While on a driving tour along the Au Sable River, Hannah Agran, Midwest Living assistant travel editor and Michigan Travel Ideas contributor, spends the night at the North Branch Outing Club near Grayling and tries her hand at fly fishing.

My husband Juan and I are somewhere north of Grayling, our cell signal fading, the sky darkening. If my printed directions fail us, who we will ask for help? Before I can answer, we see a rambling old place with a welcoming porch and warm glow from the windows. Judy Fuller pushes open the screen door to meet us.

The North Branch Outing Club once welcomed Henry Ford, Ernest Hemingway and Thomas Edison. Like us, they came to pull trout from the cold, clear stream that flows south past the inn to the Au Sable River. The Fullers bought and restored the lodge in 1997, creating a rustic retreat that breathes history and old-fashioned hospitality. (Yellowed photos of gents in waders hang in the stairwell; jars of pretzels and penny candy line the kitchen counter.) Judy sends us to bed with gingersnaps, and the gurgle of the North Branch sings us to sleep.

The next morning, we tug waders over our sneakers while Todd Fuller, Judy’s son and our guide, drags a flat-bottomed wood boat to the stream. He paddles; we soak in the beauty. Yellow iris bloom on postage-stamp islands. Birds twitter. A blue heron rises from the reeds. We wade into the stream, and Todd shows us how to loop the rod through the air, flick our wrists to mend the line, and watch where the current carries the fly.

Something nibbles, Todd shouts, I stumble backward in my oversize waders, and Juan’s laughter rings out over the water. I feel like a fool, but the trout is beautiful, speckled blue, green and orange in the palm of my hand. He doesn’t flop wildly, but seems strangely at peace with his predicament. Maybe he knows that if he waits just a minute—long enough for me to marvel—I’ll put him right back where he came from, in the cold, clear north branch of the Au Sable River.

Did Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, men who made their livings harnessing nature’s power, feel the same awe at such a tiny creature? Todd sure does. Squinting in the sun as he takes in the scene, he says, “I’ve seen a fish on a fly a billion times, but I still love every one of them.”

Hannah is the assistant travel editor at Midwest Living magazine and loves exploring the Sunrise Side of Michigan.

Kendra Williams, Midwest Living travel editor and contributor to Michigan Travel Ideas, spills the details from her recent enviable spa experience at the Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa.

I’ve been to many spas throughout the Midwest, but none of those prepared me for my experience at Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa in Thompsonville (45 minutes south of Traverse City.)

The pristine outdoor meditation garden where I sipped on cucumber mint water and nibbled on mixed nuts studded with dried cherries.

Opened in 2009 and considered the only LEED-certified spa in the Midwest, the 11,000-square-foot Crystal Spa exudes pampering, tranquility and the serenity of nature. Frosted glass doors have long twigs somehow frozen inside the base of them. Ceramic tiles in shades of taupe, brown, tan, surprising hits of lavender iridescence accent in the huge showers.

Rolled white towels line a shelf and there are curling irons, blow dryers, makeup mirrors, cotton balls, toothbrushes and toothpaste in the women’s locker room. A hostess asks me what size shoe I wear, and based on that, leads me to a locker filled with towels, a fluffy white Sherpa fleece robe and sandals in my shoe size. I choose a four-digit code to lock my locker, then pad out in my robe to the mediation area. It’s a huge sitting room with a long gas fireplace at one end and a crystal-bubble-style chandelier on the other. I step out into a meditation garden with three stone water towers, lounge chairs and a jetted in-ground hot tub.

The bubbly and inviting hot tub in the meditation garden.

I was asked to arrive half an hour early and am so happy I did. I had plenty of time to get into my robe, settle into a lounge chair, sip some cucumber-mint water and nibble on mixed nuts studded with dried cherries. It’s all about getting into the relaxed frame of mind before your treatment. I definitely did.

