside, camping, or at the beach. We had so many beaches to choose from that I can fondly remember visiting a handful each summer. Fall was another favorite time of year as it brought all the beautiful colors of the leaves and flowers changing, and game was always a welcome staple on our dinner table. In winter, we would turn the snow piles my dad would make from clearing the driveway into snow forts, and we thoroughly enjoyed sledding or ice-skating with friends. Spring always brought the feeling of things bursting to life again after a cold winter’s passing. I look back on my life growing up in the rural countryside of the Forgotten Coast and I can clearly see why I chose this life for our own children.
The Forgotten Coast is an ideal place to raise your children. I know this to be true wholeheartedly from personal experience, both my own as a child growing up here and as a parent raising kids here now. I am including a list of the reasons below. I hope this helps you as you consider whether or not to choose the Forgotten Coast here in the upper thumb of Michigan as your forever home or future home for your family.
Art & Culture
Areas throughout the Forgotten Coast are making great strides to continue to build on art and cultural experiences. From art installations to artists in residence programs, to live music and arts and crafts offerings, there is soon to be no shortage of arts and cultural opportunities for your family to enjoy and perhaps be a part of!
Education
Did you know that our area is known to have one of the greatest numbers of country schools in Michigan? We have more than 5 country schools! If that doesn’t interest your family, there are a variety of parochial and private schools in addition to the many highly-regarded public schools offering various curriculums, activities and opportunities. What about home-schooling? Yes, you can do that too. There are quite a few groups of parents who home-school their children and still get them together regularly for fun activities, as well as provide opportunities for learning and socializing.
Healthcare
You may be surprised to find that our area offers quite a plethora of well-organized and outfitted healthcare services, from EMS to walk-in clinics, to hospitals, primary care centers and beyond! We have nationally recognized healthcare systems known for their excellence in patient care, and typically, not a high turn around in care providers so you can build the kind of relationships you desire with your family’s physicians and caregivers.
Lack of Natural Disasters
We don’t experience a whole lot of natural disasters. Fires tend to be put out quickly, flooding has not imposed a huge risk for any of us other than those near the shoreline when the water was high (it is now receding), and when it comes to wind, it can be fairly windy here, but it is not like anything a hurricane can impose. Storms, we have recently had a few bad storms, in fact even a few tornadoes. This was the first time in my entire memory that something like this has happened here, and although it was no greater than an EF-2 and no one was greatly harmed, there was damage. What we saw afterward, however, is what I feel makes this area so special. We saw a great number of neighbors, residents, business and friends come together to support those who were affected. So although we cannot say nothing bad ever happens here, we can say we have the right people and services in place to help those in need.
Low Cost of Living
Property and homes here tend to be way below that of the national average or what you find in the cities or in suburbs. Less money being spent on housing and essentials gives your family more opportunities to increase your quality of life. I can get behind that, how about you?
Nature & Parks
If you’re like me, spending time in nature is an incredible way to learn about the world around you, to relax and unwind from the stresses of everyday life, and to keep your mind and body healthy. Here, nature is as close to your backdoor as possible and considering where you choose to live you could be minutes from the lake or woods. Children growing up here are sure to have no shortage of nature or outdoor recreation activities to choose from growing up. There are also a ton of parks to visit, many within walking distance.
Quality of Life
I feel like there is no better place to lay down roots than a place that gives you the opportunity to pursue life, liberty, and happiness for yourself and your family. If happiness for you means a big beautiful garden or fire pit, or possibly to raise a bunch of chickens in your backyard, or heck, even to paint your house pink, I think you won’t find much trouble from the powers that be to stop you. Now, I know there is no place on earth without blemish, but here it seems that is few and far between. Of course, like anywhere there are factors that could play a role in those pursuits, like living in town versus out of town for example, but the overall consensus is that you can make many of your dreams come true when it comes to raising your children, caring for your home and property, and building a life here on the Forgotten Coast.
