I was born and raised in Michigan (25 years) and recently moved to North Carolina. My personal opinion would be to look elsewhere, but that's just me.
Michigan in general is very "meh", I.e., the hikes are OK, the rivers are OK, the beaches are OK, the food/beer is OK. I always found that (and I was one of these people too...) that Michigan people latch on to facts that make the place sound cooler than it is (I.e., the Beer City USA thing.... Founders is the only reason GR won that). If you're looking for a big house in an "OK" place with brutal winters, then Michigan is your place. If you're set on it, I would highly recommend Rockford or East Grand Rapids.
After having seen this thread bounce back and forth for a few weeks I'll finally bite:
I've lived in mid-Michigan for 5 years, but am originally from east coast.
This guy hit it on the head. MI is very much 'ok'. There are hikes, but most of the good outdoors activities are in the UP which is far away. There is only one hike (in the LP) I go to back to every year and enjoy, the Manistee River Trail. Most of others aren't super scenic. There is skiing in MI, but it costs almost as much as west coast and is a fraction of the vertical gain; will only be entertaining if you are a beginner skier. There are wine vineyards, but doesn't compare to other states' vineyards. The winters suck; mostly how long they are. The central part of the state dodges some of the lake effect, so where I live the snow is manageable. On the other hand, the summers are very mild and rarely intensely hot. And one cannot visit MI without learning how badly the roads suck.
There are places I will disagree on: Beer and fruits. The beer/cider/mead scene in MI is fantastic. One of the top states in the country. Also, MI produces fantastic quality, berries, cherries, and apples, so you can get a treat while in harvest.
A plus for MI is low cost of living; this is probably the biggest selling point to make it a place to FIRE and is a reasonably large plus.
I also wonder if global warming will make MI more attractive in the longer term future.
Finally, it should be noted that there are different strokes for different folks. Some people like long winters (winter activities). Some people really like lake-life (living on a lake, boating, etc...), very feasible in MI.