For my treatment I choose a fresh air facial ($95 plus gratuity). Sherrie, my clinician, compliments my skin (the only time in my life when “pasty white” is a benefit) and leads me downstairs to my dimly lit treatment room. Piano music tinkles through the room as I settle in the heated bed. Sherrie returns and mixes the wasabi mask and carrot puree cream for my facial. After Sherrie applies the wasabi mask, she wraps my face in hot towels and gives me a hand and foot massage while the mask works its magic. At this point, I decide the staff would need a crowbar here to pry me out.

The treatment lasts for 50 magnificent minutes. Afterward, I put on my robe and linger in the meditation garden. I stay out here for nearly an hour, content to listen to the bubbling water fountain a little while longer before returning to my busy day.

Kendra Williams has been a writer and editor for 15 years. She is currently the travel editor at Midwest Living Magazine and oversees the magazine’s annual newsstand-only travel bookazine, Best of the Midwest.

Thanks to Melissa Mackey for sharing her story about her trip up north with her husband and teenage twins!  Check out the end of the post to see the beautiful pictures she took!

This summer, instead of taking one long vacation like we usually do, my husband and I decided to take our 13 year old boy/girl twins to Northern Michigan for a long 4^th of July weekend.  We decided to stay in Mackinaw City and take day trips from there to Mackinac Island and the Pictured Rocks in the UP.  My husband and I had been to both places before, but the kids hadn’t, so they were psyched.

We arrived in Mackinaw City on Thursday evening, just in time for dinner at Darrow’s Restaurant.  Darrow’s is a must-visit if you’re anywhere near Mackinaw City.  Even if you’re not in the city, it’s worth the trip.  Portions are plentiful – enough for even the hungriest teen.  Cool family tip: Make sure to save room for dessert!  Darrow’s serves some of the best pie any of us have ever had.

After a restful night, we headed to the ferry docks bright and early the next morning for a day trip to Mackinac Island.  We chose Shepler’s Ferry this time.  The day was warm and sunny, so we followed our very excited children to the outdoor deck up top.

Cool Family Tip: Twice each day during peak season, Shepler’s takes the scenic route to the island – right under the Mackinac Bridge.  I’d driven across the bridge many times, but this was a view few get to see – and it was well worth it.

The trip to the island is an excursion in and of itself.  The kids were thrilled to be able to see the Grand Hotel and Fort Mackinac from the boat.

Once we arrived at the island, we headed to the eastern shore for some scenery.  As you may know, there are no cars allowed on the island, so travel takes place by horse & buggy, bicycle, or on foot.  We opted to go on foot.

Much of the island is actually a state park, and trails and footpaths abound.  We hiked along the lakeshore until we reached the steps to Arch Rock, one of the most scenic national landmarks on the island.  The steps are steep, and we heard a few moans from the kids on the way up.  When we got to the top, though, the moans turned to gasps as we enjoyed the phenomenal view of Lake Huron.  My son took this cool picture of the lake as seen through the rock.

After Arch Rock, we hiked for another hour or so – until the kids complained they were hungry.  We made our way back to downtown and had lunch at the Pink Pony.  This is one of the hottest night spots on the island, but by day it offers great food and a family atmosphere, with wonderful views of the lake & harbor.

Cool Family Tip: Save time to visit some of the unique shops along Main Street downtown on the island.  From clothing & books to the famous fudge, there’s something for every member of the family.  And don’t miss the Grand Hotel – even if you don’t go inside, it’s worth seeing from the outside.  It’s a great photo opp, like this one from my son (he says it looks like I postcard, and I agree!)

The next day, we got another early start on the drive to Munising and the Pictured Rocks.  It’s about 2.5 hours from Mackinaw City, and we heard moans about that from the kids, too.  But again, moans turned to awed silence as we drove across the Mighty Mac and onto scenic US-2 in the UP.  This 2-lane highway follows Lake Michigan along the southern shore of the UP.  Much of the lakeshore is unspoiled and tranquil, and it had even my video-game-loving teens mesmerized the entire way.

