• Boating is a popular summertime activity in Michigan.
• The state’s expansive waterways include inland lakes and rivers and four of the Great Lakes.

Summer boating season in Michigan is getting underway, and boaters are already hitting the water.

A day out on clear, sparkling waters with loved ones offers a perfect summer getaway for Michigan boaters. The state is a boat lover’s paradise, boasting four of the Great Lakes and 11,000 inland lakes, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

“In Michigan, you are never more than 6 miles away from a lake, river or stream, so you never have to travel far to find a boaters paradise,” Pure Michigan says.

Here’s what to know.

5 places to tie off your boat and enjoy the day

When the day on the lake is done, consider docking in these areas and checking out nearby cities.

• Charlevoix: This northwest Michigan city borders Lake Charlevoix, Round Lake, the Round Lake Channel and Lake Michigan. The Charlevoix City Marina is open for the season and features a boaters’ lounge, floating docks, laundry facilities, a splash pad and restrooms. Nearby, the city features restaurants, hotels, a dog park and gardens.
• Detroit: The Motor City runs along an international border at the Detroit River. Among several docking options is the Riverside Marina, with the clubhouse featuring a jacuzzi, heated swimming pool, showers, locker room and laundry facilities. Downtown Detroit and nearby Midtown are packed with restaurants, museums, hotels, parks, theaters, shopping and sports venues.
• Holland: Holland borders Lake Macatawa and the Macatawa River, flowing toward Lake Michigan. Docking includes the Yacht Basin Marina, with a conference center and vacation rental units. The tourist town with Dutch heritage features tulip gardens, restaurants, a lighthouse, Dutch Village, museums, hotels and state parks.
• Higgins Lake State Park: North and South Higgins Lake State Park near Roscommon in northern Michigan are on Higgins Lake. The state parks provide boat launches, cabins, campgrounds, sandy beaches, a picnic area and hiking trails.
• Saginaw Bay: Along the bay on Lake Huron, cities in the thumb and central Michigan offer docking, including Bay City, Caseville, Au Gres and Linwood, among others. The region offers fishing, restaurants, parks, shopping and summer festivals, with Saginaw on the Saginaw River, and Frankenmuth short a drive farther inland.

6 places to boat this summer in Michigan

Here are six places to boat on in Michigan, according to Pure Michigan:

• Great Lakes: Enjoy boating on the vast waters of four Great Lakes bordering Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
• Lake Leelanau in Leland: This lake is split into two sections, North and South Lake Leelanau, featuring clear waters and a natural habitat of nearly 9,000 acres. Boaters can enjoy wildlife spotting and recreation, with nearby restaurants and vineyards for dining.
• Lake St. Clair in southeast Michigan: This popular metro Detroit lake connects Lake Erie, the Detroit River and Lake Huron. Lake St. Clair sees 3,000 freighters go through its shipping canal, and 150,000 boats registered in the area for recreation.
• Grand Lake in Alpena: In northeast Michigan, this over 8,900-acre lake features several small islands. The nearby Besser Museum for northeast Michigan highlights the region’s wooden sailing and motorized boats.
• Gull Lake in Battle Creek: This lake in southwest Michigan offers regular sailboat racing with a yacht club, scuba diving, homes and cottages along the shores and a fishery.
• Torch Lake resembles the Caribbean in its deep, multi-tone color. At 18 miles in length, Torch is Michigan’s longest inland lake. Its sand bars are so legendary that musician Kid Rock wrote a song about them. Torch also is the state’s deepest lake. The village of Alden, on the lake’s southeast curve, boasts one of the few public beaches.

Glide along the ‘Inland Waterway’

Michigan’s “Inland Waterway” cuts across the tip of the mitten, starting north of Petoskey and ending at Cheboygan.

Michigan’s longest chain of rivers and lakes covers nearly 40 miles, including Pickerel Lake and Crooked Lake, the Crooked River, Burt Lake, the Indian River, Mullett Lake, the Cheboygan River, and finally into Lake Huron.