Sense of Community
To feel like you belong in a place that looks out for one another is what it feels like living in a community in the Forgotten Coast. Neighbors look out for neighbors, friends help friends, and most importantly when you or your family really needs a hand, you would be hard-pressed to not find someone or an organization or a community to band together to give you the hand up you need. From spaghetti dinners to cornhole tournaments, raffles and beyond, I have seen how our communities have come together time and time again to support local families and causes when tragedy strikes or a need arises.
Safety
I have never felt an innate sense of fear living here, and I feel this to still be true to this day. I know I can send my children on the school bus without fear of their return or whereabouts. I trust their educators and our community which looks out for each other. If you look at the data, you will find that our crime rates are much lower than the national average. We have full-time police departments and very well-trained fire departments in place to continue to ensure the safety of our communities and families.
Kids can be Kids
Last but not least, I really feel that kids can be kids on the Forgotten Coast. In a world and a time when society and the internet can have such a great influence on kids to grow up too quickly, the Forgotten Coast offers a haven and wide-open spaces for kids to run, play, and have an imagination. If this is important to you, you will certainly find it here.
The Thumb got a lot cooler over the last decade
I grew up just west of the Forgotten Coast area, and “The Thumb” (as it’s usually called) was often the butt of jokes. It still is sometimes, but those jokes are wrong…it’s getting a lot cooler over here.
When I was growing up the Thumb was the butt of a lot of jokes…but times have changed and the joke’s on anyone still sleeping on what’s going on in the Thumb!
Our infrastructure is fantastic and our property prices are far more affordable than most of Michigan’s coastline (for now). If you’re an investor or developer looking for a growing area, a creative looking for a fantastic home base, a nature lover who wants easy access to water & wildlife, or just looking for a relaxed lifestyle for you or your family, Michigan’s Forgotten Coast just may be for you!
Fresh From the Farm - Home Cooking on Michigan's Forgotten Coast
If you love to cook, you’ll really love how many fresh, local ingredients are at your fingertips on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast
If you love to cook, you’ll really love how many fresh, local ingredients are at your fingertips on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast.
Farm fresh eggs
Local fresh grown produce can be found in just about every nook and cranny here on the Forgotten Coast. Our roots are steeped in agriculture, meaning you can’t really go but a few blocks or miles without seeing something growing. Whether its fields ripe with corn, sugar beets, soybeans or wheat for what sometimes seems like miles, farmers markets brimming with all sorts of fresh selections, a neighbor’s backyard garden, or the occasional chicken crossing, local produce is pretty much everywhere you look.
If you’re into fresh produce and protein like I am you too will find the Forgotten Coast to be ripe with opportunities for creating healthy, sustainable, and delicious meals. With access to truly local and fresh produce being so close to your very own kitchen, the limits to creating your own farm-fresh menu are few.
Depending on where you settle whether in-town or out-of-town, you can have the choice to grow your own fruits and vegetables, raise your own farm animals, as well as find what you need from local markets, farm stands, friends, or even by foraging. Let’s not forget about hunting and fishing. The area boasts an abundance of options to source wild game and fish for your freezer/table.
GROW YOUR OWN
From a few pots on your back porch to a large garden, fruits and vegetables tend to grow well here on the Forgotten Coast. I have been an avid gardener here my whole life. Growing up on a small farm just south of Harbor Beach, my hands have been in the dirt since I was a little sprout. What I particularly enjoy about gardening here is that we have seasons. Busy seasons with plenty of planting, weeding, and harvesting (spring-early fall), and quiet time to reflect, plan and prepare for another season ahead (late fall-winter).
The Forgotten Coast is unique because our nearby coastal water provides for an interesting growing climate. Around the lakeshore, and in some areas inland, the plant hardiness zone is 6a (-10 to -5 degrees Fahrenheit) while some areas are considered 5b (-15 to -10 degrees Fahrenheit). This is because water, especially large bodies of water like the Great Lakes, absorbs and releases heat easily. Lakes tend to act as a great heat source throughout the winter months and also tend to smooth out seasonal changes providing for fewer temperature extremes. There are other factors that can affect growing fruits and vegetables in the area, including microclimates. If you want to geek out, research the Port Huron Moraine. Moraines are typically rolling landforms, higher than the surrounding countryside.