In the summer, the Pictured Rocks boat tours go almost hourly.  We arrived in Munising in time for the 1 p.m. sailing.  My husband and I had taken the tour in June 1990, and it was so cold out on Lake Superior that year that, even with jeans & windbreakers, we got really cold and had to go inside the cabin of the boat (which is still great but not quite as awesome as up on deck).  So, even though the air temperature in Munising was a balmy-for-the-UP 86 degrees, we made the kids wear jeans and bring sweatshirts and jackets (talk about moaning!).  It ended up staying so sunny and warm that we not only didn’t need the jackets & sweatshirts, we were rolling up the legs of our jeans.  Important Family Tip: Dress in layers and be prepared for any weather!  Temperatures on Lake Superior can vary wildly, even in the summer.

Warm clothes aside, we were enthralled by the unbelievable views of the magnificent rocks on the 2 ½ hour tour.

On the return cruise, we got a close-up view of the Grand Island Lighthouse, built in 1863.

Cool Family Tip: Stop in St. Ignace on your way back from the UP.  We ate pasties at the Mackinac Grille, and walked along the boardwalk next to the St. Ignace ferry dock.  The kids loved just watching the boats go to and from Mackinac Island, and we grownups loved the sunset over the lake.

We headed home on July 4, wishing we could stay longer, but glad our teens got to experience these Pure Michigan gems.

Melissa Mackey is Online Marketing Manager at Ann Arbor-based Fluency Media, where she is proud to be part of the team that works on the Pure Michigan online account. A lifelong Michigander, she and her husband live in East Lansing with their 13 year old twins.  Share your thoughts about Melissa’s story on Twitter (@Mel66), or by leaving a comment below.

Thanks to Amanda McGauley for sharing her beautiful pictures from her Independence Day trip to South Haven!

The weather was perfect, as one could not ask for more than not having a cloud in the sky. The piers at South Haven were beautiful and the sand on the beaches flawless. We were able to watch the boats come and go most of the day across the crisp clear blue water of Lake Michigan. Our goal was to watch the sunset off the coastline and well, we were able to succeed. It was this every thing that makes us proud to live in a wonderful state that is truly Pure Michigan.

Amanda McGauley is a home health care clinical supervisor who in her spare time, enjoys being outdoors and taking in all the the wonderful state of Michigan has to offer.

Thanks to Matt Eder, co-creator of MichiganDads.com, for sharing his experiences from his recent family trip to Oscoda.

The water was cool but the sand was warm. The birds happily chirped as the squirrels scampered around the lush trees and green grass looking for food. Sure, it rained a bit – seems like it does every year – but it was brief and could not dampen the spirits of our surroundings. My two-and-a-half-year-old son squealed with joy as Lake Huron nipped at his toes. Even six-month-old Anabelle seemed happier breathing in the fresh “up north” air.

For many Michiganians, the trek up north is steeped in tradition. Maybe it was summers at the family cottage on Houghton Lake or winter weekends snowmobiling in Munising. When talking about taking trips up north the final destination and activity was almost irrelevant – the only thing that mattered was the departure date.

I spent plenty of time up north as a younger lad, but over the last 10 years or so, my wife and I have made an annual canoe trip with her family to Oscoda. We would lazily canoe (float) down the Au Sable River for the better part of an afternoon drinking, munching and enjoying the views. Our getaway weekend often coincided with the longest, non-stop canoe-only race in North America, the Au Sable Canoe Marathon, which starts in Grayling and finishes in Oscoda. Now that we have young kids we’ve unfortunately had to forgo the canoe portion of the trip, but fun still abounds.

For the past two years we’ve rented cabins from Perfect Landing. The cabins are on Lake Huron just north of downtown Oscoda. They are clean, well maintained and full of the amenities that make you feel right at home (cable TV, washer/dryer, full kitchen, grills, fireplace, etc.). Plus, the price is reasonable so I see no reason why we won’t be back again next year.

