Meandering through Michigan, Part 1
In my last blog post, I talked about my new car and how I hoped it would make future road trips fun, so let me describe one of my favorite road trips that I’ve taken. A few years ago in the summer of 2015, I took a road trip through the state of Michigan all by myself! Yes, you read that right: I went on a road trip all by myself! I don’t even think I asked anyone if they would want to come with me. I just knew that if I wanted to go on a vacation, I would probably need to go alone. My closest friends and family had responsibilities and would not be able to come with me. This was not my first time traveling by myself though. A month prior to this Michigan trip, I had traveled to Louisville. However, this would be the first time I would travel to multiple cities within one trip by myself.
My main motivator for this trip was to see Mackinac Island. It is on the tip of northern Michigan, and no cars are allowed on the island, except for one or two due to emergency reasons. The only way to get around the island is to walk, ride a bike, or ride a horse! My parents had taken my sister and I to the island one summer years ago, and I had such a great time that I wanted to go again! Normally, I would not want to go to a place twice; I would rather travel to a place I have never been to before than go to somewhere I have been to before. However, I felt a pull from Mackinac and wanted to explore it on my own. I also wanted to see some other places in Michigan, so I decided to drive a loop around the state.
I started in Valparaiso, Indiana where I was living at the time and drove up to Muskegon, Michigan to eat lunch at The Deck, which is within the Pere Marquette Park. I then walked along the beach, saw a lighthouse, and then drove to Sleeping Bear Dunes. I started at the visitor center for a map and then made my way driving on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. I drove through beautiful trees and stopped at a few overlook spots along the way. I then got to the dunes, which according to their website, rise about 400 feet above Lake Michigan! There were signs around warning people that if they decide to go down the dunes, it would take quite awhile to climb back up them! Also, it would be very steep and could become dangerous! I decided to not take my chances, so I stayed up at the top enjoying the views of the sand and the lake. I have decided that whenever I retire, I would like a place on a shore or near the shore of a body of water. I think that looking out over water is just so peaceful and relaxing! It calms me and relieves my stress.
After enjoying the views of the dunes and walking through the sand, I drove to Traverse City where I stayed the night. My only regret of this trip is that I did not spend more time in Traverse City. I only stayed one night and left the next morning around 9 am to continue my journey. If I had had more time, I would have saw what Traverse City had to offer. I do not try to have many regrets; I feel that I should live a life with no excuses and no regrets. But if I had a chance to do it over again, I would try to spend more time in Traverse City. Come back later to my blog to read more about my Michigan road trip!
- Unless noted, always assume that I have not been compensated by any place that I have reviewed in my blog posts.