In my experience, we typically have an average 130-150 day window for growing outdoors depending on how close you are to the lakeshore. Areas that are 25 miles or closer to the shoreline seem to embrace that longer-growing window. This gives you plenty of opportunities to grow a variety of plants. Fruit trees like apple, pear, peach, and cherry trees tend to thrive here, along with most berry plants. Grapes are also a good candidate for growing, especially hybrid, cold-hardy varieties. Vegetables of all colors and varieties grow very well here. Plants that take longer to grow (such as peppers and tomatoes) should be started indoors in early spring, or purchased from a local nursery as transplants for greater success.
Harvest is always a particularly exciting time and typically happens mid-late August through early October, depending on which varieties you choose to grow. Sweet corn can be shucked and frozen to be enjoyed in the cold weather months, tomatoes canned and put to use in a variety of ways. Potatoes and other root vegetables can be stored and eaten well into the late spring of the next year if kept in cold storage. It is not uncommon to find cold rooms in the basements of older homes in the area or even the occasional root cellar.
Growing your own fruits and vegetables gives you the ability to truly customize your very own farm-fresh menu. Grow the types and varieties that you particularly enjoy, and feed your family year-round by preserving your harvest. The Forgotten Coast is ripe with farm-fresh opportunities for growing or consuming!
FIND WHAT YOU NEED, LOCALLY
If growing your own produce is not an option, then you can typically find more than what you need at local farmers markets, farm stands, or even from neighbors. Our farmers markets typically run from Mid-May through Mid-October and offer all kinds of seasonal produce. The Port Austin Farmers Market has been recognized as one of Michigan’s top ten Farmers Markets by Michigan’s Official State Travel Guide and regularly has 150 vendors if not more every Saturday throughout the season. At this market, in particular, you can find a nice range of produce, plants, cheese, local and organic meats, as well as fish and seafood. There are a number of other local community farmers markets throughout the Forgotten Coast happening weekly.
Beyond farmers markets, you can find locally grown produce and farm-fresh staples at many farm stands or from local growers throughout the area. You can find anything from fruits and vegetables to farm fresh eggs, honey, maple syrup, cider vinegar, and beyond. It is also common to find local beef farmers who offer opportunities to buy directly from them.
In addition to farmers markets and local growers, the area offers a number of stores dedicated to selling produce, meat, dry goods and more to help you fill in the gaps for your perfect farm-fresh menu.
RAISE YOUR OWN
Local pork
The Forgotten Coast is wide open with possibilities to raise your own livestock. You can find that some villages and towns are zoned so you can have your very own backyard flock of chickens. If you choose to live in a more rural area, you can find ample space to create your own farm and raise whatever livestock fits your fancy.
HUNTING & FISHING
This area is home to a wide variety of hunting and fishing. If wild game and fresh fish is what you seek there are so many options for you to choose from on the Forgotten Coast. Deer, wild turkey, pheasant, grouse, and waterfowl such as ducks, are all commonly sought-after wild game that brings a variety of protein options to your table. To learn more about hunting seasons and licenses visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website. Fishing is also extremely popular on the Forgotten Coast. You can find freshwater fish like trout, salmon, walleye, large and small-mouth bass, whitefish, and perch to name a few. Valid licenses are required for both hunting and fishing, see the Michigan DNR Website for more information.
FORAGING
Last but not least, foraging on the Forgotten Coast is an exciting, healthy, and cost-effective way to enhance any locally sourced menu. From Morel hunting to picking wild asparagus and beyond, there are many delicious and treasured finds to seek out and cook up. State land, which we happen to have an abundance of here on the Forgotten Coast, provides ample opportunities for foraging. You can learn more about what you can and cannot forage on public lands on The Department of Natural Resources website. You can also get permission from a friend or neighbor to forage on their property.
