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Hey travel friends,

We’ve got a solid block of summery weather coming toward us, which means there’s no excuse to stay inside.

To all our friends who have been so good at blocking off a week or two for great vacations this June and July, we salute you. To the rest of us grabbing a day here or there as our schedules allow, cheers to picking what works best for you. Lots of families – mine included – are in that “sandwich generation squeeze” right now. We’re trying to find pockets of time to unplug between guiding our busy teens and helping out our parents. Some weeks, it doesn’t leave much left over. This summer, the hubster and I have hit on a solution that works for us – and maybe it will work for you, too.

When our messy schedules leave a free afternoon, we pencil in what I like to call an “Adventure & Appetizer” outing. It doesn’t have to be fancy or faraway. Or expensive. First, we pick an outdoor adventure: A new woodsy trail we want to try, an urban walk that goes by historic homes, or maybe a bike ride or kayak rental. The only rule is it has to be long enough that it counts as exercise. After that, we pick a spot to grab a pint or tasting flight and order an appetizer or two.

This past weekend found us walking for miles at a park near Ada that stretched along a river and had beautiful paths that crisscrossed wetland areas. Afterward, we stopped at a favorite brewery only to see the staff congregated in the back parking lot with their pints – a sure sign they were closed. But they gallantly steered us down the street to one of their favorite brew spots – and it was a winner.

So if you’re sticking close to home right now, remember that adventure takes lots of forms. Some of them can be as close as your backyard.

Happy Travels,

Tanda

Who are you going to challenge?

Photo provided by Crystal Mountain

The new dual-track Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide at Crystal Mountain Resort.

Crystal Coaster fans, the wait is over. Crystal Mountain’s new dual-track Alpine Slide has opened for the summer.

The newly-installed coaster features tunnels, dips, curves and hills - and the double track design just might allow riders a little friendly downhill competition.

For more than 15 summers, the Crystal Coaster has been a staple at Crystal Mountain Resort near Thompsonville. Now that the twisty slide is back to its retro two-track design, the downhill fun can be multiplied.

The really cool part? You ride a chairlift up to reach the coaster’s starting point.

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From dance lessons to football tailgates, this Lake Michigan cruise has it all

Photo Courtesy of Tim Bonnette | Aquastar Cruise

Aquastar, formerly known as The Port City Princess has been cruising Muskegon shores since 1987.

If you’re looking for live music, a history tour or an Instagram-worthy sunset selfie then check out Muskegon’s Aquastar.

The historic boat, formerly known as The Port City Princess, has been cruising Muskegon shores since 1987. Before she landed in Muskegon, the boat was a longtime Mackinac Island ferry.

Today, Aquastar cruises through the Muskegon channel and into Muskegon Lake four times a week. The vessel ventures out onto Lake Michigan “every chance we get,” according to the website.

Public cruises are scheduled Thursday-Sunday for both afternoon timeslots, 1:30 and 4 p.m. sunset cruises at 8 p.m. 

Little birds making a big impact

Neil Blake | MLive.com

A piping plover chick pictured on High Island on July 19, 2023.

It’s been another record-setting breeding season for Great Lakes piping plovers.

Wildlife monitoring of the endangered species this summer resulted in a consecutive year for setting a record for the number of unique piping plover breeding pairs, breaking the record set last year.

This year observers documented 81 unique pairs of piping plovers across the Great Lakes, beating the record set last year by one pair. 

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• Can you make it up 303 steps? Your reward is a sandy sprint down to Lake Michigan
  
  
• Historic Mackinac Island hotel plans Macktoberfest celebration

A note from Tanda:

We love to hear from our travel friends. Have a story tip for us? A suggestion for a new destination to check out? Feel free to send us the details. You can email me at tgmiter@mlive.com

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