Haunted locales, whether they be hotels, theaters, ships, restaurants, cemeteries, or abandoned mental hospitals, are so plentiful that it can be difficult to make a case for one place over another. Their existence is so commonplace, in fact, we might even have to amend the phrase to “a nickel a dozen”, purely due to the laws of supply and demand. What’s more, some of these supposedly spirit-riddled hotspots are about as authentic as a three-dollar bill.
Read MoreWhen I decided to join my younger brother and his friends for a four-day hike covering 20+ miles on Grand Island in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, there were certainly some known quantities involved. I knew, for example, that spending the night on an island in Lake Superior in October would potentially be a frosty affair, thus packing plenty of layers and proper gear, including a sleeping bag capable of insulating my body in 35- to 40-degree weather, was a must. I knew that it would be extremely dark out there once the sun went down, which could possibly provide awe-inspiring glimpses of starry night skies, but also allow the imagination to run wild…
Read MoreWintertime can feel like a slog, especially once the holidays have come and gone. If you’re not much of a winter sports person, whether we’re talking skiing, snowboarding, ice fishing, or the like, it can be even more of a drag. That’s where winter festivals and carnivals come into play, injecting a bit of brightness into the cold, shortened days of the bitter season. As far as these frosty affairs go, it doesn’t get much bigger than the weeks-long World of Winter Festival held in West Michigan every January, February, and March.
Read MoreCorktown is one of Detroit’s most eclectic neighborhoods, brimming with breweries, eateries, bars, and all kinds of inviting little shops and boutiques — a quaint little city within the city, with downtown’s skyscrapers plainly in view off to the east. While there are all kinds of reasons for visiting this part of Detroit, the true pièce de résistance is the newly-revived Michigan Central Station.
Read MoreIt feels wildly unlikely that I would ever come across a Lake Michigan beach that didn’t tickle my fancy, but the 4.5-mile stretch of sandy shoreline belonging to Beverly Shores, Indiana, is increasingly becoming one of my new favorites. The “town” of Beverly Shores, which is tucked between Gary and Michigan City and surrounded by Indiana Dunes National Park, isn’t much of a town at all — what you will find here on the underside of Lake Michigan is mostly a mix of beachfront, forest, marshland, and sand dunes. But, honestly, what more do you need?
Read MoreVintage books are by no means a necessity, but if you’re in the market for some classic tomes — if, perhaps, you have a collection going, or are looking to begin one — there are a few spots around Chicago that need to be on your radar. Here are three of them.
Read MoreWe’re here to talk shop, and by that, I mean volleyball. Specifically, the kind played on the sand in the summertime, which is the best kind in my opinion, and the preferred version of the sport for Chicagoans when the warm weather washes up on the shores of Lake Michigan. Visit any of the beaches mentioned below for yourself during the summer and you'll likely come to the same conclusion.
Read MoreLook, folks, here’s the deal: Lake Michigan doesn’t need your approval. It doesn’t need your accolades, or your superlatives, or your constant-but-warranted praise. It doesn’t need you to remind it that it is the greatest of all the Great Lakes, better than Lake Superior or Huron or Ontario... or that other one that we almost don’t even need to mention (because, come on, that’s just laughable).
Read MoreMichigan is full of majesty, mystery, and might, each of which comes in many forms. This three-part series highlights just some of what the Mitten State has to offer, county by county. Welcome to Part Three, which covers the final 22 counties alphabetically, from Newaygo to Wexford.
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