The 45^th parallel is a circle of latitude halfway between the Earth’s Equator and the North Pole. Running through Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Traverse City, the 45^th parallel also runs through Gaylord, a vacation hotspot in the middle of Michigan. Gaylord is the largest city and county seat of Ostego County, which was created in 1875 after a railroad was built to what is now Gaylord. Like many cities in Northern Michigan, Gaylord began as a logging community and is now a recreation destination, sporting 17 golf courses, hiking trails, and over 300 miles of snowmobile tracks. The city is also a short drive from Mackinaw City and the ferries to Mackinac Island as well as area casinos.

The housing stock in Gaylord runs toward high-end vacation and summer homes ranging anywhere from 2,000 square feet to 5,500 square feet. The shoreline of Ostego Lake is prime real estate, and homes near golf courses tend to be popular as well. As one might expect from high-end vacation homes, they are modern, clean, well-built, and feature a variety of amenities, from outdoor kitchens to pools. You can fill your home with items from the recently-built Meijer, Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Kohl’s, or any of the myriad shops downtown.

Gaylord is served by the Gaylord Community Schools, which includes two elementary schools, one intermediate school, one middle school, and one high school. The high school athletic teams compete in the Michigan High School Athletic Association. St. Mary Cathedral School is a private school.

Away from school, and as one might expect from a city that boasts of its recreational activities, Gaylord and its immediate surroundings sport 11 city parks, offering opportunities for baseball, basketball, tennis, hiking, biking, and snow shoeing. Horseback riding is allowed in the Louis M. Groen Nature Preserve. Need some muscle? Rent a pontoon boat, fishing boat, jetski, or snowmobile. Like fishing? Enjoy one of 90 lakes and rives. Try a popular pastime: Mushroom hunting. Canoe. Kayak. Try spotting elk in the Pigeon River State Forest. In autumn, enjoy the luscious fall colors; in the winter, take a sleigh ride or give your legs a workout cross-country skiing. And if physical exertion isn’t your thing, the Alpine Village gives you plenty of dining and shopping options, including a traditional Main Street with quaint gift shops.

Don’t forget the community events! AlpenFest, one of the largest festivals in northern Michigan, happens every summer in Gaylord. Attractions include a parade, a carnival, rides, a Queen’s Pageant, live music, a 10K, childrens’ activities, and an art fair. Gaylord bills AlpenFest as the city’s unofficial homecoming. The festival also has a winter companion, Alpenfrost, a daylong event featuring a 5K, live music, a chili/soup cook-off, childrens’ activities, ice sculpting, a wreath toss, and the infamous Polar Plunge, in which brave souls jump into bone-chilling water to raise money for charity.