On this episode of Behind the Mitten, John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman record for the from Michigan Tourism Conference 2018 in Grand Rapids. This episode aired on April 7-8 on multiple radio stations across the state.

Segment 1: Mary Beth Stutzman, president & CEO of the Alpena Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, returns to the show. John and Amy visited the Alpena area on Episide 149. Listen here at https://www.spreaker.com/user/michigangonzo/btm-episode-148-heres-why-you-need-to-vi
Learn more about Alpena at http://www.visitalpena.com/

Segment 2 (Listen at 10:00): Tracy Padot, vice president of marketing communications at the Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau, talks about the many great neighborhoods you can experience. Of course we talk food, beer and spirits, too.
Learn more about Lansing at http://www.lansing.org/

Segment 3 (Listen at 18:53): President and CEO Deanna Richeson of Check in Michigan announced at the conference the name change from the Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association. She explains what Check in Michigan means to everyone.
Learn more at https://www.checkinmichigan.org/
Read the MLive story at http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/03/michigan_lodging_and_tourism_a.html

Segment 4 (Listen at 28:50): Jessica Shepherd from MLive joins John and Amy to talk about her recent article about the most beautiful places to visit in each of Michigan's 83 counties. And she helps pick Beer of the Week, which comes from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. (Jolly Pumpkin recently opened in Grand Rapids.)
Read Jessica's article at http://www.mlive.com/expo/erry-2018/03/96dbb2a742/the_most_beautiful_place_in_ea.html
Read the MLive story about Jolly Pumpkin at http://www.mlive.com/expo/erry-2018/03/3a9d026241/take_a_look_inside_jolly_pumpk.html

Learn more about Behind the Mitten at http://behindthemitten.com/