Lake Michigan becomes the New Focus

 This was a day about food! And about scenery! It was a perfect day today weather-wise and in all other ways also. We loved staying in the casino/hotel and found it first rate in all ways except as to food. Especially on Mondays and Tuesdays the pickings are a bit slim and mostly some type of fast food served on styrofoam with plastic utensils. So today we set out to do better, and certainly accomplished that!  We first found a Swedish Pantry restaurant in Escanaba, a nearby town. The Swedish pancakes were excellent and the ambiance was delightful. We enjoyed lingonberries & spiced peaches and loved hearing all the Scandanavian accents. It was truly and wonderful find.

From there to dinner we enjoyed some truly wonderful scenery. We traveled east across the tip of Lake Michigan and then headed south across the Mackinac Bridge and into the northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. Either majestic trees or the hypnotyzing Lake Michigan were always in our view. Lake Michigan appears calmer, more peaceful,  than Lake Superior and today it was simply beautiful in the sunshine. We stopped often just to look or walk around. In one area many, many cars were parked by the side of the road so people could wade or swim in the lake. The water here is sky blue and crystal clear.

So far our travel in Michigan has been on non-interstate highways and these roads are full of rest areas and/or roadside parks, mostly in a scenic area or set into a grove of trees and always super clean. This is one such park we stopped to enjoy today





Yes, that's a sandy beach on which you could walk for quite a while. Quite a few people stopped here to take advantage -- the kids mostly were in the shallow mellow water.









We reached the Mackinac Bridge and, of course, there was another green park expanse, with benches, to get a good view of the bridge and to watch the activity. 

always bright flowers


memorial fog bell

Vic & Marie loved this place










from the car. Lake Huron left; Lake Michigan right

We had been told to head to Cross Village and from there to Harbor Springs, through Good Hart. Cross Village and Good Hart are very small but both with active General Stores and noted restaurants frequented by local visitors. But it is the drive which is memorable. Cross Harbor and Harbor Springs are 20 miles apart -- but that drive! A 2 lane road JUST wide enough for 2 cars, winding and curvy, right on the lake shore, and canopied by trees the whole way. Let's just say the 35-40 mph really isn't always practical or possible! It was spectacular and more populated than we expected with a mixture of summer places and more substantial residences.

Shortly before we reached Harbor Springs, the places turned estate-like: huge terraced wine properties,  large horse farms and exclusive country clubs. Harbor Springs was like  out of a dream -- green and lush and with homes and buildings associated with previleged lives of an earlier time. But this is a very active town today with a busy marina of mostly yachts and people enjoying them. It has a very happy vibe. 

Now back to the food. First, someone in Steamboat told us to be sure to get to the waterfront in Harbor Springs. Then a couple weeks ago Carrie sent us an article about great water-front restaurants in Michigan and The Pier in Harbor Springs was on that list. Then last night we had a FaceTime with Julie & Dave Shuffleton and they recommended The Pier from their days skiing in the area. Luckily we arrived about the time the restaurant opened (they do not take reservations) and so seemed perfect.  It was!  This was such an enjoyable experience with food & drink which exceeded expectations. We both had a delicious special Pier cocktail; then decided on the pan-seared walleye and ate every last morsel. 

from our table

town of Harbor Springs

marina at Harbor Springs

Short drive to our motel in Potoskey (also on the lake but shorter on views).  Wonderful day today. More tomorrow.












Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 2, 2021 at 4:03 PM

    Glad that you are are having such wonderful experiences in such a beautiful part of the country

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 2, 2021 at 4:05 PM

      The above comment was from Joe and Charlotte Evans

      Delete

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