Traveling in Northern Michigan

When traveling in Northern Michigan (specifically Traverse City), you are bound to hear the word "Fudgie" once or twice. No the locals are not referring to the silky chocolate treat that Michigan is known for...they are talking about you. The tourist. Hoards of tourists flock to The Great Lake State every summer for the various festivals and secluded beaches. Of course, Mackinac Island is one of the largest attractions. Tourists are relatively easy to pick out of a crowd and an observant local can even tell if they are from Michigan and which part of Michigan they are from based solely on their accent. While you can't change the way you talk, you can do a few things to help blend in with the locals in the area which can make your trip even more interesting! Avoiding the tourist traps can save you a lot of precious money and time. Here are few general tips that can help anywhere in the US.

1. Leave the fanny pack at home, Ma.
OK. Maybe I'm biased on this issue. Fanny packs are horrible. Not only in a fashionable sense, but they are generally not safe. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen folks strutting down E. Front Street in Traverse City with their fanny packs turned all the way around to the back. This provides easy access to whatever you decided to keep in that horrid thing. Point is...if you HAVE to use it...keep it in the front or leave it in the 80's.

2.Put the travel guide away.
Granted, these little books are nifty and quite useful in some situations but there is a time and place for everything. Don't whip it out in the checkout line. If you DO use one...get one that has a pronunciation guide. Pronouncing towns and landmarks right tends to make getting directions a lot easier.