Vacation Day Trips: Port Sanilac, Michigan

We did a little day tripping during our recent vacation in Lexington, Michigan. More than once we drove along M-25 north, looking for restaurants, garage sales, and a little adventure.

One of the few really good meals I had all week was at The Stone Lodge in Port Sanilac. I had a nice, fresh salad, but most notable was the spinach and artichoke dip, as well as the bread spread with spinach and artichoke dip and topped with cheese and tomatoes. Don't judge. There's spinach in it, I firmly believe it can't be all bad.

In this area of Michigan, there are roadside parks instead of rest stops. They typically provide gorgeous views, perhaps a basic bathroom (likely with no running water), maybe a picnic table or two, and beach access. At one such park on the way to Port Sanilac (maybe even in Port Sanilac), I was busily snapping pictures when a man pointed out that there were a couple Christopher Columbus replica ships sailing on the lake.

Is it the Nina, the Pinta, or the Santa Maria? Lake Huron

At an M-25 Roadside Park

Beautiful Lucy with beautiful Lake Huron

M-25 Roadside Park

Meema and the kids

On the final day of vacation, after we checked out of the cottage, we drove to Port Sanilac once more to have lunch at a restaurant we had passed another day, Uri's. I had a baked potato and a house salad, which turned out to be a really good lunch. The restaurant is on the second floor of a sailing school, overlooking the Port Sanilac marina. I was particularly impressed with how they handled our corn dog dilemma. Corn dog #1: dropped on the floor. Corn dog #2: frozen inside. Corn dog #3: success. Number of corn dogs on the bill: one.

Since we were not anxious for our vacation to end, we sauntered over to the nearby playground after lunch. It was a cute little park with a lovely view. Our visit to Port Sanilac was a pleasant way to wrap up our trip. We passed an historical museum that looked interesting and that I wouldn't mind checking out on a future return visit. And I would definitely go back to Port Sanilac again just to eat at the Stone Lodge or Uri's.

Uri's, Port Sanilac, Michigan

Uri's, Port Sanilac, Michigan

Port Sanilac, Michigan

Vacation Day Trips: Port Austin, Michigan

When our vacation to Port Austin, Michigan fell through this year, we wound up in Lexington instead. We had a great time on our alternate vacation, but we couldn't stay away from our beloved Port Austin. So we took a little day trip.

Ordinarily, the drive from Lexington to Port Austin would be just over an hour and a half (ish). But we ran into a detour that took us away from the scenic M-25 and deep into farm country. Luckily we were not in Detroit, where detours are not typically well-marked, to put it mildly. So we made it to our destination with no trouble, it just took a little longer than we had expected. The farmland drive was pretty too, especially if you enjoy looking at lots and lots of corn, with a few cows thrown in for good measure.

In The Bank's entrance way. Port Austin, Michigan

Our first stop in Port Austin was The Bank for lunch. This used to be one of my favorite restaurants. The food was fantastic. But, I've noticed that in recent years the food has gone way down hill. It isn't cheap either. We had a great waitress, I'll give them that, and the setting (in an actual old bank building) is definitely unique. I ordered vegetarian quiche and it was awful. The roll that came with it tasted like freezer burn, and the grapes had a moldy flavor. My mother-in-law loved her lunch (chicken salad on a croissant), but I was sorely disappointed in mine. Eating vegetarian while traveling has proven to be a bit of a thorn in my side. The options are so limited. 

After lunch we drove all the way to Caseville, 17 miles each way, just to go thrifting at a little resale shop in town. We probably spent a little too much time in there, but it is something my kids look forward to each year. I know, totally weird, right?

When we got back to Port Austin, we stopped at the soda fountain for ice cream. Chris had told the kids to have a cherry soda for him, which was what he liked to order at the very same shop when he was a kid. So Bethany, Connor, and Lucy each had a cherry soda, while Mattie and I had some regular old ice cream. They have really good ice cream, with some flavors you don't see every day - like carrot cake. There is also a gift shop attached. Please note that although the sign on the door says "no public restroom", there actually is a restroom, and if you ask the cashier she will give you a key. Customers only, though.