With a grill, fire pit, Lake Huron and plenty of seating in the backyard, cooking for ourselves has become the favored option for meals. The kitchen is serviceable, so breakfasts, brunches or lunches are easy enough to prepare. And who doesn’t enjoy a bonfire with barbeque and s’mores at night? When we do venture out for a meal, it’s usually to Bavarian Bakery & Restaurant for breakfast or Au Sable Inn for the all-you-can-eat perch or cod dinner (I prefer the lake perch). Oscoda is not a foodie town, but both of these places offer quality food at reasonable prices. Add in a dose of kid-friendliness and decent service and you’ve had a good meal and an enjoyable experience. Plus, someone else washes the dishes!

If playing in the backyard and swimming in the lake isn’t your cup of tea, Oscoda has plenty of fun activities to keep you entertained. Canoeing and tubing down the Au Sable River rank at the top of my list and Oscoda Canoe Rental has always served us well. If floating down the river sounds like too much work, you can also tour the Au Sable River from the cozy confines of the Ausable River Queen. And of course, there are gems to be found exploring quaint downtown Oscoda in addition to up north staples like putt-putt golf (or real golf if you’re lucky enough) and various museums like the Oscoda Historical Museum or the Wurtsmith Yankee Air Force Museum.

The museums sound interesting but I can’t vouch for them because I haven’t been able to pry my son away from the sand and water. And to be honest, I haven’t wanted to. Being barefoot in the sand and splashing in the waves provides a release for me like nothing else can. Maybe it’s being outdoors and enjoying the company or, maybe it’s being on the same emotional and intellectual level as a two-year-old for a change. Maybe it’s a combination. Either way, it’s Pure Michigan and I love it.

Our trip home wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the Big Red Barn, a well-known Oscoda gift shop that sells every imaginable sort of nick-nack.  From there it’s US-23 South to I-75 South back to reality. During the car ride home my son said, “Daddy, maybe we go back to cabin up north soon?” He is already hooked on northern Michigan and he’s not even three yet. I am certain it won’t be long before our daughter is expressing the same feelings. The tradition continues.

What are some of your favorite up north destinations? Do you have any fun, unique up north traditions? Please share them with us in the comments section.          

Matt Eder is a lifelong Michigan resident who is passionate about his family and his home state.  He works on marketing and branding issues for a Michigan-based manufacturing company by day, spends evenings and weekends with his family and devotes the rest of his waking hours to making MichiganDads.com another home-grown success story.

Tina Lassen, Michigan Travel Ideas contributing writer, gives insiders tips on affordable one-day trips in the UP. For more affordable family vacations ideas, see the article in the 2010 issue of Michigan Travel Ideas.

A good place to base yourself is in Paradise at either Harmon’s Birchwood Lodge cabins ($66-$130/night, three-night minimum in summer) along Whitefish Bay or at the Shipwreck Museum ($150/night, includes museum admission) in the restored 1923 Coast Guard lifeboat station crew quarters.

Platforms provide great views of the 200-foot-wide wall of frothing water in Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Photographer: Jason Lindsey

Then, head to Tahquamenon Falls State Park (state park vehicle permit required, $6 residents, $8 nonresidents). For a better experience, bypass the entrance to the Lower Falls and continue to the Upper Falls. This is the river’s marquee cascade, a 200-foot-wide wall of frothing amber fury. It’s even more majestic when you have the viewing platform to yourself, so it pays to get there early.

Then, backtrack to the Lower Falls. Better yet, try to talk someone in your group to shuttling the car and hike the four-mile River Trail to the Lower Falls and enjoy surprisingly quiet trails that lead to century-old white pines and wilderness lakes.

Enjoying the serenity of the four-mile River Trail from the Upper Falls to the Lower Falls. Photographer: Dennis Cox

When you leave continue southwest on M-123, then west on H-37 to Oswald’s Bear Ranch where wild bears (none are bred or purchased) roam to and fro. Oswald’s provides a lifelong home for young bears whose mothers have been killed or mature bears who, for a variety of reasons, can’t be released in the wild. Admission fees ($15 per vehicle) help fund the bears’ diet of fruit and meat purchased by the ton.

Total cost for the whole family? Less than $30.

Trip Guide:

1)      Tahquamenon Falls State Park: Hiking, fishing, nature programs and camping centered around the Tahquamenon River and its waterfalls. Vehicle permit required. Rent rowboats or canoes in the Lower Falls concession area.