Regardless of the path you choose, you won’t be alone in your endeavor to create your own farm-fresh way of life.
You will find many friends here, including me! Many of which will be willing to share not only wisdom and helpful tips but a helping hand along the way.
Underrated: The Sky of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast
On Michigan’s Forgotten Coast you can the sun rise and set over Lake Huron. Once it’s away for the night you’ll be treated to a star filled sky all the way to the horizon in every direction!
Light pollution is minimal, the landscape is flat, and we’re surrounded by Lake Huron…the sky is a huge feature of our area.
When I moved out of Michigan one of the first things I missed was our gorgeous sky. I think a lot of us who grew up here don’t appreciate it like we should…I mean it’s the same sky everywhere, right? No, it’s not. Well, technically it is but the view is vastly different. Factors like light pollution, landscape, and air pollution don’t allow you to see that sky like you can on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast.
One of the unique features of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast is that you can see the sun rise and set over Lake Huron!
Even beyond the lake, in many places here you can see to the horizon (or close to it) in every direction. The landscape is flat, we don’t have a ton of tall buildings, the roads are straight…you’re often in a full dome of sky all around you. You can watch interesting cloud formations and see storms rolling in from miles away.
At night you can be surrounded by that dome of sky when it’s full of stars (and planets!). Lay back and view the full Milky Way, and sometimes even the Northern Lights!
If you’re looking for a great spot to check out the night sky, visit the Dark Sky Preserve at Port Crescent State Park!
Top 10 reasons we made Michigan's Forgotten Coast our work from home base.
Grab your laptop and work by Lake Huron or cuddle up by the fireplace and watch the snow…Michigan’s Forgotten Coast is a fantastic place for you to work from home.
We know a lot of people are newly working from home & we’re here to let you know our experience of working from home on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast for the last 10+ years.
It’s pretty awesome actually. Do we miss some city stuff? Yes, of course. But, with the lower cost of living here, we can actually travel a lot more. I smell another article on that topic. 🤔
There are also things here that you don’t really get in a larger city, which is why our area has a strong tourism industry. It’s also gotten a lot cooler around here in the last decade with a whole lot of art & music coming to the area. Hey, that sounds like another article too! 😉
Many of you may already be getting used to the “work from home” deal, so we don’t need to explain how great it is to have zero commute and how much time & money that saves. So, we’ll focus more on what makes it nice to work from home on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast specifically.
#1. Lake Huron
Lake Huron at Jenks Roadside Park
Sure, it is one of the largest fresh water supplies in the world, but beyond that Lake Huron provides a vast amount of activities, is home to diverse wildlife habitats, and is a beautiful backdrop all year long.
#2. The surrounding nature & access to it
Hiking at Port Crescent State Park
As mentioned in our 1st reason, Lake Huron provides a home to a diverse ecosystem. You’ll find all sorts of waterfowl and predatory birds fishing in the lake including bald eagles, golden eagles, falcons, hawks, geese, seagulls, swans, ducks, and a lot more.
There are hiking trails, bike trails, state game areas, and several other ways for you to get out in this natural landscape. Some of our cities & villages have those access points to nature trails right in town!
If you’d like some links to parks & outdoor activities in the area, click here.
#3. Walkability
Vassar rail trail
Walk or bike to most everything you need. The grocery store, hardware store, boutiques, restaurants, bars, dr. offices, gym, yoga studio, the library, city hall, beaches, parks, schools, churches, and most other things you might need are just blocks away in the cities & villages of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast!
#4. Broadband access & general infrastructure
Installation of fiber broadband
Many rural areas don’t have great access to broadband, but we do. Being digital workers, that was extremely important to us when we moved to the area. Our cities and villages are well connected. We were one of the 1st places in the country to have lit fiber in the ground!
#5. Cost of living
Port Austin Farmers Market
When we first moved here, we were a bit taken aback on how inexpensive certain things were here. It’s not quite what it was 10 years ago, but it’s still an inexpensive place to live.
