<p>DH and I plan to spend a week in Michigan at the end of this month. His grandmother, 94, lives in Muskegon and we want to spend some time visiting with her, but will not be staying at her house. We visited her a couple of years ago and took her with us to Traverse City, Ludington, Bellaire, Grand Rapids and Grand Haven. DH’s mother and sister (and her children) will be visiting the same week, so Grandma will not be making any day trips with us this time. Because DH has two aunts and an uncle in Muskegon, too, as well as an aunt in Ludington, we are considering renting a house in Grand Haven for a week and doing some day trips. We are thinking about going up as far as Mackinac Island one day, but we’re looking for suggestions for other places, too. DH is a craft beer guy and we visited Bell’s, Short’s, Founders, Odd Side and Right Brain the last time we were in Michigan, but would also appreciate suggestions on other craft beer places. For those of you familiar with the area, is Grand Haven a good location in which to base ourselves? All ideas greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>ETA: We are taking our Corgi puppy with us and would like to visit dog friendly places, too.</p>
<p>Mac Woods Dune Scooters in Silver Lake (on the way up to Ludington from Muskegon) is one of our perennial favorites to visit. Not as thrilling now as in the old days (liability concerns, environmental sensitivity, and I’m not eight years old anymore) but we always enjoy the ride and the scenery is beautiful. When they tell the joke at Termite Bridge, be sure to laugh politely–they’ve been telling it as long as I’ve been alive (and probably longer). It’s near the Little Sable Point Light, if you like lighthouses.</p>
<p>Saugatuck and Holland can be done in a day and it doesn’t sound like you hit those yet. Great shops and galleries and lovely downtowns. New Holland Brewery, in Holland, is the stop to make for beer tasting.</p>
<p>You could drive up 31 , turn left at the casino after Manistee and drive M-22 as far as you want…stops could be Frankfort, Leland and Sleeping Bear Dune…you could cut over to Suttons Bay just north of Traverse and circle back or you go head north at Leland staying on M-22 all the way to Northport depending on your personal preferences regarding time and how many stops you make to take pics. You could also high tail it straight up to Traverse and continue on to Petoskey although I prefer Charlevoix for strolling when we’re killing time waiting for the ferry, turnaround and head back.</p>
<p>I would pick the M-22 drive. </p>
<p>Hard ciders are starting to become popular for a change of pace from microbrews. Vandermill, over the bridge from Grand Haven, has been getting some nice write ups.</p>
<p>We’re a beer family and just spent Memorial Weekend in Traverse City. One day we went up Old Mission Peninsula and the other day we went up the Leelanau Peninsula. Both had plenty of breweries and wineries (if that’s your thing- I dislike wine but even I found some there worth trying!). We just drove through and stopped whenever it looked like there was a tasting of some sort. It was an interesting drive up the coast to say the least These are the peninsulas right about Traverse City.</p>
<p>We had our pit with us and almost everywhere we went had a place outside where one of us could stay with her. </p>
<p>North Peak Brewing Company in Traverse City is one of my personal favorites.</p>
<p>When we stayed in the Traverse City area several years ago we drove over to Interlochen and attended a faculty concert. Just a string trio of the school/camp faculty, but it was an astonishing experience. I think it was free, and one of the most amazing musical performances I have heard. The camp is beautiful, too. Not sure the puppy could attend, though.</p>
<p>We also took a ferry over to South Manitou Island (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore island) and went hiking, which we really enjoyed.</p>
<p>Grand Haven is a lovely town, but Grand Haven to Mackinac Island in a day trip sounds brutal. Personal preference is for the more northerly parts of the L. Michigan shore, around the Sleeping Bear dunes and up into the Leelanau peninsula. Great food and drink in those parts though possibly more pricey.</p>
<p>Mackinac Island is even better if you go for two days. There was also a museum under the bridge which was great. I haven’t been there for 20 years.</p>
<p>If I had a week I wouldn’t go to Mackinac Island. It’s quite a haul from Grand Haven but that’s me. I don’t like to be in the car that long. On vacation. </p>
<p>Do you have a house on the beach? Just wondering how much travel you want to do. Manistee and Frankfurt are nice and have cute downtowns. I like Frankfurt, it’s cute and there is a bike path that’s nice to meander around. </p>
<p>I love Sleeping Bear Dunes. So much to do and so beautiful. If you’ve never been there it’s worth going. I’m familiar with the area if you want some ideas. </p>
<p>It’s been chilly here lately. We had frost last weekend. They said it might warm up later in the month but right now it’s in the high 60’s and 40’s at night. Perfect up north weather. But the Mosquitos are horrible.</p>
