Frankenmuth, MI

Frankenmuth, Michigan is known as “Little Bavaria”.  A warm welcome embraces you as you enter this little German themed town.    A family fun destination to stay or to play for people of all ages year round.  It is a busy little city nestled along a river.  The town is filled with quant, unique shops.  The store fronts each carry the German detail you would expect to see overseas in Europe.   There are over 30 different attractions to visitors to enjoy. 

Frankenmuth has plenty of festivals and events.  They host German and Bavarian Festivals, traditional Okoberfest, World Expo of Beer, Auto Fest, Big Country Fest, Snow Fest and many more.  If you are looking for an adventure then look at a calendar for Frankenmuth because they are sure to have some kind of festival that with interest you. 

World Famous Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland is an attraction drawing in over two million guests per year.  It is an all year Christmas store.  It is opened 361 days per year.  It features over 50,000 holiday trims and ornaments.  The store was created in 1945 by the Bronner family.  After sveral expansions it became the World’s Largest Christmas Store with beautifully landscaped grounds that cover 27 acres.  The idea behind the store is CHRIST and decorating hearts with peace and love. 

Two restaurants also help to make Frankenmuth a world famous place to dinner and relax with friends and family.  The Bavarian Inn Restaurant and Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth both offer casual German-inspired dining.  The dining experience includes Family Style Chicken Dinners served to you by a waiting staff dressed in German attire.  There are other great places to dine in this amazing little city.  Tiffany’s Food & Spirits is a lively bar and grill located in a 1904 hotel with stained-glassed lighting, murals and outdoor patio.  Frankenmuth also has a number of breweries and pubs to feed your hunger or thirst.  You can go on tours of the breweries and sample the many unique beers they create. 

Children have a list of adventures to pick from when visiting Frankenmuth.  An indoor waterpark is sure to exciting young children.  There is also a place called Adventure Park which provides family fun for ages 7 and up.  This is an aerial adventure that is safe and exciting for all participates.  People will be using trails and zip lines to explore the canopy of woods.  You will develop skills of endurance and confidence during this adventure.  There is also a putt-putt golf course and small petting zoo to explore.  Kids will be sure to like all the choices of they have while visiting Frankenmuth. 

No matter what time of year you visit Frankenmuth, it is packed with people.  You can walk or use the horse drawn carriages to transport you from one end of town to the other.  Experiencing this Bavarian town as a child or an adult evolves a sense of nostalgia for all things good in the world; friends, family, fun, food, drinks and adventure.

Flint, MI

Not many people would think Flint, Michigan would have safe fun activities to do.  But it is amazing the wonderful things to choose from in downtown Flint.

Crossroads Village is open year round. Halloween time the kids can dress up and go for a “scary” train rides through the woods and go Trick-or-Treating from house to house in the village.  During Christmas they decorate the whole village with lights, even the little houses.  Crossroads Village is a place that takes you back in time.  A time when the pace of was slower and simpler.  Some of the little shops sell homemade jams, candy and baked goods.  But in a short visit you get a chance to take a glimpse into the past in such a unique way.

Recently, Flint announced they have been approved for a mile long slip-and-slide          !through downtown Flint. They will sell 5,000 tickets to it. The price of the tickets will range from $15-$25.

The Farmers market in Flint is new, big, clean, and welcoming.  There are many friendly and knowledgeable vendors with a variety of goods to sell people.  Vendors also do weekly cooking demonstrations.  There is food, music, veggies, and atmosphere of fun for all ages. 

Flint Institute of Arts is free for everyone on Saturdays. During the week its a very low charge or just donation to the Art exhibit.  The exhibits are great activity for families to enjoy. 

Back to the Bricks is a huge auto show held on the brick streets of downtown Flint August 14-15.  This is a must attend car show.  There is nothing else like to miles are old show cars, truck and unique autos lining the street of the infamous brick downtown streets of Flint.  The car show is a trip through decades of vehicles that changed the way we travel.  There are great restaurants and vendors providing food and drinks throughout the day. 

The Crim Festival of Races is one of the largest running events in Michigan attracting over 60,000 people and 15,000 runners.  This race has been going on for 37 years and attracts top runners from all over the world.  The city of Flint offers a preseason running program which helps people train for the crim.  The promotion of healthy habits is a great message to send to the public.  The Crim is a day of races for people of all ages and abilities.  In 2014, nearly 15,000 people participated in one of these races: 5k, 8k, 10K, 10 mile and a kid’s trot. 

Flint is a city on the rebound from deep economic disaster.  The revitalization of downtown Flint is amazing.  There are great activities, places to visit and people that help to make Flint a must stop city in Michigan.

Detroit, MI

When someone says Detroit, MI for many people the first word they think of is violence.  Detroit is known for a high crime rate, but it also has a beautiful side too.  It has many activities to do in such a diverse city.  Detroit is a very large city with many small suburbs surrounding it.  Detroit is also known as the “Motor City”.  Which has creating many jobs for people in Michigan.

