“Up North” in the Mitten State

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’m back today and I’m excited because this is the last week of school for my kids! They are ecstatic to get a break from the structure and to be honest so is Mom! 🙂

I’ve got all kinds of ideas for things that we can do this summer, zoo trips, beach days, and of course there are vacations. As a family we love the water and enjoy going “Up North.” For us that means going to the Traverse City area here in Michigan. We’ve vacationed there ever since the boys were born. They love the area and so do my husband and I.

There’s something to be said for the small towns that surround the Traverse City area. There are all kinds of unique stores and a lot of history in these tiny burgs.

One of these small towns is Leelanau. Sitting right on the shores of Lake Michigan it’s a small fishing community. The wind is brisk coming off of the lake, so it’s a great place on a warm day when you can’t get to the beach. It’s fun to go through the tiny stores and galleries in this town. It’s an old town full of history. And when you go down by the water there’s a store that sells fresh fish. We went there when I was pregnant with my first child and needless to say I couldn’t stay in that store very long.  The smell really got to me. 🙂

It’d be a great place for the setting of a story. Hmmm…

Another small town that I love to visit is Sutton’s Bay. Again they have some great shops to explore and I can wander for quite some time while my hubby and the boys play in the park. One of the things that I’ve noticed is that both of these towns have a variety of art galleries and it’s great to see the shores where you’ve walked in a painting or photograph.

There are other tiny burgs that deserve to be mentioned like Alden, and Elk Rapids, awesome communities that are right on either Torch Lake or Lake Michigan that sport cute shops and community events. Of course we can’t forget about Traverse City itself! It’s a great place to walk with the kids and see the sights; again, more great stores and art galleries. If you get a chance to be there during the Cherry Festival by all means do it. It can get a bit crowded, but they have the Blue Angels come every other year and they are a sight to see!

If you’re a wine drinker you’ll love the Traverse City Area. There are wineries everywhere and they’re always open for wine tasting. A fun adult thing that we have yet to do! 🙂 Wineries are pretty boring for the kids. 🙂

If there’s one place you must see it’s Torch Lake. The water is so clear it looks like you’re on a beach in the tropics. The water is also cold so it’s quite refreshing. Everyone gathers at a place called the Sand Bar. People come from all over to park their boats there. And then they get out in the water and play football or Frisbee or just float.  Everyone has a great time. There’s a small shop on Torch River that will even deliver a pizza to your boat. If pizza isn’t your style then there’s a pontoon boat out there with a grill on its deck and they sell burgers and dogs to anyone who wants one.

As you can see Up North is always a great time for us! I can’t wait until the weather turns hot and muggy and we’ll be on our way!

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post! Do you have any special vacation spots that you’d like to share? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!