Beach time! Port Austin, Michigan

By this time it was starting to get late in the afternoon. We headed to the beach to hang out for a few hours. There are two public beaches in Port Austin. One of them is right there in town, at the marina. There is a newer playground too. But construction was going on all around (I'm wondering what they're up to??), and the restrooms were inaccessible. So we drove down the road to the other beach. Just follow East Spring Street east, past the first beach, and you will come to a sign on the left hand side directing you to the beach. You'll have to drive through a neighborhood to get there, but it is a quick five minutes from the other beach. At this beach there is an older playground and a wooden boardwalk that lines the beach, with shaded picnic tables along the way. 

We chose a picnic table, plunked down all our junk, and the kids got busy in the water. One of the things I love about this beach is that I can sit at the picnic table and watch my kids on the beach, without actually going on the beach if I so choose. There are never many people there, which is awesome sauce in my book. The water is very calm at this beach, because there is a break wall, but it is warm and shallow and not rocky. It is full of sea weed though. Kind of icky in parts, and it really scared Mattie. She didn't want to go in the water much at all because of it. Judging from her screams of terror, you might have thought she had encountered a new breed of freshwater sharks, indigenous to the Great Lakes. But she is a beach baby, and was perfectly happy building her sand castles.

Mathilda hated her dress. A lot. The Farm, Port Austin, MI

Although we really didn't want our beach fun to end, we had made reservations at a nearby restaurant. I was in desperate need of a good meal at this point. We got changed and cleaned up a little in the restrooms, which were passably clean. Then we drove a few miles down M-25 (toward Caseville) to Port Crescent Road and The Farm. The Farm is probably the best restaurant in the area. Or maybe I'm just gloating because they provided me with what was, by far, the best meal I had the entire week of our vacation. I had the Spring Vegetable Strudel and it was to die for. Delicious. I want to eat it again, right now. The menu does change from time to time, but everything is delicious - from the bread basket right on down to dessert. Speaking of dessert, Mathilda and I shared the creme brulee. So ridiculously good.

By the time we got back to our Lexington cottage, it was past 11:30. What a long day!

Who is that mysterious stranger lurking at the beach? Port Austin, Michigan

Reading at the beach. Port Austin, Michigan

Kayaks on the beach. Port Austin, Michigan

Cheese smiles at The Farm. Port Austin, Michigan

With dessert fresh in their minds, these are some very happy kids. The Farm, Port Austin, Michigan

Vacation Day Trips: Croswell, Michigan

We did a little day-tripping during our recent vacation in Lexington, Michigan. The main road in the area is M-25, which hugs Lake Huron in many places along the way, making for a fantastically scenic route.

Croswell's "famous" swinging bridge

But our first little adventure was not on the lake at all. There is one stop light in Lexington, and if you turn east at the light you will find yourself driving toward the lake. If you turn west you will soon arrive in the town of Croswell. Besides being home to a Pioneer Sugar factory, Croswell's claim to fame is its swinging bridge. Since my childhood days of vacationing in Lexington, I have been coming to the swinging bridge. I hadn't been there in a few years, but I managed to find it. Of course I can't remember detailed directions at the moment, but I know I made one turn. There's a Ben Franklin dime store nearby. Look for signs leading you to Croswell's "famous" swinging bridge. The town is not that big and I'm absolutely certain anyone you pass would be able to point you in the right direction.

Other than the addition of a little splash pad, the park which houses the swinging bridge hasn't changed much at all since I was a kid. The splash pad is on one side of the bridge, and a little playground is on the other side. There is parking available on both sides. On the playground side, there are a couple port-a-potties. On the splash pad side, there is a proper restroom, although be warned that my mother-in-law ventured in and said it was pretty awful. There are also a few picnic tables and barbecue grills scattered around the park.

So the bridge. It's not like epic Indiana Jones style or anything, but I honestly didn't know if my kids would go on it. It does swing, and it does go over a body of water. Some of them are not terribly fond of heights. But they all crossed it and did fine, until some dumb jerk decided to be cute and start swinging it like crazy, side to side. This nonsense terrified Mathilda, and she started screaming her head off. Luckily we were near the end, so she didn't have to endure the terror for long. I couldn't even pick her up because I was afraid I would lose my balance and drop her. It looks fairly sturdy, but I don't know. And the idiot who was getting his jollies off of frightening little kids, he was not some teenager, but a grown man. Why he couldn't wait two more minutes for my family to get off the bridge, I'll never know.