2)      Oswald’s Bear Ranch: Open Memorial Day weekend through late September. Admission $15/vehicle.  

3)      The Tahquamenon Logging Museum: Chronicles the region’s 19^th-century lumbering era, with displays on life in the logging camps, the evolution of logging equipment, and fun old photos and newspaper clippings from the region. Small admission fee.

4)      The Toonerville Trolley: This classic UP attraction combines a narrow-gauge, open-air railroad ride with a boat tour to the Upper Falls. Train/Boat tour runs six or more hours; train-only trip is two hours.

5)      Tahquamenon Falls Brewery and Pub: Homemade pasties, wild rice soup, whitefish sandwiches and other local flavors round out a comprehensive menu for lunch or dinner. Nice timber-frame building with deck in Upper Falls. Entrees $6-$24.

When Tina Lassen was 8 years old, she watched wide-eyed as a moose trundled out of the woods on Isle Royale and into a wild Lake Superior bay. She’s been enamored with Michigan ever since. Tina has written extensively about the state for magazines like Midwest Living and National Geographic Adventure, and for guidebooks including Moon Michigan, National Geographic’s Guide to America’s Outdoors: Great Lakes, and 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: US and Canada.

Thanks to Jennifer Rees for sharing the story of her U.P adventure!

Every year, my husband rides his bike from Cedar Springs to Mackinaw City. Every year my sister, kids, and I take a trip ‘Up North’ to pick him up. This year, the group my husband rides with decided that 285 miles just wasn’t quite enough. They got to Mackinaw and kept right on going.  In fact, they went all the way to Grand Marais.

Meanwhile, we had an adventure of our own.

We headed up to Leland, where the first order of business was a stop at Carlson’s for A.P.’s favorite food – smoked fish. When we asked him how it was, he couldn’t even stop eating long enough to use words. 

We hung out on the waterfront for a while then strolled around town. After a fun afternoon, we headed to Petoskey for the night, where my husband was.  In the morning we went to the Oden fish hatchery.  We couldn’t believe there was no charge! There was, however, a gift shop. The kids came away with patches, a book about animal ‘scat and tracks’, and “I’m A Michigan Kid Passports” which, really, should be issued to every child born in our state.

There hatchery has walking trails, an interpretive museum in an old box car, and an underground stream viewing area. The highlight was the trout feeding. For a dime, we got a handful of Trout Chow and I don’t mean to bruise any fish egos but it’s time for these guys to be finding their own dinner. They were fat. Still, my kids scrounged up about $2.00 in dimes and contributed to the Trout Obesity problem.

Back in the car, we headed up to the Soo.  I have to say that although I completely appreciate having a bridge to the Upper Peninsula; I hate actually driving across it. But, the U.P. is worth the white knuckles. We headed straight for the Locks and hopped on a boat tour. It was fun to watch the kids try and grasp where the water went, where it came from, and how it all came worked.

The next morning we headed to Munising for the Pictured Rocks boat tour. It was stunning. And windy, but mostly stunning.

From there we drove back to Grand Marais, where we met up with my husband and his biker buddies. We’d all had an incredible journey were happy to be reunited in such a special place. We ate dinner with friends, then went to Lake Superior Brewing Company for a beer. We went to the beach and watched the sun set over Lake Superior. The next morning, we checked out the Gitchee Gumee Agate and History Museum, and headed to Taqhamenon Falls.

We ate lunch at the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery where, naturally, we had pasties.

We cannot wait to get back and re-visit these places, and also to discover new ones. We’re proud to be raising Michigan Kids, and thankful that a vacation like this is so close to home.

Jennifer Rees is a stay at home mom of two young children in Grand Rapids.  Jennifer writes at  TheBigBinder.com, a blog about raising kids in Grand Rapids who are active, involved, and culturally aware.

