Dr. Jean Wright

Enjoy the famous Frankenmuth Chicken! Frankenmuth — Bavarian Charm & Bronner's Christmas Wonderland Some towns feel like they were built for wandering, and Frankenmuth is one of them. Even on a plain Tuesday in July, the whole place has a festival feeling — timbered buildings, a covered bridge, and the smell of chicken dinners drifting down the main street. Why it works for families Frankenmuth is walkable, which is a gift when you've got young kids who don't love sitting in car seats any...

Cranbrook Gardens & Institute — Nature Meets Art Cranbrook, in Bloomfield Hills, is equal parts formal garden, sculpture walk, and science museum — a rare combination that gives every family member something to love. Why it works for families The Cranbrook Institute of Science has hands-on exhibits, a planetarium, and dinosaur fossils. Just outside, the historic gardens offer fountains, sculpture, and quiet paths that are easy on little legs. What it costs Institute admission runs around $14...

Port Huron — Lighthouses & Lake Huron Views Port Huron sits where Lake Huron meets the St. Clair River, and it's got the kind of big-water, big-sky feeling that's hard to find without driving hours north. Why it works for families The Fort Gratiot Light — Michigan's oldest lighthouse — is open for tours in season, and kids love climbing it. Pine Grove Park offers freighter-watching along the water, which is more captivating for children than it sounds; these ships are enormous. What it costs...