Under the Radar Michigan, Launching Season 10 This Week, List Favorite Rest Stops, Fall Activities

Jake Neher/WDET

Everyone’s favorite Michigan travel show on public television kicks off it’s tenth season on Thursday. Under the Radar Michigan takes us to the places we love and the places we didn’t even know about in the Mitten State.

On Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson, Under the Radar Michigan host Tom Daldin and Executive Producer Jim Edelman talk about telling Michigan’s story for ten years through travel.

“We were just, actually, hoping this would last long enough until we found regular jobs again,” says Daldin, with his signature laugh.

“The show keeps, in spite of us, it keeps going and going and getting more popular,” says Daldin. 

“And I think it’s because A) I don’t look smart enough to lie. And B) we don’t take ourselves too seriously. It’s genuine discovery, hence the name Under the Radar — a lot of things people don’t know about, but should know.”

Click on the audio player above to hear the Under the Radar guys talk about Season Ten and more on Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson.

As they do each time they appear on Detroit Today, the UTR guys also take part in a lightening round of favorite types of spots and activities in Michigan:

Best fall activity in Southeast Michigan

Edelman: “Donuts and cider. There are so many cider mills in Southeast Michigan. And there’s so many cider mills that are now doing hard cider.”
Daldin: “People ask me what’s the best place to see fall color. You don’t have to drive 3 or 4 hours into the country to see fall color, just go outside.”

Best tchotchke shop in Michigan, or at least the best town to buy Michigan-themed trinkets

Edelman: “Sea Shell City is just the oddball collection of shells and tchotchke. So, you think you’re just going to get shells there, but then there’s a whole bear section”
Daldin: “It is bizarrely wonderful.”

Best place for taking in Halloween decorations, where people go all out

Daldin: “I was just there Sunday! We did a show in Romeo, and it’s called Terror on Tillson Street. The entire street, all the people that live on Tillson Street, you would not believe their front yards. They have entire hockey teams made out of skeletons with actual Zambonis. It’s the most incredible Halloween display I’ve ever seen.”

Best place to go canoeing or kayaking

Daldin: “My favorite place to canoe is up near the sand dunes, it’s just south of Empire. It’s called the Platte River, it’s called Riverside Canoe Rentals. And it’s this lazy canoe trip that takes you through a little lake and you end up in Lake Michigan. Well, you don’t have to go into it. You probably shouldn’t in a canoe.”
​Edelman: “For an upcoming show, we just did a Rouge River Kayak tour around Zug Island.”
Daldin: “We just filmed that, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that! It’s called the Rouge Industrial Tour (from Riverside Kayak Connection), and it takes you through the belly of the industrial beast down there. And you actually kayak right past giant freighters, huge industrial complexes. And when you end, you come out into the Detroit River. And there you are, the bridge to your left, huge freighters going by. It’s pretty amazing.”

Considering you guys probably have seen them all… best rest stop in Michigan

​Edelman: “I’ve been amazed that they’re all consistently really good. We did go into the welcome centers, because I figured those had to be better, right? And the welcome center up in Sault Ste Marie was pretty fancy.”
Daldin: “Where’s the rest stop that we stopped at and there was a hike? You can go on a hike that went up. And we all, like a bunch of little kids, we all pile out of the car…and we went on this little hike that had a beautiful overlook. But I can’t tell you where it is.” 
Edelman: “It is on I-75.”
 

Editor’s Note: After some painstaking Google research, Detroit Today producers were able to confirm that the rest area with the scenic overlook in question is, in fact, the Hebron Rest Area off of I-75 in Cheboygan, which has its own Facebook page.