Today, as we continue our week of giving thanks, we want to express our gratitude for the Up North beauty we all get to enjoy.

We each get a bit of credit for that. We Northeast Michiganders for the most part take care of our homes and lawns and storefronts. We decorate for Christmas and Halloween and many of us decorate for Easter. We really decorate for Independence Day.

That makes our towns and our countrysides quaint and picturesque.

But most of the credit goes to God.

We have a combined 10,869 acres of state parkland in Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, and Alcona counties. Add in the miles of Lake Huron shoreline, inland lakes shoreline, and riverbanks, add in the acres upon acres of city, township, and county parks, add in state and national forestland, and Northeast Michigan has bountiful beauty to offer.

Why do you think tourism’s such a big industry here?

And Mother Nature really puts on a show up here. Spring, summer, fall, and winter, we always have beauty all around us.

And, for that, we’re grateful.

We hope you are, too.