Pure Michigan Travel - Fall Color Tours Highlights

Michigan in the Fall

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:31:24 GMT

I was driving my daughter up North this past weekend and she said something that I thought was a great observation. She said "Dad, Michigan in the Fall is like nature's tie-die." I thought that was a great line and it made me think of all the great advertisements you have created to promote Michigan. Keep up the good work! Michigan is truly a great state to live, work and raise a family.

Fall in love, Michigan

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:01:34 GMT

This is my new blog where my husband and I are exploring Michigan and it's beauty as newlyweds. Tuesday October 20, 2009, I got to share in my husband's 23rd birthday with him this past weekend. Being high school sweethearts we have spent previous birthdays together celebrating. This year was special because I got to celebrate with my HUSBAND! We celebrated by going back to beautiful northern Michigan where Steve proposed to me the same weekend, a year prior. So take some tips away guys...: ) Steve had borrowed a GPS and insisted that I could not know where we were going for our weekend road trip, I was advised to dress warm though! I assumed we would of course stay close, in Michigan, but there are so many great places I had considered that we might be headed to! Where do you think he took me when we left from Grand Rapids??? The drive was especially beautiful because the fall colors were in peak last October! After a few hours we were near Traverse City. Once I realized where we were, he took me to a nature trail on a small lake outside of Traverse City. We unpacked our picnic blanket under a thick woods of tall trees with beautiful rays of light shining down on us. Next, we headed up to the Leelanau Peninsula where he took me to an amazing wine trail ( we were both 21 and excited to be able to partake!) Not only were most of them free to taste (being cheap college students) but the views of vineyards and the surrounding water was gorgeous. There were so many to visit we didn't even see them all! Our favorite winery became Leelanau Cellars which allowed us to try as many tastings as we wanted as we overlooked the beautiful bay in Omena, MI. Needless to say we bought a bottle of Baco Noir to celebrate next year. It's already been a year and again we traveled North this year to celebrate my husband's birthday and one year since his proposal! Oh right, how he proposed!! ... After being bundled up for beautiful Michigan fall weather, wine tasting, and picnics (with our special picnic backpack- an essential for travel!), we hiked along a trail in Northport, MI ( I'm not a hiker, so these were short trails fortunately) to a beautiful overlook where he bent down on one knee! He was brave because he had never been to that sight before but in northern Michigan EVERYTHING is so pretty! Following his proposal just before the sun was about to set we headed to a nearby lighthouse in the state park down the road where we continued to celebrate his proposal with a gorgeous sunset! The only complaint would be the terrible phone service up north, although by then everyone had already known that I would have a fiance when I arrived home I think ( Steve got excited) ! Next, off to Grandma's house in Northport to stay for the night... Traveling is even better when you have family and friends to visit and adventure through life with. More to come on our most recent adventure Up North in celebration of hubby's 23rd birthday! I love road trips in Michigan, the spectacular views are enough to make for cheap entertainment!!

Fabulous Mackinac Island Fall Weekend!

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:28:02 GMT

It was mid-October and my wife's birthday. So our friends (Beth & Roger) and I treated ourselves to a wonderful weekend on Mackinac Island--and a stay at the fabulous Grand Hotel. My wife had been to the island before, but never stayed at The Grand. Certainly, we worried about what the weather would be like, but it turned out to be a terrific Fall weekend on the island--temperatures in the high 50's and no rain. We got to the Shepler Ferry docks in Mackinaw City about 11 am on Friday and bought our tickets for the 11:30 am ferry to the island. Of course, we used Shepler's valet parking, which is well-worth the slight extra charge (note: the Welcome Center in Mackinaw gave me a $3 off coupon, which helped, too). The 15-17 minute ferry ride across the straits was smooth and fast (and no we didn't venture up on the top open deck--though some younger riders did). On the island, the Grand picked up our luggage and we decided to sign up for the 1-1/2-hr Mackinac Island Carriage Tour of the island--it was a great ride around the island and our carriage driver was very knowledgeable about all of the sights that we came across. Don't miss taking a carriage tour, it's well-worth the $24 cost. After the tour, we strolled up the hill to The Grand Hotel to check in. The Grand is definitely an inspiring site as you approach. Check in went smoothly and we were in rooms 196E and 198E, each with little balconies overlooking the Jewel golf course and the wide street leading up to the Grand. As is the Grand's tradition, dinner and breakfast is included in every room rate. Everyone dresses for dinner and this weekend was extra special because it was Big Band weekend. After our wonderful dinner, we went to the ballroom to listen to the band and watch some of the "professional" ballroom dancers. None of the "Dancing with the Stars" performers had anything on some of the couples at the Grand--which was a little intimidating to my wife and I (we promised ourselves to take lessons in the coming year). Oh well, I could go on and on about the Island and the Grand, I'll just summarize by saying that the ladies went shopping (big discounts at end of season) and the guys played 9 holes of golf on the beautiful Jewel golf course. Absolutely, a terrific Fall getaway weekend -- except that both MSU and UM lost their football games that Saturday--which we watched on big plasma screens at the Grand's Gatehouse restaurant. WOW...I impressed my wife with this weekend gift--I impressed Beth & Roger with the whole idea--and I got to see beautiful scenery, eat delicious meals, take great Fall photos--and play golf on top of everything. My only regret...I didn't sign up for the next weekend, which was the Grand's "Somewhere in Time" weekend and my fantasy date, Jane Seymore, was scheduled to make an appearance :>}

