towns

“H” is for Harbor Springs, Michigan

Posted on by Debbie

   

Sometimes it is just important to get off the beaten path, which is how we discovered the quaint town of Harbor Springs.  I would like to say we took the road less traveled, but the popular scenic corridor along Highway 119 is located just north of Petoskey, Michigan and the pull of nature and beauty is great.

The waterfront community sits in a sheltered location on the North shore of Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan.

Harbor Springs lies just 7 miles off US 31, yet feels like a step back in time as travelers seek the views of Lake Michigan and the many activities offered during all four seasons.  There is also an abundance of culinary and cultural attractions available in this area.

With a population of just 1200 people, some might be tempted to roll right through the sleepy little village of Harbor Springs. The tiny downtown area seems to have stood still in time but closer inspection reveals a thriving art community.  Benches scattered throughout town invite you to slow down and savor the moment.

   

The real treat is tucked quietly behind the main road, it is almost hidden and if you don’t allow yourself time to wander, you might just miss it.  A short walk reveals a beautiful waterfront area, complete with two beaches, a green space, picnic facilities and a dock to walk on.  Luxurious homes and huge yachts reveal there is more to this town than meets the eye.

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“B” is for “Beautiful Boyne City”, Michigan

Posted on by Debbie

BWhen Alan and I take on an ABC Adventure, we don’t limit ourselves to doing the letters in any particular order.  By the time we got to the letter B, on our 48 hour mini trip, we had already visited Kalkaska, Grayling and Gaylord!  We had explored many new places, tasted several fun foods and immersed ourselves in nature.  The letter B might have also been utilized at the “bakery” as we filled up for donuts at “breakfast”.  We might have used the letter when we went to the “beach” to eat that breakfast, or as we explored many of the “buildings” we had already seen along our journey.  Instead, we had safely guarded our letter “B”, knowing that we would soon arrive in “Boyne City” where there are only a few specialty stores, a couple of amazing restaurants and a number of condominiums.  In this seemingly tiny town, which appears to spring up from nowhere, the beautiful Lake Charlevoix takes center stage.   This area has been attracting people to its shores for many years.  From skiing in the winter, to the Morel Festival in the spring, sailing in the summer and enjoying the colors of fall, there is something to explore here year round.  In fact, 3500 people call this place their permanent home.  The population swells in the warmer months as people flock to the natural beauty of the area.

B-Boyne flowers B-Boyne Fish

I don’t know what intrigues me the most, the waterfront, or the flowers. The old and the new   combines seamlessly.  Everywhere I look radiates a personal pride in the area.  Even the little log cabin, which has served as the visitor center since the 1940’s, is awash in carefully tended flowers.

 

Sadly, I am unable to find out anything about this little building but the careful preservation has ensured its safety  as industry develops around it.

B-Boyne-my baby

More flowers are planted along the riverfront.  These are carefully tended by volunteers, providing me a fun place to play with my photography.

B-Boyne riverfront B-Boyne-flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we make our way down Main Street, which is really no more than a few businesses, we are pleased to see that it is enough to attract plenty of shoppers and people looking for a great waterside meal.

B-Boyne downtown B-Boyne development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sunset Park was a great place to end our adventures for this day.  We purchased an ice cream, then sat upon a “bench” to enjoy the “beauty” of “Boyne City”.  It had been a “busy” day of exploration!

“K” is for “Ketchikan”-Alaska

Posted on by Debbie

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Looking for information about Creek Street, my reasearch about this famous location in Ketchikan, Alaska, quickly led me to a sordid history of protitution and bootlegging!  Today, along the banks of Ketchikan Creek, there exists only a quaint collection of historical buildings, boardwalks and wooden palings,  Tourists have replaced the bootleggers and now flock by the thousands to the brightly painted buildings which contain galleries, restaurants and specialty shops.  Some of the earliest buildings date back to 1903.  Back then, this area looked vastly different, containing only a few brothels as well as a shingle mill, a cooperage and several water wheels which used the power of the creek to generate electricity.  From the 1920’s to the 1950’s, prostitution was so popular that the there were 20 bawdy houses in this area alone!

 

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“A” is for “Anniversary at Aonach Mor”!-Harbor Springs, Michigan

Posted on by Debbie

AonachMorMoonlightDinner

Thirty years is a long time to be married.  We wanted to do something different for this special anniversary.  Since our wedding date falls on January 8th, we are often at a loss for how to celebrate during the peak of Michigan’s winter weather.  We had booked a beautiful room in Harbor Springs, Michigan for the weekend.  As part of our Anniversary package, we were given $150 resort credit, to be used at any of the nearby Boyne Resorts.  I scanned the opportunities.  There was skiing, tubing, dog sled pulls, horse drawn sleigh rides and something called the Aonach Mor Moonlight Dinner.  Since we were on an “A” themed adventure, this caught my eye.

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A is for Amazing Alden

Posted on by Debbie

P7047772 It was a hot summer day, as we set off to explore our first Michigan city. Barely a pinprick on a map, Alden is tiny.   Alan and I had often passed right through on our way to somewhere seemingly more exciting. With a population of just 125 people, it is easy to believe that there is not much there.  Opening the atlas we decided this was the nearest “A” themed location, to our home. Determined to find something of interest in this sleepy little town we traveled for nearly an hour, specifically to see it. Entering the four block long town, colorful signs announce that you have arrived, but blink and you will have traveled beyond the few stores and restaurants that reside in the restored buildings, dating from the 1800’s.

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A is for “Anytime. anyplace, or anything” a great way to begin our ABC adventures.

Posted on by Debbie

 

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One of our first adventures was to explore the town of Alden, MI.  You can read about it here.

Each state has its own list of cities and towns.  Every location offers its own unique flare.   Find out what to do there, then set your course for a new adventure.  If you live in Michigan, like we do,  you could also visit Acme, Adrian, Albion, Algonac, Allendale, Allen Park, Alma, Alpena,  Ann Arbor, Arcadia or Auburn Hills to begin  your alphabet journey.