I’d certainly heard of the Adirondacks, and love their namesake chairs. Neither Kate nor I had been there, but it seemed like the place to go in New York (when you’ve got two pets in an RV and no money…
Seneca Falls, New York
We were driving through upstate New York, when we saw signs for Seneca Falls. That name rang a bell with me: something to do with suffragettes. Kate did a quick online search and sure enough, Seneca Falls is considered the…
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Someone told us that the Canada side of Niagara Falls offered the best view, and we welcome a chance to see more of Canada, so we decided to cut through lower Ontario to go see the Falls. First we stopped…
Evans Lake, Michigan
Kate also has a special connection to Michigan. Her grandparents retired here. They bought a house near Tipton on Evans Lake and built a smaller rental house below it, right on the lake. Kate and her family would visit in…
Ann Arbor, Michigan
My family moved to Ann Arbor when I was 18. I finished out my sophomore year at Florida State, and then transferred to University of Michigan, where my father was head of the Theater Department. My older brother transferred to…
St. Joseph, Michigan
It’s never too late to get to know your family. I met Adri at my half-brother’s memorial service. She was his cousin, but they were raised so closely, she said he felt more like a brother. Afterward, she friended me…
Pentwater, Michigan
My brother and sister-in-law introduced me to Pentwater about a dozen years ago. They’d bought a vacation cabin there, and I went there with them and my mom. It was a very sweet, woodsy place, with a short walk to…
Point Betsie, Michigan
With all of Sleeping Bear closed, most private campgrounds nearby were full. But a local we met in Glen Arbor suggested we try Betsie River Campground near Frankfort, south of any storm damage. It pained us to leave the Sleeping…
Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan
When we were in Mackinaw City, my friend Jane posted photos of a family reunion in Glen Arbor on Leelanau Peninsula. It was one of the most beautiful places on earth, she bragged. She and her family had been going…
Ranch Rudolf
We were approaching Traverse City, Michigan, unsure of that night’s accommodations, when I said to Kate, “Hey, Ranch Rudolf is somewhere around here.” Ranch Rudolf is a place I went with my family as a teenager, and Kate has heard…
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw) is in Lake Huron at the top of the Michigan mitten, just by the Mackinac Bridge that crosses the Mackinac Straights to the Upper Peninsula. There’s no bridge to the island, and no motor vehicles (other…
O, Canada!
We’d planned to head south into lower Michigan, but when we realized just how close we were to Canada, we decided to crack open the passports for a quick visit first. We crossed the border at Sault St. Marie after…