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Sleeping Bear Dunes Voted 'Most Beautiful Place In America'

DETROIT (WWJ) - "Good Morning America" has named Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore the "Most Beautiful Place in America."

Thousands of "GMA" viewers voted the park as top spot, beating out other popular destinations such as the winter wonderland that is Aspen, Colorado and the beach paradise Lanikai Beach, Hawaii.

The search for the "Most Beautiful Place in America" began in June, when "GMA" asked viewers to nominate their favorite places. From the submissions, "GMA" narrowed the field down to 10 places:  Sleeping Bear Dunes, Mich.; Newport, R.I.; Cape Cod, Mass.; Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif.; Aspen, Colo.; Sedona, Ariz; Destin, Fla.; Asheville, N.C.; Lanikai Beach, Hawaii; and Grand Teton National Park, Wyo.

Jim Madole of Grand Rapids nominated Sleeping Bear Dunes for its natural beauty.

One of the nations best kept secrets, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore boasts 64 miles of beaches along Lake Michigan, two islands, 26 inland lakes and more than 50,000 acres of land. The most prominent features, and those for which the park is named, are the perched dunes above Lake Michigan.

Whether you're on the sandy bluffs overlooking one of Michigan's Great Lakes, in a canoe on an inland lake, hiking the myriad of trails through the forest or visiting the Manitou Islands in Lake Michigan, you'll find opportunities for bird watching, wildlife viewing and enjoying nature while at this park.

For more information about Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, visit nps.gov. To download a virtual brochure, click here.

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