Michigan
Last year was definitely a unique year to say the least. The coronavirus was spreading, the vaccines were still in development, and pretty much everyone was staying at home. I didn’t want to go the entire year without taking some sort of trip, but I was hesitate to get on a plane and fly anywhere. Floated the idea of going some place close and fairly safe to my cousin Beaumont. We looked online at a US map that showed the daily number of reported positive COVID-19 cases. At the time, Michigan immediately stood out as one of the states on the decline. It was only 6 hours away and I had never been there before. Beaumont spoke very highly of it, he had taken a trip there several years prior. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally get out of the house, take a week off and experience some place new.
We pulled out our phones and started plotting a rough itinerary. We knew immediately that we wanted to avoid the eastern coast of Michigan. The bucket list included breweries, national parks, The Great Lakes, Mackinac Island, and the Upper Peninsula. We spent a few days finalizing the plan, then packed our bags and headed out for a summer road trip.
Kalamazoo
First stop, Bell’s Brewing. The indoor seating area of the brewery was closed due to COVID-19, but there was a large outdoor courtyard open to the public. Since it was such a nice day, who wouldn’t want to sit outside and enjoy some brews? We both got the Bell’s Smash Burger with fries which sounded like the perfect meal after sitting in a car for 6 hours. To our surprise, the burgers were really good. Fun fact, they put Thousand Island on it just like a Big Mac. For the beer, I had a Mango Oberon—at the time a limited release. Later on when we got back to Louisville, some of the local liquor stores had it in stock for a bit. We hung out for a couple of beers then decided to hit the road for Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids
For the first night in Michigan, we grabbed a hotel in downtown Grand Rapids. After dumping our bags in the room, we explored for a bit. One hilarious little tidbit I’ll never forget, we spent forever trying to locate a specific liquor store. On Google Maps we were right over top of it, but couldn’t seem to find it. Walked in circles for 30 minutes looking for that damn place. The entry was down some stairs below another building. If I remember correctly, all they had to identify the store was a little sandwich board at the top of the stairs.
While in Grand Rapids, we hit up Founders and New Holland Brewing. One unique aspect of Michigan compared to other states on the east coast, is the beer culture. It reminded me of Colorado. I know there’s breweries everywhere these days, but just the amount of respectable ones with really great beer seem mostly isolated to these two states.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Beaumont recommended we check out the large Conservatory and Sculpture Park located in Grand Rapids. He spent a little time there before on his previous trip. We explored the park for almost the entire day while dealing with terrible weather.
Arid Garden and Tropical Conservatory
Before the Sculpture Park and the rain, we hit up the Arid Garden and Conservatory. I had never been to one before, so checking one out for the first time was pretty neat. The Arid Garden is host to a large variety of plants that are adapted to survive in some of the driest environments in the world, including the Americas, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Within the Tropical Conservatory, you’ll find over 500 species of plants from five continents. Some of the photos I took here turned out a little too blurry. I was shooting aperture priority (like usual) and my shutter speed was much too slow. Always check that SS when you’re dealing with less than ideal lighting conditions!
Sculpture Park
These modern and contemporary pieces were created by established and emerging sculptors from the late 19th century to the present. The Sculpture Park features works of art within a variety of natural settings connected by waterways, lawns, meadows, and quite walkways. They’re fairly spread out, so you’ll do a great deal of walking in order to see them all. Unfortunately for us it started pouring down rain when we were about half way through. At one point, we took cover in the bush and waited for the worst of it to pass. These sculptures are wild. Ranging from slightly skewed boxes to creepy science fiction-esque creatures.
Japanese Garden
Tranquility, simplicity, and beauty are the very essence of this garden. You’ll find an authentic Japanese teahouse, zen-style garden, waterfalls, sculptures, and various types of plants. Bridges connect you to different areas that were so carefully planned and maintained. The entire experience was so pleasant and peaceful. It really makes you appreciate the care and dedication that goes into this unique style of garden.
Grand Haven
We took off later that evening for the west coast to see Lake Michigan and stay in the city of Grand Haven. Even though we were basically passing through, our time here was probably the most mundane of the entire trip. I believe we waited on the only Uber for close to an hour just to grab drinks and something to eat. The only memorable experience here was a fairly large beach with a boardwalk leading to a lighthouse. Otherwise, Grand Haven was simply a place to stay the night in between destinations.
Silver Lake Sand Dunes
Checking out some sand dunes was high up on the list of things to do. We already knew about Sleeping Bear, but discovered Silver Lake while browsing online for interesting places to see. You arrive at the parking lot, which is tucked away in the forest in between giant hills. You’ll have to climb one of them until you reach the top where the forest ends and the dunes begin. It was windy and very bright due to the sun reflecting off the sand. If you plan to visit, make sure you bring some sunglasses and leave the shoes in the car. We spent hours walking around exploring but if you’re interested, you can rent an ATV or some other off-road vehicle to ride around the dunes on. Some of my favorite photos from the trip were taken here, specifically the ones with Beaumont beside a lone tree.