Detroit has three different professional team sports The Red Wings, Tigers, and Pistons. All three of the facilities are located in downtown Detroit.  The Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons along with numerous concert hosted in the venues.  I have been lucky enough to experience all of them.  The Tigers baseball games are my favorite.  The air seems electric when its game day.  You will find vendors are racing to get inside the park to begin selling beer, popcorn, peanuts, and crackers jacks.  However, walking inside the stadium you can feel everyone around you loves the game of baseball and The Tigers.  Throughout the game you are guaranteed not to get bored.  You will experience the first pitch, the National Anthem, chants, the wave, and of course the 7^th inning stretch.  If you’re in a Detroit, then you must experience a Tigers baseball game.

Detroit has an extremely large zoo.  It is way bigger than any of the ones around mid-Michigan.  It was remolded in recent years.  It has unique animals, and a safari ride to help you see all the animals.  There are numerous restaurants for a more adult-like zoo experience or you can visit a lunch stand for a quick hotdog or snack.

A few summers ago my family and I took a trip to the Ford Rogue Plant.  As a kid I was not interested in many museums during the summer.  The summer is supposed to be a break from learning and school.  But this place was amazing. It was the best interactive tour I have been on.  It is a working car factory.  There was a simulation experience you won’t want to miss.  It is complete with fog, mist, loud noises vibrations as you experience their latest vehicle through an amazing simulation.  You also take a walking tour through a truck plant.  You actually see people making trucks on an assembly line.  It was as if you where an actual working on the line at the plant. 

Detroit has so many great adventures to offer people of all ages.  The list of unique experiences is endless in the city of Detroit.

Traverse City, MI

Traverse City is a hip trendy popping town.  People of all ages live and visit this “happening” town.  There are activities year round you can do in the Traverse area.  There are activities that range from simple and relaxing to more extravagant and exciting activities.  Traverse City has many different festivals throughout the year.  The biggest festival would be The National Cherry Festival.

The National Cherry Festival starts the first weekend of July and lasts one week.  This year will be July 4^th - July 11^th.  When I was younger I attend the festival often.  As a young child one of the coolest things about the festival was the show the Air Force Thunderbirds preform.  You can sit on the patio of The Park Place Hotel, have some lunch and drinks and be able to watch these amazing acrobatic tricks preformed overhead by fighter jets.  They have many more activities such as very cherry pancake breakfast, beach volleyball tournament, beer tent, cherry pit spitting contest, cherry pie bike ride, arts and crafts show, family sand sculpture contest, pet show, Indian pow wow, beach party, and a 5k race/walk.  But the Cherry Festival Royale Parade is one of the best parades you will ever attend.  

They also have bands preform throughout the week at outdoor theaters.  This year they are having a wide variety of concerts that included:  “Weird Al” Yankovic, Toad the Wet Spricket and Tonic, U.S. Army Band & Soldier’s Chorus, Kingsley Jazz Band, and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts concert.

Traverse City has many different kinds of destinations.  Shopping can vary from small downtown shops to traditional large company stores found at any mall. The Cherry Land Mall is out of the downtown city area.  Also out of the downtown area is The Great Wolf Lodge, which is a very large and unique indoor waterpark.  This water park is fun but is aimed more towards younger kid, not teenagers.  As you come into the downtown area you will find there are many different trendy restaurants, pubs, and bars as well as little boutiques, and specialty shops. 

Walking in downtown Traverses City is one of my favorite things to do.  You can find the latest style of clothes in the quaint little shops.  There are awesome souvenirs shores up and down the street filled with great gifts for all your family and friends back home.  Also downtown there are many coffee, pie, and candy shops.  You will get your sweet tooth fix no problem. 

Traverses City is known as wine country. Its home to over a dozen wine companies.  Wine tours are a popular tourist activity.   

Boyne, MI

Boyne Michigan offers many activates to do year round.  You can go to serene beaches, exciting ski resorts, an amazing waterpark, and thrilling zip lining adventures. 

Boyne has a state park that included beaches, boating, camping and family fun.  They are famous for this beautiful state park called Young State Park.  It is a place many families visit yearly with family and friends. 

Boyne also has watersports to offer to its visitors.  Parasailing while you in Boyne will give you an amazing views of the gorgeous hills and valleys, as well as the beautiful lakes in the surround area.  The famous Lake Charlevoix will be part of the scenery you take in will parasailing.  There is also speed boat, jet ski, and sailboat rentals to satisfy your desire for watersports.

One of the coolest things I have ever did in all of Michigan would be zip lining through the tree tops in Boyne.  Wildwood Rush Zip Line Canopy Tour in Boyne is a trip of a lifetime.  People of all ages enjoy going zip lining. Couples, families, and even older people enjoy the thrill and the beauty this outdoor adventure offers in northern Michigan.   I went with my family two years ago in the fall for my first zip lining adventure.  It was breathtaking.  I must say it was one of the most beautiful things about Michigan.  The four seasons of Michigan make it such a unique place.  We went zip lining at the peak of fall colors.  The leaves were brown, yellow, orange and red.  A sea of fall colors was in each trip through the canopy of trees traversing down the hillside.  What a thrilling experience.  Traveling from tree to tree like superman.   A small hike or a walk across a sketchy bridge led to the next traverse.  It was a guessing game what the next zip line would be like. Some are long and gradual and other are short and fast.  The last line as a total thrill ride.  You could do whatever you wanted, go upside down or backwards.  And you could go three people wide.   My sisters and I went first, we all flipped upside down.  It was a blast.