#6. Community involvement
Huron County Community Foundation Mini Grant Event
Our communities are small and need participation from a broad cross section of the citizens to be viable. You’ll find open arms at most community organizations. You’ll also see those organizations doing good in your community on a regular basis. When you help with these organizations, you can see the direct impact you’ve made in your community. It feels good.
#7. Access to fresh, local, food products
Reduce your carbon footprint AND get great quality local meat & produce.
We mentioned earlier that having a large amount of local agriculture helps keep food costs down. What we didn’t mention is how good it is! The carbon footprint from such a local economy is also something to take pride in, but is often less appreciated by those who have been living that way their whole lives.
#8. Connection to the City or Village itself
City of Harbor Beach collecting leaves.
You can watch your tax dollars at work as the city works on cleaning the streets, fixing the sewer, planting trees, or building a new park for the citizens. It’s right there, every day. You can see it.
#9. Safety & security
Croswell & Worth Township Fire Departments
The communities on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast have well equipped and well trained first-responders.
If we have some sort of issue, everything we need to solve it is right around the corner. Most of our communities have local police, firefighters, doctors, vets and more!
#10. Seasons
Harbor Beach Lighthouse as Lake Huron starts to freeze
It’s nice to be back in a place that has 4 very distinct seasons after living in areas where they don’t.
There’s something truly magical about living through such drastically different seasons throughout the course of the year, and the change of seasons helps to make the year feel a bit longer and more enjoyable.
Those are our top 10, but there are other things we didn’t mention that would make other people’s list.
Like the benefits to those with children. We have great school systems, and if you live in the city, your children can walk to school. Speaking of children, you don’t really have to worry about them playing in the neighborhood, and if you want to take them to the park or the playground, those are generally just a short walk away.
A personal favorite that didn’t make the list; it’s not the cookie cutter, soul crushing, sameness of the suburbs. Houses are all unique and most are really well built. There are no HOAs telling you what to do with your home. We don’t have strip malls everywhere and a Starbucks on every corner. Actually, we have 0 Starbucks. Some of our cities and villages have a fast food chain or two, but we’re mostly a place of mom & pop restaurants…and all types of businesses actually. When we travel back through suburbs, we sometimes long for the variety of food & and businesses they have…but the sameness and strip mall blight are a huge turn off. You won’t find much of that around these parts.
If you've never seen the Great Lakes in person...
I was born & raised on the Great Lakes, but I’ve lived many other places and quickly realized most people have no idea of the size or impact of the Great Lakes. I’ve been lucky enough to be with multiple people on their first visit to a Great Lake…it’s hard to grasp until you see & feel one. Let’s just run through a few quick things…
Get your sticker here and support the National Museum of the Great Lakes
If you didn’t already know, the Great Lakes are the largest freshwater system in the world.
The five Great Lakes - Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario - span a total surface area of 94,600 square miles and are all connected by a variety of lakes and rivers, making them the largest freshwater system in the world.
Sunset over Lake Huron in Port Austin
Most of us that grew up on the Great Lakes take them (at least a little) for granted. My experience is mostly with Lake Huron on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast, but I’ve also spent a good amount of time on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Sorry Eerie & Ontario, I don’t know you very well but we’re glad to have you in the group.
We Great Lakes people expect that the rest of the country knows as much about them as we do…which isn’t the case at all. When I lived in the deep South and Midwest, I found myself having to explain the Great Lakes to friends & coworkers quite often. “I mean, they’re just lakes, right?” Absolutely not. Not like any lake you’ve seen before anyway. Why not?
Size
This is an easy one to explain but I don’t think most people get it until they see them in person.
You can’t see across them. They can have beaches and crashing waves. They can feel more like an Ocean than the kind of lake most people are used to...just without the corrosive salt and sea life that can kill you. 😜
Oh yeah, you can even see them from space!
Great Lakes From Space
Fresh Water
If the Great Lakes were salty, they’d be considered seas. But instead, they’re one of the world’s greatest supplies of fresh water. What does that mean for us? It means we aren’t going to run out of drinking water any time in the foreseeable future. We know there are places in the west and midwest where water is hard to come by. That’s not a fear for us.
