Mackinac Island, Michigan

If you ever needed proof you don’t have to leave the country to experience culture, beauty, nature and history, Mackinac Island is a shining example. Pronounced “mackinaw”, there are no cars allowed on this four-square-mile island, where you can get around by horse-drawn carriage, bike or your own two feet. The treacherous waters of the Straits of Mackinac mean there are shipwrecks and lighthouses to tour, and Fort Mackinac, a bitterly contested military outpost in the American Revolution, has been faithfully restored as a museum with real canon and rifle firings. The island — the second-ever national park (after Yellowstone) — also boasts 70 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, as well as Arch Rock, a spectacular limestone structure. Home to such charms as the world’s longest front porch, the world’s oldest grocery store, and the Lilac and Fudge festivals in June and August, Mackinac Island is like a summer dream come true.