Alber Orchard & Cider Mill

See apples being pressed for cider. Forty-one varieties of freshly picked apples, cider, doughnuts, pretzels, pumpkins, honey, syrup, and jams for sale seasonally. Horse-drawn wagons, school tours. Sept.–Nov., daily except Mon.; call for hours. alberorchard@aol.com

Fusilier Family Farm & Greenhouse

Petting farm, hayrides, 12-acre corn maze, farm tours, and seasonal produce for sale. Call for hours.

Hidden Lake Gardens

Scenic 775 acres of woodlands, lake and pond, and open fields accessible via hiking trails and paved roads. A wide variety of plants are displayed in a tropical conservatory, dwarf conifer collection, hillside of hostas, and perennial garden. Visitor center includes educational displays, classrooms, auditorium, and gift shop. Managed by Michigan State University; open daily year round. Apr.–Oct.: 8 a.m.–dusk. Nov.–Mar.: 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Admission $3. www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu

Irish Hills

This area southwest of Manchester is renowned for its lakes, fishing, antique shops, and history. It is considered by some the minigolf center of the Midwest; one place to play is Stagecoach Stop USA (517–467–2300), an 1800s village and Wild West family fun park on US-12 near Walter J. Hayes State Park. Nearby, Mystery Hill (517–467–2517) offers 20-minute tours through exhibits that seem to defy the laws of nature, plus minigolf and remote-control race cars. Open weekends May & Sept. and daily except. Mon. June–Aug. On Fri. & Sat. in Oct.: haunted house and haunted woods. Call for hours. www.mystery-hill.com

Michigan International Speedway

Along US-12 near M-50 in the Irish Hills is one of the nation’s largest sporting venues. This 137,243-seat racing mecca normally hosts two weekends of NASCAR racing and related events each summer plus additional dates for Indy-car racing. www.mispeedway.com

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