We parked on the splash pad side, so our reward for crossing the bridge was a few minutes of running around at the playground. Then we crossed back over and bought ice cream from an enterprising young lady who was selling frozen treats out of a cooler attached to her bicycle. We didn't know about the splash pad, so we hadn't brought swim suits and towels along. So the kids enjoyed their ice cream, Bethany and Connor ran across the bridge one last time, and we were off.

The sign at the beginning of Croswell's swinging bridge. Why? I couldn't tell you.

Swinging Bridge playground, Croswell, Michigan

Swinging Bridge playground, Croswell, Michigan

Swinging Bridge playground, Croswell, Michigan

One more time across Croswell's "famous" swinging bridge

Croswell, Michigan

Still Looking For Somewhere to Vacation This Summer?

The following is a "re-print" of a post I published just over a year ago. Besides the ideas described below, I have a few other close-to-home vacation ideas up my sleeve. Well, close to home if you happen to live in southeast Michigan! Some other places my family likes to visit include:

• Toledo, Ohio. I've written about our adventures in Toledo and the surrounding area several times, like HERE,and HERE,and HERE, and again HERE. It might not sound like fun, but read my posts - there's actually a lot to do! 
• Michigan's "thumb" region. We generally make at least one trip a year to Port Austin or Caseville. It's a long standing tradition that started when Chris and his brother were little boys.
• Grand Rapids. One of these days I'll dig through all my old pictures and do up a whole post about how much I love the Grand Rapids area, but there is a ton to do and it's really beautiful on Michigan's west coast. 
• Chicago. I heart Chicago. Big time. There is tons and tons to do, and it's only a 5 or 6 hour drive from Detroit. You can even do nothing but walk around window shopping and people watching and still have fun.

Then there are some places I hope to visit at some point with the kids, but we haven't made it yet. For example:

• Toronto. Another big city, only about 4 hours from Detroit. I went there when I was a kid and would love to get back there.
• Michigan's Adventure. The only big amusement park in the state, complete with a really fun looking water park. Although I've never been, I have been to Muskegon, the west Michigan town where it's located, and it is home to a beautiful state park.
• London, Ontario. In particular, I'd like to take the kids to the maybe kind of hokey  but still cute looking Storybook Gardens. It's on my short list for this summer.

I love to travel. If I don't get out of town every once in awhile, I start to get ants in my pants. Being a one income family and lacking a money tree in the backyard, most of the traveling we've done since becoming parents has been limited to the close to home variety. Luckily Michigan has quite a bit to offer, and so do Canada and Ohio. We've had some fantastic trips, all within a few hours drive from our home in southeast Michigan. The travel season is upon us, so here are five summer getaways I think every kid should experience.

1. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Niagara Falls is one of the largest and most well-known waterfalls in the world. It is a site to behold, especially when there are a few rainbows in view. I sort of have a thing for waterfalls, so this is just the kind of attraction I love. Besides the natural wonder of the falls, there are tons of touristy attractions and activities in the area. So if the kids tire of gazing at the thundering water and getting sprayed by its mist, you can choose from things like wax museums, Build-A-Bear, the Sky Wheel (giant heated ferris wheel overlooking the falls), and haunted houses. Yes it's kind of kitschy, but it's fun and you can walk just about everywhere. There are hotels and restaurants in all price ranges too. Travel time from metro Detroit: approximately 4-5 hours.
2. Hocking Hills State Park, Logan, Ohio I've written about this place before because I love it. If you think Ohio is boring, think again! My kids would rather go here than Disney World, that's how much fun they had when we visited last year. There are several natural attractions in the region, such as waterfalls, gorges, and caves. The awesome thing about Hocking Hills is that it has been left so natural. You just park and start following a trail, and pretty soon, like within seconds, you won't believe the beauty before you. It's like walking into another world. This also means there are no restrooms (you will find them located near the parking - make sure everyone tries before you get started!), pop machines, or food vendors of any kind. Also no souveneir stands, safety guard rails or pretty much restrictions of any kind. And did I mention FREE? This place is absolutely incredible. There are cottages galore in the area; the ones for rent right on State Park property are nothing fancy but perfectly serviceable and very reasonably priced. Approximate drive time from Metro Detroit: 4-5 hours.
3. Mackinac Island, Michigan This island located in northern Michigan is famous the world over. People come from all over to leave their cars behind and ride a ferry boat from Mackinaw City (or St. Ignace in Michigan's Upper Peninsula) to Mackinac Island. That's right, there are absolutely no cars allowed on the island, with the exception of a few emergency vehicles. Bicycle, horse and carriage, or your own two feet are the preferred methods of transportation. The main street is bustling with restaurants, fudge shops, and gift stores galore. You can explore the island on your own, most of which is state park property, or take a guided tour. Your can check out Fort Mackinac or the many natural attractions on the island. Don't forget to snap a few pictures of the Mackinac Bridge on your way to or from the mainland. At five miles long, (and the3rd largest suspension bridge in the world), the bridge connects Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Travel time from Metro Detroit area: approximately 4-5 hours.
4. Michigan's Upper Peninsula Crossing over the Mackinac Bridge, high above the Straits of Mackinac (where two of the Great Lakes - Lake Huron and Lake Michigan - meet), into the Upper Peninsula is like entering a completely different world world, one with lots of forests and lakes and hills and waterfalls. There are touristy places to be sure, but the U.P. definitely has the feeling of undeveloped, quiet remoteness. The air is fresher. Life slows down. I have great childhood memories of Upper Peninsula vacations, and my hope is to provide my children with the same kinds of experiences I enjoyed. Things like going fishing,visiting the Soo Locks, walking along the shores of Lake Superior, exploring the water front college town of Marquette, pulling a raft across Big Springs, and seeing Tahquamenon Falls. Travel time from Metro Detroit to St. Ignace, the first city on the other side of the Mackinac Bridge: approximately 4-5 hours. 
5. The Shores of Lake Michigan The best beaches in Michigan can be found along the shores of Lake Michigan, on the Western side of the state. The sand is soft and the water is good for swimming or boogie boarding. Huge sand dunes can be found here and there along the coast, just waiting to be climbed. There are beach towns, like Saugatuck, an artsy community with unique sculptures decorating its quaint streets, and Harbor Springs with its upper crust shops and antique vendors. Or you can just drive along the shoreline and stop off at any beach you happen to pass...just literally park on the side of the road and walk on down to the beach. Travel time from Metro Detroit area: approximately 3 hours to Saugatuck, in southwest Michigan, approximately 5 hours to Harbor Springs in northwest Michigan, or anything in between.

Niagara Falls

Hocking Hills State Park

Mackinac Island carriage ride

Mackinac Bridge at dusk

Random Lake Michigan beach

I'd love to hear what your favorite close-to-home travel destinations are, and what you love about them!

My Michigan Memory: Sublime Summertime in Michigan

I'm linking up with Mrs. Weber's Neighborhood for My Michigan Memory! Go on and check out the 'hood, and while you're there, enter to win a family 4-pack of tickets to Midland Center for the Arts, which has a Bob the Builder exhibit now through August 18th! If you're a blogger, you can link up your own My Michigan Memory post for extra entries in the contest!


The following is taken from a post I wrote at the end of last summer. It's a little run-down in pictures of some of our favorite times last summer. Sometimes I complain about living in Michigan (usually in the dead of winter...), but summertime is a lovely time to live in the Mitten State!


It really, really was such a fabulous summer. As always, I'm sorry we didn't get more in before the start of the new school year. But we concentrated a lot on doing nothing this summer too - which definitely has its own charms!

Happy back to school to you. Happy end of summer, happy fall. 

Bethany & Mattie at the pool

Hanging out with cousins ~ Lexington ~

Connor, Lucy, Bethany, and Mathilda ~ Lexington ~

Sno Cones with friends at the park

Splash pad

Lucy ~ Sleeping Bear Dunes ~ 

Mattie & Bethany ~ Sleeping Bear Dunes ~

Starting the climb ~ Sleeping Bear Dunes ~

Lucy ~ Sleeping Bear Dunes~

Connor & Lucy ~ Sleeping Bear Dunes ~

Kiddies with their Auntie Mary ~ Sleeping Bear Dunes ~

The kids at Sleeping Bear Dunes with my 'lil sis

Lovely family picture ~ Frankfort ~ Lake Michigan ~

Bethany ~ crystal clear Lake Michigan ~

Lucy ~ beautiful Lake Michigan beach ~ Frankfort

Lucy

Cottage in Frankfort

Connor & the Playmobil pirate ~ Frankfort ~

Lucy enjoying a caramel covered rice crispy treat ~ Frankfort ~

Downtown with friends

Playing in the fountains outside of the Renaissance Center

Oh Canada ~ view from Detroit RiverFront

Carousel ride downtown