Of the 24 places listed in the entire world, only three were in the United States: the freshwater springs of Florida, Texas Hill country, and Northwest Michigan.
Areas mentioned in the article include Traverse City along Grand Traverse Bay, the Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas and the scenic M-22 highway. Of it, CNN Travel Staff writer Marnie Hunter says:
“Refreshing, unsalty Lake Michigan lures boatloads of tourists in summer, but the shoreline, quaint towns and rolling countryside of Northwest Michigan have plenty to offer year-round.”
When compiling the list, CNN travel staff said they were looking for places that remained largely undiscovered or alluring in the offseason, frequently overlooked for their neighboring communities and larger cities.
In her piece, Hunter mentions the historic fishing village of Leland and its shops and galleries. She writes:
“Glen Arbor is another town worth perusing on the way to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, where off M-109 an all-sand, 3.5-mile hike over massive dunes to the Great Lake and back preps hardy hikers for a delicious dinner.”
That dinner, she says, can be had at the Farm Club, a farm-restaurant hybrid seven miles outside of Traverse City.
You can check out the list for yourself at CNN.com/travel