One of the things Michigan is known for is great beer. Great water helps make great beer! Affordable great water helps make more profitable brewers. If you’re interested in brewing on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast, find more resources and reasons why we’d be a good fit here.
Elk Street Brewery in Sandusky
Waves
“It’s not like you can surf on a lake.” I heard this often when I lived near the Atlantic coast. It’s not true of course, there can be HUGE waves on the Great Lakes. Large enough to sink ships in fact. People tend to underestimate the power of the Great Lakes, it’s always best to be cautious and respect them.
You can visit many of those ships that succumbed to the power of the lakes right here on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast. Most you will need diving gear to see, but there are a few that you can see from the surface!
Those same waves and storms that sank ships also carved out some really cool rock formations right here on Lake Huron including the iconic Turnip Rock.
Lake Huron waves in Port Sanilac
Beaches
“You must have imported the sand.” Another one I heard often. When you’re used to small lakes with muddy shores, the idea of a sugar sand beach on “just a lake” doesn’t quite compute. But, as we’ve said, a Great Lake isn’t “just a lake”. The volume of water, the weather patterns, and erosion over time have created unique coastlines.
The state of Michigan has a huge number of beaches. Both sandy and rocky coastlines, including right here on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast. Find more information & links to our beaches here.
Enjoy the beaches of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast
Weather
The Great Lakes effect the weather quite a bit. As weather systems pass over the Great Lakes, they can pick up moisture and drop it when they hit the land mass again. One of the terms we’re all familiar with here in our day to day weather forecasts is “lake effect”. I’m not sure there is another place in the US (maybe even the world) where the lakes effect the weather in the same way.
Here on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast, we’re a peninsula…surrounded by Lake Huron on the East, North and West. We don’t tend to get the amount of lake effect snow that the west side of Michigan does, but if the wind turns and comes from the north or east, we most certainly can. But, my favorite benefit of Lake Huron is in the Fall when it’s still warm from the summer and acts like a little space heater to the coastline. It really helps us ease into winter a little more nicely than the interior parts of Michigan.
Lake effect snow
Commerce
Shipping & trading on The Great Lakes helped our area become prosperous long, long ago. It’s why (along with agriculture) we have all these little cities and villages with great infrastructure. Even today, you can sit on the shoreline and watch huge freighters go by loaded with cargo.
If you want to know about the ship, where it’s from, or what it’s carrying, there’s an app for that. ShipFinder | FleetMon | VesselFinder | MyShipTracking | MarineTraffic
Lake Huron is active shipping & trade route.
Border
I always found this one a little odd, but it seems like a lot of Americans don’t know that most of the Great Lakes provide a natural border with Canada. Or for that matter, that parts of Canada are south of parts of the US. For example, from my house on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast, I have to drive about an hour due south to get to the nearest border crossing in Port Huron. In fact, Canada (Ontario) stretches all the way down to Detroit. We always find it fun to hop across the boarder for some dinner and a night out in a different country.
Canada is just across Lake Huron
Of course, there are many more reasons that differentiate the Great Lakes from other lakes. What’s your favorite?
Want to learn more about the Great Lakes?
12 Reasons Why the Great Lakes Are Better Than the Ocean - Thrillist
10 Great Lakes Fun Facts You May Not Know - Pure Michigan
Great Lakes Fast Facts - Sea Grant
Facts and Figures about the Great Lakes - United States Environmental Protection Agency
Great Facts About the Five Great Lakes - Live Science
Great Lakes Facts - Shipwreck Explorers
Largest Lake in the World & Largest Lake in the United States - Geology.com
Nature is Nearby on Michigan's Forgotten Coast
Nature is all around and easily accessible on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast!
You’re never far from access to the natural world & its creatures when you call Michigan’s Forgotten Coast home.
