| Location: | Lower Michigan |
|---|---|
| Average Snowfall: | 40 inches | Fall Color Season: | Middle October |
Jackson County is truly the Crossroads of Michigan. It is accessible from Interstate 94, US 127, Highway 50, Highway 106 and Highway 60, making Jackson an easy stop over for most travelers.
Jackson is rich in history and heritage. Our quaint towns and the city of Jackson invite you to experience the many historic sites and tour some of the oldest homes in Michigan. Jackson was instrumental in the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, as well as being the birthplace of the Republican Party.
Outdoor activities are a favorite of Jackson natives and visitors alike. Jackson is the perfect location to hunt, fish and hike. There are hundreds of lakes, 36 city parks, 16 county parks and large tracts of state land to use for recreation. You can choose to visit wild life sanctuaries, nature centers and state recreation and wildlife management areas.
Golf is one of Jackson’s recreational assets. It has one of highest concentrations of golf courses in the nation. It has been rated one of the best golf values by Golf Digest. Book one of our great golf packages today!
The best known attraction of this 457 acre park is the Cascades, a man-made, illuminated waterfall with musical accompaniment enjoyed by all since 1932. Some prefer to watch the dancing lights and listen to the beautiful music from comfortable seats, while the more energetic climb to the top of the 500 foot hill alongside the six giant fountains while dodging the spraying water. The falls are illuminated every night from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Take a hayride to feed and see southern Michigan's largest buffalo herd in its natural state. Visit the general store to lean about bison and try a buffalo burger. Come to the annual Buffalo Rendezvous in May and visit the Rodeo Adventure in July. Pheasant hunts and buffalo hunts are available to adults.
The center, a part of Jackson Community College, celebrates Jackson's natural beauty with 300 acres and 5 miles of trails. Take a refreshing tour of Michigan wildlife and plants in a variety of forests, fields, marshes and ponds. It is also home of the annual Bluebird Festival & Wildlife Art Show. Ella Sharp ParkSprawling over 500 acres of forest and field, it stands as the largest park in the city. On the grounds you will find the Ella Sharp Museum, an Olympic-size swimming pool, sheltered picnic areas, grills, cross-country ski trails, natural trails, bicycle and jogging paths, baseball and soccer fields, 18-hole golf course, and a resort-style putt-putt golf course with rolling hills.
This 900-acre wildlife sanctuary is the largest staging area in Michigan for sandhill cranes. On an October afternoon over 2,000 cranes may be seen returning to the expansive marsh to spend the night. This spectacle is the results of a wildlife success story.
Nestled in the scenic countryside of Irish Hills is one of the largest motor speedways in the United States. MS features IRL and NASCAR sanctioned auto racing on its two-mile oval track. The 1000-acre track has a seating capacity of 111,000 in its main grandstand and bleachers. Spectator capacity in the infield and outfield areas is 150,000.
Jackson Harness Raceway features exciting pari-mutual harness racing each spring and fall at the Jackson County Fairgrounds, where pacers and trotters compete on the mile track. The grandstand seats 7,000, while the lounge, which offers drinks and a full dinner menu, accommodates another 200 people.
Take a splash in the newly renovated water park, which has a spiral water slide and a drop slide. For swimmers looking for a more relaxing experience, there is a spa and a fountain that simulates gentle rain. Skateboarders can test their skills in the state-of-the-art park filled with obstacles such as ramps and rails. More fun can be had in the park's full-size in-line hockey rink and four softball fields.
In 1912, Ella Sharp's farm and home was willed to Jackson for the creation of a park and museum, which opened in 1965. The Ella Sharp Museum features an 1830s log cabin, a one-room schoolhouse, a country store, and the Merriman Sharp Farmhouse. Other highlights include the Peter F. Hurst Planetarium, and the Ella Granary Restaurant.
It is a historical museum with exhibits spanning from the late 1840s to the present. It also serves as caretakers of the "birthplace" of the Republican Party.
The museum offers a vivid look into 19th century pioneer life. Costumed tour guides take visitors through a 10-room farmhouse built by a German immigrant and seven additional outbuildings. Displays of tools, clothing, furnishings, and decorations depict the era's farm life. WhistleStop Park Depot, Grass LakeBuilt in 1887, this historic Romanesque train depot offers displays of local interest
Directions: I-94 Exit 147. Race Road South to Ann Arbor Road. Right on Ann Arbor Road.
Hours: Please stop in for free wine tasting anytime between 12-7pm daily.
Directions: I-94 Exit 127. North on Concord Rd. St. Julian will be on the left.
Hours: Open May 1-Sept. 30, Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun. noon-7 p.m. Oct. 1-April 30, Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun. noon-6 p.m.
Directions: I-94 Exit 145. North on Sargent Rd. East on Brills Lake Rd. North on Walz Rd., approximately ½ mile.
Hours: Tasting room open Thursday thru Sunday 11AM - 6PM.
Directions: I-94 Exit 127. Turn north off exit ramp onto North Concord Road; Cherry Creek Cellars is 500 yards (across from St. Julians) (2 miles west of Parma, 10 miles west of Jackson, 7 miles east of Albion)
Hours: Tasting room open Thursday thru Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
Blackman Township, Brooklyn, Cement City (part), Clarklake, Columbia Township, Concord Township, Grass Lake, Hanover Township, Henrietta Township, Horton, Jackson, Leoni Township, Liberty Township, Michigan Center, Munith, Napoleon Township, Norvell Township, Parma (part), Pleasant Lake, Pulaski Township, Rives Junction, Rives Township, Sandstone Township, Spring Arbor Township, Springport Township, Summit Township, Tompkins Township, Waterloo Township
Michigan offers vacationers many opportunities with visiting any one of our 11,000 inland lakes or even one of the four Great Lakes - Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior or Lake Erie. Interested in a more secluded area? Michigan has more than 3.9 million acres of DNR managed land. Michigan is host to many outdoor recreational activities: hunting, fishing, boating, snowmobiling, skiing and more. Looking to relax? Try a great resort or cozy bed and breakfast. Travel through the vineyards of wine country in Traverse City or play a round of golf at any one of the fabulous Michigan courses. To find out more about Michigan, read our Michigan travel guide.
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