Emily Tennyson, Michigan Travel Ideas contributing writer, shares her favorite places to pick up the freshest Michigan foods around her hometown of Detroit. Sample the state’s bounty yourself along three food trails that are highlighted in the article “Get Fresh” in the 2010 issue of Michigan Travel Ideas. Also be sure to check out “Fresh” – one of our new TV ads this year focused on the bounty of Pure Michigan.

As a lifelong Detroiter and all-around foodie, I’m in the habit of watching trends. Lucky for me, I have a lot of fresh food options nearby and decide to reserve a couple Saturdays to visit some surrounding area farmers markets.

Mount Clemens is a quiet lakeside town with a decades-old farmers market.

On a beautiful Saturday morning I drive to Mount Clemens, a quiet lakeside town about 30 miles northeast of Detroit. For many local farmers the decades-old farmers market is their sole opportunity to meet the public and share their wares (open every Friday and Saturday, May through November, from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.). The vendors set up in the grass and sell everything from the back of their pickups. When I peek into the back of an S-10, I see tiny redskin potatoes the size of grapes, still caked in dirt, and bright green haricots verts. A perfect nicoise salad starts to formulate. One truck over, I find dessert, too – the lone quart of fuzzy yellow raspberries.

I move a couple trucks down to find vendors Ellen and Bill Gass of Centennial Farm. For the past 25 years, they have organically raised the tasty fare they sell at the market. I try their intense, woody raw asparagus. Next time, it might be one of the 50 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, or 60 kinds of lettuce. I head home with my finds, already looking forward to my next weekend’s adventure.

On another beautiful Saturday morning I drive to Ann Arbor and Chelsea, both about 45 miles west of Detroit. I bring along my daughter Chloe, an aspiring chef.

Chelsea's downtown farmers market is alongside the Purple Rose Theatre.

Around the block from Zingerman’s Deli  (open everyday 7a.m.-10 p.m.) we find the open-air green awning farmers market (open every Wednesday and Saturday, May through December, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Even though it’s only 9 a.m., it’s pretty busy. I am pleased to see rows of curly, sage green lettuce, piles of kale, shiny white leeks, towering basil plants and rafts of strawberries. The fruits are appealing, but I’m craving carbs. I taste Anatolian Bakery’s Mediterranean-style almond muffin. A good choice, I decide.

After we’ve had our fill in Ann Arbor we make the 15-minute drive to nearby Chelsea. We find a small but well edited farmers market (open every Saturday, May-October, from 8 a.m.–noon). There, I discover tiny boxes of baby lettuce, organic eggs and aromatic dill.  I purchase shiny yellow peppers from the Beautiful Earth Farm with dinner in mind.  

Full bellies and satisfied palates accompany us as we head home. I wonder if Chloe is busy next Saturday…

Writer Emily Tennyson, a fourth generation Detroiter, cherishes her hometown and Sanders Hot Fudge for dessert and, always, a drive along Lake St. Clair.

Thank you to Jess Venlet for reminding us of how important it is sometimes to slow down and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.   

Last summer I traveled to Northern Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Lakeshore for the first time ever. I was making the trip with my boyfriend, and my excitement dwindled as we drove. We took the scenic way. Gas was running low. We were behind schedule by an hour. My boyfriend was singing every song on the radio. And just as it felt like we would never get there, just as I almost threw myself from the car (from the singing!)—I caught a glimpse of my sulky reflection in the rearview mirror. 

Was I actually complaining that we took the scenic way? Did we even have a schedule? It’s not like the dunes were going to blow away. 

Our “schedule” consisted of arriving at the dune climb area of the lakeshore, and completing the walk to Lake Michigan. Though we were “late” we did get there eventually. We paid ten dollars for a park pass, parked, and stepped out of the car a bit surprised. Looming in front of us was the first climb. The people on top looked small. It’s over a mile to reach the water. But no big deal, right? We are young. We are athletic. Let’s do this! 

Dune after dune…after dune…after dune I eagerly anticipated Lake Michigan. Each time we climbed up I expected to see the lake just yards away. But at the top of each dune, the only thing in close distance was sand. Way up in the distance, Lake Michigan glistened with the familiar dark blue I had seen many times before at Pere Marquette Beach in Muskegon. 

