Hotel at a Glance: Huron House

During your stay at Huron House, you’ll want to make the short stroll from the bed and breakfast to the shores of Lake Huron at least twice—once at twilight to watch the moon rising over the water, and again the next morning to see the sun come up in its place. Guests can also enjoy lake views from private decks, some of which feature outdoor hot tubs.

• Noteworthy accolade: TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2013
• Breakfast in bed: Complimentary fruit, croissants, and other goodies are brought to your door each morning.
• Individually decorated guest rooms: Feature four-poster beds, DVD players, and wireless Internet access; some have hot tubs and private balconies.
• In-room massages: Available from professional massage therapists for an additional fee

Oscoda, Michigan: River Adventure and Lake Huron Trails in Former Lumberjack Territory

Michigan has designated Oscoda as the official birthplace of Paul Bunyan. The town’s newspaper published one of the first known tales about the giant lumberjack in 1906. Today, the area’s past as a timber-industry hub is memorialized at the Au Sable-Oscoda Historical Society and Museum as well as the Lumberman’s Monument, a huge bronze statue on a bluff overlooking the Au Sable River (a visitor center is open May–October).

Warm months bring out-of-towners to the area for kayaking on Lake Huron and cruises aboard the Au Sable River Queen, an old-fashioned paddlewheel riverboat. The trails surrounding the river and lake are ideal for hiking, especially in autumn, when leaves in the nearby Huron-Manistee National Forest turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold. In the wintertime, you can go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing along designated pathways such as the Corsair Trail.