AuSable Fall Color Riverboat

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:26:30 GMT

I just leared about a great new way to experience Michigan's fall colors ... and its just a short 3-hour drive from my home in Hartland, Michigan. The AuSable Queen Riverboat (near Oscoda) runs 2-hour tours from May into October. The view is unique - the captain's commentary is informative & corny and sometimes even funny. And since somebody else was doing the driving, I was free to relax and enjoy the scenery, the wildlife and the company of my traveling companions.

I think the surpirse October 2007 heat wave delayed the color peak a bit this year. More color would have been a bonus, but even the subtle changes looked stunning from the water. I will definitely do this trip again in 2008!

Trip to the Upper Peninsula to see Tahquamenon Falls and Pictured Rocks

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:51:24 GMT

Gorgeous! After living in Michigan for many years and never seeing the Upper Peninsula, I had to go and enjoy it in the fall. The trees were beautiful and the UP is a relaxed and wonderous place to visit. We stayed in Paradise right on Lake Superior and enjoyed Tahquamenon Falls, Pictured Rocks, Munising and their local waterfalls, Grand Marais, Whitefish Point and driving around Lake Superior. We really enjoyed our visit the weekend of October 3-5, 2008. Don't wait to go!!! Get up there and enjoy =)

AWESOME HEMLOCK

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:42:50 GMT

IN LATE OCTOBER 2005 MY MIKE AND I DROVE THE ROUTE BETWEEN GAYLORD, MI. ACROSS M32/131 TO PETOSKEY. ALONG THE WAY THERE WERE PINE-LOOKING TREES THAT, TO US, SEEMED TO BE DYING AS THEY HAD TURNED A BRIGHT GOLD COLOR. HOWEVER, THE FARTHER WE DROVE THE MORE WE SAW OF THEM AND WE DECIDED THERE WERE TOO MANY OF THEM JUST TO BE DYING WITHOUT SOME SORT OF TREE BLIGHT OF WHICH WE HAD NOT HEARD. FINALLY, OUR CURIOUSITY GOT THE BEST OF US AND WE PULLED INTO A C-STORE AND ASKED ABOUT THEM, ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT THEY WERE CALLED HEMLOCK, AND THAT THEY SHED THEIR NEEDLES MUCH IN THE SAME MANNER THAT OTHER TREES SHED THEIR LEAVES. ENMASSE, THEY ARE JUST BEAUTIFUL AND I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH THEIR HISTORY, BUT I HAVE FOUND THEY ARE NOT INDIGENOUS VERY FAR SOUTH OF GAYLORD. THEY ARE AN AWESOME SIGHT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM EVERY FALL.

getaway/b&b's/wine

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 20:25:57 GMT

South Haven is centrally located to easy driving to several wineries. We've been coming to the area for three years now, and each time we try to visit a different winery on the way to our b&b. Our favorite so far has been Fenn Valley not only for the varitiy of wines but also for the scenery in the fall. We have been lucky enough to be on the fall wagon tour two years in a row. The information gained by listening to the ventner himself has added to our enjoyment of the wines we've bought and enjoyed in our home. Just north of South Haven is a new winery just opened in August.It is McIntosh winery specializing in fruit and berry wines.They are new enough that the server has time to give you one on one attenion answering the many questions we had about the wines we were tasting.This was a different experience from Round Barn Winery in Baroda. There we were served by a young lady who had only been on the job a day and couldn't answer most of the questions we had. To her credit she did try. The wines there were very good ,they were just too busy to give you that attention you expect.We also stopped at Tabor Hill again we were served some excellent wines and we had the pleasure of having lunch at the resturant at the winery.Well worth a return visit. Next year we hope to add a few more wineries to our trip half the fun is the fact that it is a easy drive to so many in the area and still have time to enjoy the beach and the local resturants and still have time to enjoy the pleasure of the b&b.

Michigan north - Good place to visit

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:20:00 GMT

I heared that michigan north is the best place to visit for fall, when i went for visit i found it's amazing .. more than my expectations. Gaylord is the perfect fall color escape place.