Traverse City
After staying in hotels the previous nights, we decided to grab an Airbnb for the next two in Traverse City. The host provided us with a couple of bicycles to get around town. The city is tucked away in The Grand Traverse Bay near the northern part of the state. It’s a great place to slow down for a bit, relax, and just enjoy being on vacation. There’s several breweries, restaurants, an arcade bar, and other interesting places to see by just biking about. The temperature was very cozy as well, very similar climate to coastal cities.
Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes
Woke up early our second day in Traverse City, grabbed some waters and hit the road for the popular Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. We really had no idea what we were getting into besides hitting up another sand dune. While Silver Lake opens up in pretty much every direction, Sleeping Bear seemed to have one main trail to follow. I know that’s not the case, but it appeared that way from where we started. Let me be very clear, the trail we took is one hell of a trek. The Dunes Trail to Lake Michigan was 3.5 miles but the terrain is very rugged. You’ll climb up and down steep hills while walking fairly slow (sand) and baking in the summer sun. If you ever intend to follow our footsteps be sure to bring plenty of water and sun screen. The trail ends at Lake Michigan and boy is that a beautiful sight to behold by the time you arrive. No matter how cold the water might be, you’ll have a strong urge to jump in just to cool off from the long strenuous hike in.
Mackinac Island
The two days spent in Traverse City were wonderful, but we were ready for Mackinac Island. You can only get there by boat, so you’ll have to purchase a ferry ticket and wait for certain times of the day. The boat ride was a delightful experience. The path detoured just a little bit to bring us right under the Mackinac Bridge. When you arrive at the island’s port (can you call it that?) you’ll see the main strip where most of the businesses and people are located. You have bars, restaurants, various shops, hotels, and more all located in this one spot. But the first thing we did once getting off the ferry was to check in our hotel. We wanted to drop off our luggage and immediately rent some bicycles. You see, the main attraction on the island is riding bikes everywhere. There’s a road that circles the perimeter of the island and several others that will take you inwards to explore different sites. We spent the majority of our time on the island just biking around and checking everything out. Some of the must see attractions include Arch Rock, Mackinac Fort, and the town. But there’s plenty more to see and do if you plan on spending more than just a day on the island.
Pictured Rocks
We rode the ferry back to the mainland the next morning and headed for the Upper Peninsula. This part of Michigan feels pretty remote. You’ll do a lot of driving without much of anything interesting to see. We drove straight through to Munising where we had another Airbnb reserved for the night. The city is located very close to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, a very large park that features 40 miles of lakeshore and 100 miles of trails. We hiked almost 15 miles trying to see as much of the park as we could. My legs were so tired by the end of the day, I literally couldn’t stand on them anymore! The park features sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, deep forest, and some of the most unique sights Michigan has to offer. Outside of the amazing sandstone cliffs my favorite landmark had to be Chapel Rock—a 250 year old white pine that survives isolated on a sandstone rock by its roots reaching across the divide to the mainland. There once was an archway connecting them but it collapsed in the 1940s. Something important to point out, I really wish we had spent another day here because I would’ve loved to rent a canoe. Being able to paddle around the shoreline and really get up close to the sandstone cliffs would’ve been amazing. If you ever plan to visit, make sure you have plenty of time to both hike and canoe.
Marquette
Our last night in Michigan was spent in the city of Marquette. We checked out the famous ore dock, Sugarloaf Mountain, and spent some time in the city. Sugarloaf Mountain has spectacular views of Lake Superior. The city has some great restaurants and breweries as well. The Iron Bay had a cherry chicken panini that was so delicious! One of the best meals I had the entire trip. Ore Dock Brewing and Black Rocks Brewery were wonderful places to post up for a bit and grab some beer. All in all, Marquette was a lovely book ending to the trip. A good place to sit back, appreciate the journey, and recharge before making the trip back home.
Conclusion
I hope this post provides you a little bit of insight into Michigan if you ever plan to visit. It’s a very unique state and one of my favorites I’ve had the pleasure to visit. The Great Lakes, breweries, sand dunes, Mackinac Island, Pictured Rocks—so many interesting places to experience. I’ve been to two places that had a similar vibe to my trips out west to Colorado. One of them being Asheville, NC and the other being Michigan. When you have unique landmarks and a vibrant beer culture, you have something special. It’s hard to describe, but places that offer both tend to be so much fun and enjoyable. Maybe that’s just what I like to do though.
– dm
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