Michigan - The Great Lakes State
I never thought about it before, but we learned that there are many states that begin with the letter “M”. In fact, there are eight and Michigan is #4. This trip, in the summer of 2009, was a another fabulous family trip. I rented a house on the shore of Lake Michigan, just south of the charming town of Charlevoix in northern Michigan. A friend of ours who was born and raised in Detroit suggested that we visit this area, where she and her family had vacationed every year. This year, Owen’s good friend Arthur joined us, so we had five kids again. The house was perfect for a family vacation. There was a spacious yard with a sandy beach and many amenities. On the lawn was a corn hole game, which the kids loved to play. In the house there was a juke box and a popcorn machine as well as an electrified version of Monopoly. The kids had plenty to do, including lots of time to swim in the lake. We were surprised that the water was so warm given how Michigan has such long and cold winters.
The town of Charlevoix is very small, with a population of 2,513 as of the 2010 census, but there are many cute shops, art galleries and restaurants in the downtown area. On our first visit, there was a band playing in the bandstand adjacent to the boat harbor, and they were pretty good. It was a sunny and warm, picture-perfect day so we spent some time listening and relaxing. On another day, we all drove to Charlevoix and rented bikes and rode them to another charming town, Petoskey. Mackenzie was still little, so Terry rented a bike with a seat for her. The terrain was very flat, so it was an easy ride, but there were no restaurants between Charlevoix and Petoskey. The kids were getting very hungry, so we stopped for lunch at a gas station convenience store. It wasn’t a healthy meal, something grandmas are concerned with, but it satisfied the kids’ cravings for junk food. We were charmed with Petoskey when we arrived. It is a lakeside community known for its natural beauty, Victorian architecture and Gaslight Shopping District. We had lots of fun riding around and seeing the sites. It was 34 miles round trip between Charlevoix and Petoskey, so we were all tired by the time we returned the bicycles. I was impressed that the kids were able to make the trip without any complaints.
Another day we decided to explore the Old Mission Peninsula. We drove to Traverse City, then headed north on the 18-mile narrow finger of land that extends into the center of Grand Traverse Bay. The peninsula is known for its wineries, so we visited a couple of them. One was located on a hillside so while we were inside tasting wine, the kids were happily rolling down the hill on the grass, then walking back up and doing it again – numerous times. The peninsula is also known for its tart cherries, so we had to stop at the famous Island View Orchards which has been in the same family for six generations. We also stopped at the Mission View Lighthouse, at the end of the main route, where we climbed to the top and enjoyed the view. It was opened for maritime service in 1870 and decommissioned in 1933. It is a popular tourist destination these days. Outside the lighthouse were swings and a slide. I have a great photo of all the kids hanging from the top bar of the swings. With arms outstretched and legs dangling, they look like a bunch of colorful monkeys. The Old Mission General Store offered lots of choices for sandwiches and treats in their café and had interesting antiques for the adults in our group. The store has been a staple in this small village since 1839.
We promised the kids that on our way back from the Old Mission Peninsula to our house we would stop at Pirates Cove Adventure Park in Traverse City. The boys loved the zip line and rope course activities while Marnie and Mackenzie had fun in the bumper boats. It was the perfect way to end this excursion.
One of our favorite days on the trip was spent on Mackinac Island. The island boasts a rich history, but it’s most famous for its preservation of the gilded Victorian era in architecture and lifestyle. You cannot drive on the island which necessitates taking a ferry from the mainland. When we arrived downtown on Main Street, it was bustling and the first thing we noticed were all the horse-drawn carriages. We learned that more than 500 horses are stabled on the island all summer to pull carriages and haul freight. We decided to rent bicycles and were able to explore the whole island that way. Main Street is filled with shops, and we had to indulge in some fudge once we heard about how ultra-delicious and ultra-rich this Mackinac specialty is. We learned that the locals like to call the tourists “fudgies,” so we figured we weren’t the only ones who indulged. We walked off some of the calories by hiking up to Fort Mackinac, a military outpost built by the British in 1780 to ward off upstart American colonists. It was fun to wander around and see the restored quarters, costumed guides, cannon salutes, and glorious views of downtown, the marina and a broad sweep of Lake Huron.
Mackinac’s most famous landmark is the opulent Grand Hotel with its much photographed 660-foot-long front porch, impeccable grounds covered with blooming flowers, and a time-weathered ambience including bocce ball and high tea. Marnie and Terry took the kids swimming at the beach while Andy and I spent time in this Greek Revival palace. We were told it is the largest summer resort hotel in the world. Inside we saw still photos from the movie Somewhere in Time. This 1980 cult classic with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour had the Grand Hotel as its backdrop.
On the last day, Terry stayed at the house with the kids so they could have more time in the water and on the beach while Marnie, Andy and I visited some art galleries in the area. One of our favorites was the Bier Art Gallery and Pottery Studio which exhibited an impressive collection of ceramic decorative guitars. We bought one of these colorful guitars for Marnie and a couple of plates for ourselves. Everything there was beautiful, including the flowers in the extensive garden and the sculptures displayed on the grounds outside the studio. When we returned, we enjoyed yet another beautiful sunset off the back deck. Lake Michigan is so huge, it felt to us like we were perched on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Our friends were right when they told us that this part of Michigan is a vacation paradise.
