With a combination of stunning views, maritime and geological history and a variety of outdoor activities, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore-the first National Lakeshore in the United States-is a long weekend retreat for outdoors enthusiasts. The eight-and-a-half-hour drive to Pictured Rocks may seem daunting, but it goes quickly, especially with the 75 mph speed limit on I-75, Michigan’s superhighway to the north. The journey provides glimpses of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, a drive over the nearly 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge, and many roadside places along the way to purchase whitefish, fudge and pasties (root vegetables and beef folded into a pastry shell).