Wednesday, July 15, 2020

A road trip to the Great Lakes

Being cooped up at home for months, we were itching to travel again. Flying isn't an option right now. We were looking for places within driving distance of 6 hours or less and decided on a road trip to Michigan (ended up being 6.5 hours from where we live). Lake Michigan has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. To be completely honest, I didn't have high expectations. Blue water and white sand are my kind of vacation. We went with a friend's family. They have kids around Madelyn's age so they play so great together. We also took Courtney's best friend so she has someone to hang out with. At this age, they have more fun with their friends than with us. We rented a 3 bedroom condo for 8 of us and it worked out perfectly. As mentioned early, I didn't have high expectations but I was blown away by its beauty. Here's a recap of our weekend getaway.
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1. Mackinac Island: Starting off with my favorite place to visit. Located between the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. Mackinac Island is a charming vacation spot and offers a simpler way of life. The entire island has no cars in 1898 (only horses and bicycles are allowed) giving the place a laid-back vibe. There are endless things to do on the island: hiking, biking, horseback riding. There are tours, festivals and endless dining options and shops. We spent the day exploring this beautiful island and I completely fell in love. I even consider purchasing a vacation home there but after doing some research, I realized everything is out of my budget. Go figure =) I definitely plan to go back and stay on the island sometimes in the near future.
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{Outfit details: Pink dress | Sandals | White sunglasses}
2. Sleeping Bear Dunes: If you're visiting Michigan, this is a must-see. It's so beautiful in person. My camera couldn't quite capture the beauty. The sand dunes are a bit of a hike (and farther than it appears) but after making it to the lake shore, the views of the islands are exceptional.
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3. Torch Lake: There are so many beautiful lakes in Michigan but Torch Lake takes the cake. It's famous for its sandbars and turquoise blue waters. Its color is often compared to the Caribbean. The famous sandbar is currently closed due to Coronavirus outbreak. The water is crystal clear and the lake in general is just stunning. The girls went tubing, the husband water-skied then we docked the boat and spent the entire day relaxing on the lake. Watch a short clip below to see how beautiful the water is. Everyone had the best time.
All in all, it was a wonderful and much needed getaway. I know people aren't comfortable about traveling yet. I am not either but at the same time, we have to safely learn to live with the virus. We are cautious but not overly panicking. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Every time we do something that is normal, the kids are so happy. This weekend getaway is exactly what we needed. We are in fact planning another trip to the mountains next month. Stay tuned if you're interested to know where we are heading

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Sydney, great fashion sense you have. I am thinking of doing a Great Lakes Cruise or maybe I'll just do a roadtrip. Just not sure with all the Covid stuff going on. I enjoyed your page!

Sydney's Fashion Diary said...

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you'll enjoy your trip =)