<p>I knew I couldn’t go wrong asking for recommendations here. My CC friends always come through with great suggestions! Darn it, we’ll actually be leaving the morning of the 29th to return home so we’ll miss the cherry festival. We chose the particular week we’re visiting (22nd - 29th) because DH’s cousin’s child is having a graduation party and we’d like to attend that as it will allow us to celebrate her accomplishments and visit with lots of family at once. As Gram is quite elderly, we also want to spend quite a bit of time with her. Because we definitely want to visit Traverse City again, it would probably make sense to go there from Grand Haven and then make our way over to Sleeping Bear Dunes since that seems to be a popular spot. We haven’t reserved a place in Grand Haven yet, though we have our eye on a small cottage there that is available. You’ve given us some great ideas and, when DH gets home this evening, we’ll have a chance to sit down together and look at all those wonderful places. Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Drive around/through the Leelanau Penninsula - it’s one of my favortie parts of Michigan. It’s got beautiful scenery, lighthouses you can climb, wineries, interesting little towns, and great food. Last year Chicago magazine ran a story about the area as a foodie destination:</p>
<p>Consider going to Frankmuth Bavarian Villiage, it is a must for many Michiganders to make a pilgrimage there yearly Amazing food, nice shopping, and nice hotels. It has the “Worlds Largest Christmas Store” called Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland.</p>
<p>If you get to the Detroit area, you must go to historical Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum.</p>
<p>Ok Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes, great places to visit. The national parks have been hurt by the sequester but in years past they have had ranger led talks which are really interesting. [The</a> Official Website of the Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau](<a href=“http://www.sleepingbeardunes.com/]The”>http://www.sleepingbeardunes.com/)</p>
<p>I would start in Empire at the Vistor’s Center, you can buy your pass there if you don’t have a national park pass and they have ranger’s to answer questions. Places I love, Pyramid Point, very near the Vistor’s Center. Pierce Stocking Drive is very nice and you can park and visit scenic spots. You have to stop at the Dune Climb just to see, it’s amazing. I don’t recommend climbing unless you are hearty and don’t try to go to Lake Michigan. There are easier ways to see the lake. If you have bikes, they now have a biking trail between the Dune Climb and Glen Arbor. It’s a really pretty path, there is Glen Haven about half way there which is an old fishing town. When we were there a couple of years ago, they had guides and rangers around. </p>
<p>Then there is Glen Arbor, if you have bikes and want to bike from the Dune Climb to Glen Arbor, stop in town for lunch. If you don’t have bikes, still stop in Glen Arbor. You have to stop at Cherry Republic, it has a wine tasting room, they sell cherry flavored products and they have a cafe, which has all things cherry. It’s a little much but I take people here because it’s all cherry all the time lol! There are other places to eat in Glen Arbor, I like Art’s and Good Harbor Grill. </p>
<p>What would you like to do in Traverse City. I would recommend that you stop at Grand Traverse Commons, it’s the old state mental hospital. I had a great meal there at Trattoria Stella [Trattoria</a> Stella |](<a href=“http://www.stellatc.com/]Trattoria”>http://www.stellatc.com/) but it is fine dining. It was not cheap but so very good. Other restaurants I like downtown are Amical, Red Ginger and there is a new place called Bistro FouFou but I haven’t been there.</p>
<p>If the weather cooperates, you could go tubing on the Platte River. [Tubing</a> on the Platte River - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore](<a href=“http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/tubing.htm]Tubing”>Tubing on the Platte River - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (U.S. National Park Service)). Park near the end and take the tubing company’s bus to get your tubes then float back. It ends at a very nice beach where the river empties into Lake Michigan and the combination of warm river water and cool lake water is wonderful. If you google for Loon Lake Michigan on the map you can follow the twisty river to the end.</p>
<p>Also I love browsing the art galleries in Saugatuck and walking along the river. We took the Star of Saugatuck paddle boat tour last time we were there and really enjoyed it.</p>
<p>Sorry, not a beer drinker but if you want pie go to [Welcome</a> to Crane’s Pie Pantry Restaurant; Great handcrafted meals and the world’s best Michigan fruit pies, desserts and preserves!](<a href=“http://www.cranespiepantry.com/]Welcome”>http://www.cranespiepantry.com/).</p>
These are the peninsulas right about Traverse City.</p>
Amazing food, nice shopping, and nice hotels. It has the “Worlds Largest Christmas Store” called Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland.</p>