There’s no excuse for being bored in Michigan.

From the urban energy of Detroit to the pristine beaches of the UP, Michigan offers a limitless array of things to do, places to go, foods to sample, goods to buy and legends to tout. Everyone has favorites. This special section shares many of those favorites with you.

“Michigan’s Best” is a compilation of readers’ recommendations for the best the state has to offer. More than 105,000 people mailed in ballots that appeared in The Detroit News over five weeks in categories that ranged from restaurants to recreation. We tallied the votes in each of the categories and this section presents the winners – in short, a users guide to Michigan’s Best bets for fun, bargains, food, and more.

What’s more, the section contains a handful of “editors pick” winners – special favorites of our stuff. We’ve also included some listings from nearby Canada this year.

In tallying the votes, we found that tastes vary. One person’s ideal spot for a romantic dinner might also serve as another reader’s favorite for family dining. Still, there was enough clear agreement in most of the categories so that the top winners clearly deserve your attention.

The categories are broad – as are the options for spending time and money in Michigan. But if there’s a category that we didn’t include, drop us a note. We’ll fine-tune the list before we open balloting for next year’s edition of Michigan’s Best.

- Dave Butler
Editor & Publisher, The Detroit News