Beaches

A Chance to Reset

September 1, 2011

in Beaches,Camping,Guest Blogger,Outdoors,Posts by Region,Upper Peninsula

Heather Oysti returns home for the annual family and friends trip to Baraga State Park, where nostalgia reigns and life resets.

My childhood memories appear in a place where snow days are chronic, the lakes are Great and November 15 is practically a holiday. I am an authentic Yooper, born and raised in Ishpeming Township and three-quarters Finnish. I am proud to be from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, so much so that my slips back into the native dialect simply remind me that I am a transplant in Chicagoland. I write now, days before a trip home, in anxious anticipation. This Yooper is going camping and I am ready for a reset.

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The Lake in August

August 31, 2011

in Beaches,Guest Blogger,Northwest,Outdoors,Posts by Region,Southwest,Upper Peninsula

Lake Michigan from Glen Haven

Thank you to Sharon Galley Sherrow for this lovely post expressing her love for Lake Michigan. It is something many of us can relate to.

I awakened last night to pounding waves and boisterous winds. It is a good sound, a reassuring sound. My beloved Lake Michigan reminded me once again that it can display as many moods as a maturing female. Last night it sounded like an angry teenager slamming her door, denied her demanded rights. Today that teenager has lost its rage, but still is dancing prettily with white caps lacing her song.

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Michigan – Now I Get It!

August 29, 2011

in Beaches,Guest Blogger,Northeast,Outdoors,Posts by Region,Southwest,Upper Peninsula,West Central

Guest blogger Yvonne Bingaman may not live in Michigan, but her heart belongs here. Read about a special mother and daughter vacation to Pure Michigan, and how her mom now “gets it.”

I’ve been visiting Michigan for several years, ever since I passed through on a road trip headed to Iowa. I wasn’t even supposed to stay the night, but I ended up spending three. The next year I returned to spend a week there.

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15 Incredible Photos of Michigan Lighthouses

August 24, 2011

in Beaches,Nature & Parks,Outdoors

Copper Harbor Lighthouse

Over 115 lighthouses dot the Michigan coastline. Some of them still guide boats to safety, some welcome visitors to spend the night in unforgettable surroundings, and all of them are stunning sites to behold, at any time of year.

We sorted through over 700 photos in our Flickr archives to unearth some truly stunning images of lighthouses across the state. Have a photo of your own to share? Post it on our Facebook page or send us a Tweet!

Don’t forget to check out the rest of our lighthouse images in our special Flickr photoset. Read more…

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Aerial Assignment: Beaver Island

August 23, 2011

in Beaches,GeoCoded,Guest Blogger,Hiking,Michigan Food,Nature & Parks,Northwest,Outdoors,Posts by Region,Restaurants

Kevin Miyazaki, a contributing photographer for Michigan Travel Ideas, shares his experience of shooting Beaver Island Michigan from a two-seater airplane.

I’m a frequent flier for photography assignments, but one thing I’m not accustomed to is chatting with the pilot during flight. Through the use of a headset and microphone, my partner in conversation is Keith Teague, owner of Fresh Air Aviation. Keith makes several trips a day from Charlevoix to Beaver Island in small but comfortable passenger planes. The one we’re in today is much smaller—a two-seater he’s pulled out of the hanger specifically for this occasion.