 

           

 

Winter in Boyne could be describe as a winter wonderland.  You can go skiing at Boyne Mountain.  Boyne Mountain offers 415 skiable acres.  You can choose from cross country skiing or downhill skiing.  They have 10 chairlifts, including a 6-place high speed lift, and 2 surface lifts.  The courses at Boyne are made for all different kinds skiing abilities, from beginners to experienced skiers.

Boyne has something to offer year round for active people looking for adventure and beautiful scenery. 

Mackinaw City & Mackinaw Island, MI

Mackinaw and Mackinaw Island have a variety of things to do year round.  I can remember as a little girl traveling to the Mackinaw Bridge and thinking “Wow this bridge is so big!  How did they ever build it?”  Crossing the bridge is amazing.  There is so much to look at.  The bridge, the water, the shoreline build a feeling of excitement and anticipation as you traveling this magnificent structure.  Across all 5 miles of the Mackinaw Bridge you will experience a scary, loud humming noise.  Your entire vehicle radiates with an intense vibration.  The grates creating the road you are driving on allowing you to see all the way to the blue fresh water below you.  One of coolest things about Mackinaw City is this bridge that connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan.  Crossing the bridge you have the pleasure of seeing Lake Michigan to the left and Lake Huron to the right. 

One really cool thing to do is take a ferry ride from Mackinaw City to Mackinaw Island.  On the boat ride you can either sit on the roof top deck in the open air, or you can take a seat in the enclosed deck below.  My favorite place to sit is on the deck above.  Yes, the seat on the roof is guaranteed to wreck a good hairdo, but well worth it.  While on the boat ride you can see Mackinaw City, Mackinaw Island and the Upper Peninsula.  During the summer you might be able to see people parasailing or maybe you’re one of those adventurous people willing to try it. 

 

Once on the island you have an abundance of tourist things to choose from.  There are no cars on the island at any time.  Everyone on the island rides bikes, walks or takes carriage rides everywhere they go.  Seeing no cars on the entire island takes you back in time.  You arrive in a time period when life passes at a slower pace.  What a peaceful place.  The most popular activity on the island is either ride a bike or horse around the island.  While on this adventure you can visit Arch Rock. Arch Rock is an amazing landform.  Workers and people that live on the island will tell you many hotels are haunted. 

 

 

Both the island and the city offer many different historical Museums. Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, Heritage Village, Mackinac Bridge Museum, and the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers are of few of the best historical destinations.  You will also be able to find the best homemade fudge and candy to satisfy your sweet tooth.  If you don’t get loads of candy or fudge while visiting here then you haven’t experienced the island life yet.

Mackinaw and Mackinaw Island has so many different activities to offer year around you could never get bored. 

Au Gres, MI

The reason why I choose this topic is because I fell in love with Michigan as a young child.  Michigan offers many unique landscapes along with four seasons. In Michigan you are able to see the sunrise and sunsets in many different cities.   Michigan also has the Five Great Lakes.  Michigan also has an outrages number of inland lakes.  Not many people are lucky enough to live around so much water.  I grew up being the only child for five years.  Yes, you can say I was spoiled.   I was lucky enough to go on my first camping trip when I was 4 months old. 

I have been fortunate enough to visit these amazing places in Michigan.  Detroit, Au Gres, Tawas, Gaylord, Linwood, Haughton Lake, Higgins Lake, Midland, Mackinaw, Mackinaw Island, Traverse City, Boyne, Grand Rapids, Lake Leelenau, Rifle River, Flint, Frankenmuth, Muskegon, Sand Dunes, and Empire.

When the day came that I wasn’t the only child or grandchild anymore.  My grandma decided she wanted a place for all her grandkids to grow up enjoying.  She wanted us to be living “the up north life”.  Since I was able to travel so many different place in Michigan as a young child.  I always wondered how you could ever just pick one place to have a cabin in Michigan.  My grandma decided to pick Au Gres.  She had to consider many different factors.  She didn’t want the distance to travel from home to the cabin to be too long of a drive.  She knew that she would have really young grandkids traveling with her often.  She also wanted room for her little grandkids to be able to crawl around. 

My first impression of my grandma’s cabin was, this looks like a little junkie hut.  As I approached the cabin I thought, man this place is scary.  There’s more cobwebs on this place then there is on a haunted house.  As we walked through the tornado construction zone, I realized someday the cabin would be the perfect up north getaway.  As we strolled through the cabin I looked out the back window and saw crisp bright blue.  I thought to myself… could that be water?  As I approached the windows I realized not only did my grandma’s cabin have a beach, but the cabin was right on the water.  The view took my breath away. I have never seen something so beautiful in my life.