The view from the top

I tried my best not to complain, but my excitement was again dwindling. And is he humming? Is he going to sing more? Why am I still slugging through sand to reach such a familiar lake? But each time I looked back, I decided that I had come too far to quit. The sun was shining; the air was warm and breezy. It is a beautiful day. 

Forty-five minutes of walking later, my jaw dropped. Chilling waves of intense calm washed over me, erupting my skin into tingles. I do not consider myself religious, but that first glimpse of the waters surrounding the Manitou islands was unbelievably spiritual. 

Turquoise water. Glimmering rocks, not wet with water, but shining pinkish from a natural glitter deep within them. For a moment I could imagine nature untouched by human development. 

The lighthouse on South Manitou Island

Sitting, dune grass swaying behind him, my boyfriend leaned back to relax. I waded into the turquoise, letting it lap up at my knees and shorts. Gazing towards South Manitou Island—a thin, sleepy haze blanketing it—the island seemed the epitome of patience. 

On the walk back, I didn’t think about the schedule. Dune after dune after dune spoke to me as we climbed. This time I listened. They said, “slow down,” as my feet slipped backward in warm sand. They firmly said, “shut up!” to negative, busy thoughts. They softly murmured, “isn’t this magic?”

“Yeah,” I replied, “I think this is.”

Jess is a recent graduate of Aquinas College, an aspiring writer, a runner, and a beach bum. She grew up in Conklin, MI, and now lives and works in Grand Rapids. You can share your comments and thoughts with her on Twitter (@JessVenlet), or by leaving a comment below.

As Michigan Travel Ideas editors and writers hit the roads of the Great Lakes state in search of their own “Michigan Moments,” Terri Ketcham, Michigan Travel Ideas Associate Art Director, shares hers from a trip she took to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The breathtaking view from overlook Number 9 at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

At the end of a long day of scouting in and around Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, my group (which includes Joan, our project manager and Jason, our photographer and Talia, his assistant) finds ourselves at overlook Number 9 at sunset. Most visitors have left for the day and it’s really quiet. As we admire the scenery, I think about the signage we passed that piqued my interest:  

 Warning: Steep Bluff: 450 foot drop to Lake Michigan. Return climb is extremely exhausting. Do not run. Do not throw rocks.

I lean over to Talia and whisper that I am considering trying the climb. “You can do it,” she says, “Jason did it once.” That’s all I need to hear.

I quietly leave the group and slowly make my way down the dune. About halfway I get a little scared, it’s getting dark and I am alone! I sit to think.

“OK Terri, you can do this. Look at all of those tracks, you certainly are not the first here! Lots of people accomplish this everyday… Maybe I should go back up? I am only halfway and all I can see is sky and sand. What if I can’t make it? What if they have to call in a rescue mission? I would never, ever hear the end of that one back at the office!”

After 10 minutes I decide to continue even though I fear it will take me hours to return to the top. And then, I hear something scurrying around me.

A view of the shoreline at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the South Manitou Lighthouse. Photo by Jason Lindsey.

“Oh no. What is that?”

I look up and begin to make out little heads popping out from everywhere as kids begin to rain down all around me. Scampering, laughing, giggling! What has taken me what seems like an eternity, they are accomplishing in mere minutes!

We all meet at the waters edge and I learn the kids are from a church youth group in Hudson, Michigan. They quickly inform me it does not “count” unless you dip your hand in the water. “Well, OK then,” as I splash the water. But then I look up the dune and my stomach drops. I should have gone back when I had the chance.

I have the good fortune to overhear one of the youth leaders coaching a boy on how to get up the dune—climb like a crab. Go about 10 big strides and then stop and rest.

We make our way up the sand dune and are welcomed by a small cheering crowd. I did it! No rescue mission for me!

I’m thinking I should have a T-shirt made…

Terri Ketcham is the Associate Art Director for Michigan Travel Ideas magazine. She is responsible for the photography, design and production prep work needed to get the pages off to press.