The water trails connect seven state parks; numerous campgrounds, day-use parks, and resorts; 20 Little Traverse Conservancy Nature Preserves, and six communities.

How can you register your boat in Michigan?

Boats must be registered and you can do so through the Michigan Department of State. Some boats also require a title if they’re 20 feet long or longer, or have a permanently affixed engine.

More: Planning a beach trip? These 10 Michigan beaches are worth checking out

Registration is good for three years, expiring on March 31 of the third year, according to the state. Boat owners can renew online, via mail, at a self-service station or in-person at your local Secretary of State office.

What should you know before you go?

Check with your local boating access site for hours and rules. Most state-sponsored sites are closed from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., says the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Life jackets must be on board and the type and number depend on the type of boat you have and how many people are on board, the Michigan DNR says.

If you plan to take a pet, check whether pets are allowed and how to handle them. In Michigan, pets must be kept on a 6-foot leash and under the owner’s immediate control and you must clean up after them and prevent them from interacting with wildlife.

More: New Motown Museum exhibit honors the life and career of musician-songwriter Hank Cosby

If you plan to fish or water ski, be sure to check local regulations, some inland lakes prohibit certain activities.

Can you take alcohol onboard your boat?

It’s illegal to operate a boat in Michigan while under the influence of alcohol, according to state law. Boaters with a 0.08% blood alcohol content or higher could face civil penalties like fines and imprisonment.

Some boating access sites in Michigan ban drinking alcohol, the Michigan DNR said.

Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.

CHICAGO (WLS) — A man was pulled from Lake Michigan Friday morning on Chicago’s South Side, Chicago police said.

Chopper 7 was over the scene near 4100 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive about 11 a.m.

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That’s near Oakwood Beach, just south of Burnham Park.

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A man was seen being pulled from the water. The man was then given CPR by first responders.

Chicago police said Chicago fire crews pulled the man from the water.

He was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.

No one else was hurt, police said.

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Homelessness is increasing in mid-Michigan’s student population, according to Michigan’s Department of Education (MDE).

However, a network of support programs is helping students while they go to classes.

It’s a complex issue with districts like Lansing Public Schools helping provide those students with much-needed support in and out of the classroom.

Some of the largest districts in Mid-Michigan have hundreds of students experiencing homelessness. Data from the MDE shows Lansing has 604 students, or nearly 6% of its student body, struggling with housing insecurity.

“The majority of our families are sharing the housing of others, we also have families stay in hotels, the local homeless shelters, tents, cars,” said Rose Taphouse with Lansing Public School’s Families Overcoming Rough Times F.O.R.T. program.

The program meets unhoused students and families where they are, helping with enrollment, transportation, and basic needs like clothing and shoes.

“If we can provide a quality education, give our children a chance, help them make it through their educational experiences, and graduate, their chances of becoming homeless as an adult are greatly reduced,” said Taphouse.

Program coordinator Rose Taphouse says students experiencing homelessness face many academic and mental challenges.

“Our students are exposed to four times the trauma of their house peers, which impacts attendance, behavior, all of those things, it causes major anxiety, especially when students don’t know where they’re going to sleep at night,” said Taphouse.

Despite those challenges, people should remember they’re still just kids, something the city rescue mission of Lansing sees often.

“Last night, by example, we had about 28 children. The kids are ordinary children that look and act like everybody else and want to have a good time and build friendships.

The F.O.R.T. program also assists other school districts within Ingham County, like Holt and Mason. They also partner with agencies like Child and Family Charities and Advent House to provide additional support.

School officials say student homelessness is a community-wide challenge to provide families with everything from affordable housing to childcare.

Child and Family Charities offer support for families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Through our Resource Coordinators, we help connect individuals with local services, Medicaid outreach, and essential items such as food, diapers, and clothing. Our compassionate team works one-on-one with each family to provide personalized assistance.

For support, call 517-882-4000 or visit childandfamily.org.

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