Spend A Weekend In Michigan

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Yes, I know that it sounds crazy. But if you get past the Detroit area and head to "Up North," you will find that it isn't bad at all. I'm going to help you plan your vacation to "Up North" so you can have a great time.
To start, we have to determine a few things.
1. How long is your drive to "Up North?"
2. Do you plan on RV'ing/Camping or staying in a hotel?
3. Do you plan on being active or having more of a relaxed vaction?
Now that you have answered these questions we can begin. If you are from out of state or more than 5+ hours away from "Up North" I would suggest staying at Cadillac. They have a Holiday Inn Express that is pretty nice. You can leave Friday after work and drive to Cadillac. Get up the next morning and drive an hour and a half to get to the Lelanau Peninnsula. You should arrive in time to have lunch. In Glen Arbor there is a nice pizza place. You can drive there and park. After you eat, you can walk next door and go kayaking on the Crystal River at Crystal River Outfitters or play putt-putt in the other direction. If you are being active, I would suggest the kayaking because you get to "shoot the tube." It basically means that you go through an tube that goes under a street. If you like relaxed, you can go play putt-putt or go explore the Cherry Republic Winery and Store.
Now that its dinner time, I suggest you should go to Boone Docks. It is a great place to eat and is affordable. They usually have a band playing and a great no-smoking atmosphere.
Now you have to figure out where your going to stay. If you want to camp/RV, I suggest the Empire Township Campground. Its cheap and nicely wooded with alot of space in between campsites. The only bad part is that it doesnt even have a flush toilet. If you are going to stay at a hotel, there is a bed and breakfast in Glen Arbor, and other hotels scattered throughout the peninnsula. *You should get reservations for both hotels and campsites, they can fill up fast.*
For the next morning, I suggest going into Glen Arbor and go to a place called Art's Tavern. They have very good breakfasts that are affordable. After eating breakfast, you should go take a hike to Lake Michigan. You can climb the Sleeping Bear Dunes or take a short hike down by the Marina Museum. At Lake Michigan you can swim and look for Petoskey Stones. Hike back and then its time to leave. You can drive all the way home and then be ready for work the next day!

I hope that this guide helps you out. You can comment on it and give suggestions. Thanks for visiting my blog! -Andy K.

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