Summer in the Mitten: Sleeping Bear Dunes

 

 

Last week, my sister, brother, Dad, and I headed up to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes (or SBD, as we like to call it).  Sleeping Bear Dunes is a National Park located in the Northern portion of the lower peninsula in Michigan.  Sister and I have been to SBD several times, but my brother had never been and made a special request to visit during his Summer vacation.

  We were happy to oblige.  In 2011, Sleeping Bear Dunes was voted the Most Beautiful Place in America by Good Morning America.  My photos don't do it justice, but hopefully they will give you some idea of how beautiful the area is. 

 

{ Sleeping Bear Dunes location in Michigan, indicated by the A }

 

{ a detailed look of the area }

 

 

Our first stop was the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.  You can stop at the visitor center in Empire to pick up a guide and pay for your park entrance { $10 per car for all areas of the park } or just head straight to Pierce Stocking and pay at the entrance.

 



 

We parked the car at one of the first stops and took a short hike.  The nice thing about SBD is that you can do as much or as little hiking/walking as you like.

 



 { Sister and Brother are the two small specks on the hill }

 

 { me with World's Cutest Brother.  He looks thrilled, doesn't he?  What is it with teenage boys and the camera?  he refuses to smile...}

 

 { Dad & Brother }

 

Next, we headed to the Lake Michigan overlook stop on the drive - one of the most beautiful and popular spots.  You don't want to miss it!

 

 

 

 { DKU - me, brother, sister }

 

 

See the area of darker sand in the photo above?  The dark spots are people climbing back up the dune - this is not recommended!  It can take up to two hours to climb up! It's hard to get a sense of how tall the dune is in he photo, but it's 450 feet high with a very steep incline!

 

 

The water is so beautiful up here.  It almost looks like the Caribbean.

 

 

 

 

 

After the scenic drive, we drove North to the city of Glen Arbor.  We wandered around the shops, made a stop to the famous Cherry Republic { Don't miss it - love this fun place } and had a snack at Art's Tavern.  We continued North to Pyramid Point for one more hike.

 



 

After an uphill, buy easy, hike through the woods, you are rewarded with gorgeous views of Lake Michigan. 

 



 

I can't get over the color of the water!

 



 

 { DKU selfie }

 

 

 

 { a half smile...victory! }

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Pyramid Point, we made our way to Traverse City, where we spent the night.  The Traverse City area is another beautiful part of Michigan and is a really fun Summer Town.  I posted about a wine tasting trip I took here.

 

{ One of my Instagram photos of our hotel dock in Traverse City; I used the Waterlogue app to edit into a "watercolor" }

 

I hope you are having a wonderful Summer!  How is it almost August?  I am not ready for Summer to end!