Having never been to Michigan myself and entering the state through what felt like a militarized zone in a zombie movie (see previous blog post, "Oh, Canada"), we had no idea what to expect. Turns out adding the Wolverine State to our itinerary was a stellar choice (Side note — I couldn’t draw a picture of a wolverine until this trip and had a strong suspicion that it was a fictional animal. Turns out, wolverines are REAL).
Because we had a 7 year old with us, we kept our eyes peeled for the types of things that tend to make 10-12 hour days in the car more palatable. Michigan as a whole offered a plethora of entertainment and adventure for us all.
Cherry Republic (Glen Arbor)
We could’ve spent a full weekend at Cherry Republic. It was that pretty and relaxing and fun. It felt like my idea of a simpler America, and while that may seem like a bold statement for a restaurant/gift shop campus, if you visit, you’ll see what I mean. We spent the afternoon playing ring toss and entering into cherry pit spitting competitions under the trees, drinking cherry pop and hard cider, and listening to music. All this with our cat and dog along for the fun. It was so idyllic, I didn’t want to leave.
Pirate’s Cove (Traverse City)
One of our family’s favorite pastimes is Mini Golf, specifically Pirate themed Mini Golf. We’ve been to almost half of the dozen plus Pirate’s Cove locations (Cape Cod and the Adirondacks are particular favorites). Traverse City was just as fun, and also offered bumper boats, which made our 7 years old’s day.
Along with the usual suspects, we found some beautiful places to play along the shores of Lake Michigan. One of our favorites was a playground on the beach, perfect for a stop to stretch our legs and play against the backdrop of a gorgeous Midwestern summer day.
Sleeping Bear Dunes (Leelanau)
Sleeping Bear Dunes is the kind of place you have to experience to believe. When you've been driving through forests and fields, it's shocking to be met with dunes taller than sky scrapers and bottomless blue water that looks and feels like an ocean.
The dunes are enough of a draw that people regularly climb down them to reach the water, only to run out of energy before they can begin the journey back. If you're planning to make the trek, plan ahead. Know that while the top of the dune or the water below doesn't look that far from where you're starting, traversing sand requires significantly more energy than hiking a hard-packed trail. Bring sunscreen, water, a hat, and snacks before you attempt the Dune Climb. Heat exhaustion is one of the things that keeps people from making the return climb. Planning ahead will likely keep you from needing to be rescued, which not only takes first responders away from lifesaving work but also comes with a hefty fee of up to $3000.
Mackinac Bridge (Mackinaw City)
The “Mighty Mac,” which opened to traffic in 1957, is a 5 mile (!) suspension bridge that connects Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The water in the Mackinac Strait is possibly the clearest, most pristine water we’ve ever seen. Sitting on the shore, skipping rocks and staring down at that beautiful clear water made us feel that we’d been transported to a more pure, less polluted version of the world. Since that’s part of what we were seeking with our move, this first stop in Michigan felt like proof that we were headed in the right direction.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore & Miner's Falls (Alger County)
I feel as though I've already impressed this upon you, but Michigan was such an incredible surprise that I keep wondering why people aren't constantly asking if you've heard of it. And the Upper Peninsula? Well, that is magic. Pure and simple. After Pictured Rocks, I started wondering if we should just stay in Michigan rather than continuing West. I'd seen a few of the Great Lakes from various vantage points before, but Lake Superior truly is a marvel. I'm always a bit awestruck when a place contains so much natural beauty that it doesn't seem to know what to do with it all. Michigan is like that to me.
The color of the water, the size of the lake, the scale and diversity of the nature surrounding it, the lack of crowds (owing, I assume, to the vast amount of wonders) -- it was all enough to make me want to put down roots. If this had been a fact finding trip rather than a journey to a new home we'd already purchased, I might be writing to you from Michigan.
We had one day on the Lower Peninsula and one day on the Upper Peninsula, but if you go, I'd recommend taking your time. I could have easily spent a week in each spot. While we were at Pictured Rocks, we also took a short hike to Miner's Falls, which was lovely and easy enough to do with a 7 year old and a pup. If you have more time, and are traveling without pets, there are kayak tours and boat cruises which allow you to see the full beauty of the cliffs. A return trip for just that purpose is on my bucket list.
Next up in our road trip journey: Cheese, cows, and roller coasters
Happy journeying!
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