Two British influencers came to Michigan. Here’s why it’s a good thing

Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to remind us that we live in a special place — even in our coldest months. 

This reminder arrived in recent weeks with British accents, wide-eyed disbelief, and a steady stream of appreciation. Josh & Jase – Josh Cauldwell-Clarke and Jason Riley – are two British creators traveling the U.S. under the mantra, “Two Brits experiencing America one state at a time.” 

They made Michigan their first stop in the middle of winter. And they’re having a blast. 

What’s easy to forget is that this didn’t start with a plane ticket. It started online. 

Their first Michigan videos were their reactions to other people’s posts about life in our state: frozen beaches, towering dunes, and waves crashing on what we casually call a lake. 

At first, they were simply reacting. Then curiosity turned into fascination. And eventually, they decided they had to see it for themselves.

Outsiders’ view

Together, they have millions of followers across several social platforms under the handles of The Accent Guy and Josh From England. 

Their enthusiastic reports quickly grabbed Michigan’s attention, and since then, followers worldwide have taken notice of the Mitten State.

The pair made videos standing on the beach in Lake Michigan.  “You’re telling us this ‘lake’ isn’t an ocean?” they asked, stunned by waves crashing along the frozen shoreline. “This has blown our minds.”

Where locals often see cold and gray, they saw something they called “America the beautiful.”

As they made stops along the Lakeshore – South Haven, Saugatuck, Holland – the wonder never wore off.

In Saugatuck, they climbed all 303 steps of Mount Baldhead, pausing often and laughing through the effort, before being rewarded with sweeping views of the river and town below. 

In Holland, they joked that they felt like they were “in the middle of Holland in Europe,” admitting their “British brains couldn’t comprehend” that they were still in Michigan.

But it wasn’t just the scenery that left an impression.

Over and over, they pointed to the people. They noted that Americans are always friendly, but the Lakeshore was the first place they’d ever been greeted with flowers. 

Thanks to recommendations, they discovered a breakfast spot where they were surprised with cinnamon rolls topped with bacon. 

At their Airbnb, they woke up to donuts and snacks left on the doorstep by a host who turned out to be a fan. “This is why we love America,” they posted.

‘This is family’

The duo has been intentional about giving back. Josh & Jase made it clear they aren’t paid to promote local businesses. They go where residents recommend, encouraging followers to support small restaurants they call “the backbone and heart of everything.”

One of the sweetest moments came when they attended their first college basketball game at Hope College. 

“These guys were wonderful humans and genuinely so interested in finding these small towns,”  says Stephanie Schafer, Hope’s director of communications. “We reached out to them on their social media accounts after seeing them in the area, asking if they’d like to experience a college basketball game.

“We rolled out the Hope College and Holland hospitality for them,” inviting them to sit in the student cheering section and officially welcoming them with a message on the electronic scoreboard.

“They had a blast,” Schafer says. “They stayed until the end of the game and literally were some of the last ones left in the building … because they wanted to engage with each fan,”

What was supposed to be a fun cultural experience turned into something overwhelming when hundreds stood in line to take photos with them. Afterward, they shared a message: “This is more than just numbers. This is a community. This is family.”

Here along the Lakeshore, we like to describe our solutions journalism mission as simply highlighting people and organizations doing good things in our communities.

Sometimes that includes visitors who first discover us through a screen, and then care enough to show up.

In the hardest season of the year, two Brits came to see for themselves. And in doing so, they reminded us that what we call ordinary is something pretty extraordinary.

Photos courtesy of Hope College and Josh & Jace Facebook page.