Lake Huron provides a home to a diverse ecosystem. You’ll find all sorts of waterfowl and predatory birds fishing in the lake including bald eagles, golden eagles, falcons, hawks, geese, seagulls, swans, ducks, and a lot more.
Obviously, there’s “fish in them there waters” including walleye, salmon, yellow perch, lake trout, sturgeon, whitefish, bass, pike, and more! Fishing is a big draw for tourists to our area and is an activity beloved by many of our citizens as well.
Beyond Lake Huron, you’ll find a vast amount of nature in area forests & farmland. TONS of large whitetail deer, beavers, coyotes, raccoons, rabbits, pheasants, wild turkeys, and recently we’ve even found lynx hanging around. Needless to say, hunting is another attraction for tourists and passion of our locals.
There are hiking trails, bike trails, state game areas, and several other ways for you to get out in this natural landscape. Some of our cities & villages have those access points to nature trails right in town!
If you’d like some links to parks & outdoor activities in the area, click here.
Affordable Living on Michigan's Forgotten Coast
There are many ways living on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast can save you money…but there are also a ton of things to do here!
Let your money go further while living the lake life.
When we first moved here, we were a bit taken aback on how inexpensive certain things were here. It’s not quite what it was 10 years ago, but it’s still an inexpensive place to live.
Housing costs may be the biggest and most noticeable cost savings. Not just housing itself, but insurance, taxes, etc all tend to be lower on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast.
You can keep food costs down here too. There are no Whole Foods or boutique grocery stores. There are plenty of roadside farm stands and farmers markets. Our summers & soil are perfect for gardening at home. Canning & preserving are commonplace in the area. You can buy meat in bulk, fresh from the farm around the corner. It’s takes a little while to adjust and learn how to take advantage of some of these things, but once you get into it there’s no going back. You can’t beat that “fresh from next door” food.
Part of what helps keep down the cost of living is that there aren’t a lot of high priced activities to spend your money on. Going out tends to be a much more reasonable proposition here. It’s unlikely you’re going to drop over $100 on dinner & drinks in a night out for two. You’re not going to lay down $500 on a family outing to the ball game on a regular basis. Personally, we save that money so we can do fancy things when we travel. We hunker down and get work done when we’re at home and we live large when we explore other communities…or at least larger than we could if we had the living expenses of those communities.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t fun things to do here!
There are a ton of FREE outdoor activities like biking, hiking, paddlesports, birding, stargazing, fishing, etc. We’ve always had great historical museums like the Frank Murphy Museum, Thumb Octagon Barn, Port Austin History Center, Marlette Train Depot, and many more! Find out more about local beaches, parks, campgrounds, and other outdoor activities here.
Beyond those activities, the area has embraced arts and culture much more over the last decade. It’s common to find live music in several communities during summer weekends. We have art fairs and festivals. We have large scale barn art projects from renowned artists, and smaller scale community placemaking arts projects. It’s getting cooler here all the time!!
Walkable Communities of Michigan's Forgotten Coast
Walk or bike to most everything you need in the communities of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast.
Leave your car in the driveway, walkability is a huge benefit of life here.
Walk or bike to most everything you need. The grocery store, hardware store, boutiques, restaurants, bars, dr. offices, gym, yoga studio, the library, city hall, beaches, parks, schools, churches, and most other things you might need are just blocks away in the cities & villages of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast!
Many of our small cities and villages have dedicated walking & bike trails through the community or into natural areas surrounding it. Some even have trails that lead all the way to another community!
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is by far the biggest asset to the communities of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast. She provides drinking water, outdoor water activities & tourism, feeds our crops, provides habitat & food for our wildlife, and moderates our weather…there’s a lot to Lake Huron.
Lake Huron surrounds and defines Michigan’s Forgotten Coast.
If you haven’t experienced Lake Huron (or any Great Lake) before, think of it more as a fresh water sea than a lake. It’s HUGE. You can’t see across it in most places and the weather on the open lake can get wild enough to sink ships. In fact, our area has many shipwrecks you can dive and even a few you can see from the water’s surface!
