Meet the Northeast Region: the Playground of the North
October 29, 2025
Like the U.S. coastlines, each of Michigan’s coasts offers a different vibe. The Northeast Region is famous for its maritime history, with iconic lighthouses dotting the coast and shipwrecks in Lake Huron that can be explored via scuba diving and snorkeling. It has also earned the nickname “Playground of the North” thanks to its countless trails, nature preserves and waterways. While there’s plenty to do outside, it also carries a reputation for family-friendly towns and a strong economy with thriving manufacturing, engineering and forestry industries.
The Sunrise Coast by the Numbers
- 1.6 million acres of National and State Forest land, including Pigeon River Country State Forest, home to the largest elk herd east of the Mississippi (Discover Northeast Michigan)
- 3 Dark Sky Preserve Parks in the Alpena region, known as the Sanctuary of the Great Lakes (Visit Alpena)
- 300,000 acres of open water in Alpena, plus 100+ miles of groomed trails (Pure Michigan)
Who’s Hiring?
- My Michigan Health Center
- Besser
- Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op
- Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency
- Alpena Public Schools
- Kalitta Air
- Cooper Standard
Off the Clock
- Explore endless nature in the region’s 17 state parks.
- Visit the nation’s first national marine sanctuary in the Great Lakes, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which features nearly 100 historic shipwrecks.
- Stargaze at the three dark sky preserves in Alpena.
- Scuba and snorkel off the coast of Lake Huron.
- Ride through 1,220 miles of snowmobile trails.
What’s New
- Precision Hardwoods is investing $12 million into a new manufacturing facility in Onaway.
- The City of Alpena Downtown Development Authority received $839,401 in grant funding for community revitalization.