I love family vacations and road-trips. Every summer, when I was growing up, we packed up our car and headed out on the road to some destination. I was surprised to discover that this is not a common event for all families.  Justin and I love to travel and we are eager to make this a part of our own family traditions—our own heritage of travelling.

At the end of June, we packed up our car and spent a few days playing tourist in northern Michigan. We drove up the western coast of the state, along Lake Michigan, around to the top of the “mitten.” (For those of you who have never spent time gazing at the state map, Michigan is shaped like a left-handed mitten.) We passed through Traverse City—stopping for cherry pie at the Traverse City Pie Company, as is only good and proper—and carried on to our destination: the harbor town of Charlevoix. There we rented a beautiful cottage that was only a few blocks from the heart of the town and the waterfront.  Michigan was a chilly, as we had anticipated, but the days that began in clouds and fog melted into clear sunlight and blue skies.

While we were there, we took off towards Mackinac City where we caught the ferry to Mackinac Island for the day.  No cars are allowed on the island, which is surrounded by the frigid waters of Lake Huron—only bicycles and horses and foot traffic.  There we rented bicycles, and our boys—who had only just taught themselves to ride their bikes at home—rode the full eight-mile loop around the perimeter of the island.  That feat was most deserving of ice cream—and a taste of the fudge the island is known for. Unfortunately, it turns out that so much deliciousness cannot be photographed!

There, in northern Michigan, we found flowers, trains, castles and dragons, lighthouses, food (oh my, the pie!) and the treasure of unhurried time together. Such bliss!