It has beaches, both sandy and rocky versions. There are cliffs & cool rock formations. We have many lighthouses on the shoreline and in the lake itself. Our communities have created harbors with break walls, piers, fishing platforms, and several parks on the shores of the mighty lake.
If you love swimming, kayaking, waterskiing, sailing, fishing, scuba diving, duck hunting, or just watching the sun rise & set over the water, Lake Huron on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast is where it’s at!
If you’d like some links to parks & outdoor activities in the area, click here.
Safe & Sound on Michigan's Forgotten Coast
Help is just around the corner in the cities and villages of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast.
No need to worry, help is just around the corner.
The communities on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast are prepared to help in an emergency but they’re also well equipped for the day to day medical needs of the citizens.
A very important part of our communities are our well equipped and well trained volunteer fire fighters who are ready to jump into action whenever they’re called to duty. Be it a car accident, medical emergency, or barn fire in the dead of winter. These folks are heroes in our communities.
We have the kind of local policing that engages our communities. The kind where the officers live with us and know our citizens. I’ve lived in many places where this is not the case and I must say it’s one of my favorite things about the area.
We have a hospitals and doctors offices in most of our communities or nearby.
Many of our communities also have dentists, opticians, and other healthcare professionals.
If we have some sort of issue, everything we need to solve it is right around the corner!
High Speed Broadband & Infrastructure
The cities & villages of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast have great infrastructure just waiting for you!
The infrastructure on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast is ready.
Many rural areas don’t have great access to broadband, but we do. Being digital workers, that was extremely important to us when we moved to the area. Our cities and villages are well connected. We were one of the 1st places in the country to have lit fiber in the ground!
One of the local communities (Sebewaing) has its own village owned ISP and also provides energy to its citizens. Even though we have strong storms & winds in our area, we’ve never lost power at our house. Not once. The outlying communities have, but in our small city, we haven’t in 10 years.
Our city also processes our own drinking water and waste water. Most of the water processing plants in the area are under capacity, so we have lots of room to grow!
Community Connection on Michigan's Forgotten Coast
In the cities and villages of Michigan’s Forgotten Coast you can watch your tax dollars at work as the DPW works on cleaning the streets, fixing the sewer, planting trees, or building a new park for the citizens. It’s right there, every day. You can see it.
Feel the connection to your city or village itself.
You can watch your tax dollars at work as the DPW works on cleaning the streets, fixing the sewer, planting trees, or building a new park for the citizens. It’s right there, every day. You can see it.
You can also very easily interact with your local government. The mayor lives a couple blocks up the street. A couple city councilmen live within two blocks and the rest are within about 10 blocks. They’re available to the citizens and take our concerns to heart.
The ability to be part of the civic and non-profit organizations is another way to be directly involved with and take pride in the community in which you live.
Get Involved in Your Community!
Our communities are small and need participation from a broad cross section of the citizens to continue to be viable and grow. You’ll find open arms at most community organizations on Michigan’s Forgotten Coast.
Community involvement is an integral part of continuing to make Michigan’s Forgotten Coast and even better place to live & work.
When we lived in a larger city, it felt like we were disconnected from of a lot of local government & organizations. We were young and a bit of outsider weirdo creative types…it didn’t feel like we were invited to the table. Not who they were looking for. That may not have been the reality, but that’s how it felt.
That’s not the case here. Our communities are small and need participation from a broad cross section of the citizens to continue to be viable and grow. You’ll find open arms at most community organizations. You’ll also see those organizations doing good in your community on a regular basis. When you help with these organizations, you can see the direct impact you’ve made in your community. It feels good.
That’s the same case with our local governments. As a transplant, it’s probably not going to be easy to run for a local office but you definitely can have access to your local government and have your voice heard. The council meetings don’t tend to be crowded affairs. The elected officials will live very close by. Their kids will be in school or sports with yours. You might be part of the same community organizations or church. If you prove to have some insight or could help the city government, you may be appointed to a commission or a board or something to help the local government. We see that pretty often.