Posts tagged Mother Nature

Backpacking with the Boys on Grand Island in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

When 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…

Michigan/Indiana/IllinoisLogan T. HansenOctober 15, 2026travel, travel guide, travel advice, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel tips, travelogue, travel recommendations, travel ideas, travel diary, travel bucket list, backpacking, hiking, hiking gear, camping, camping gear, the great outdoors, Mother Nature, outdoors, outdoor adventure, hiking trails, Lake Superior, Grand Island, Michigan, Upper Peninsula, U.P., Munising, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Great Lakes, Great Lakes State, Mitten State, autumn, autumn travel, autumn getaway, autumn inspiration, fall travel, senescence, backcountry, black bears, Pictured Rocks, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Grand Island National Recreation Area, Henry David Thoreau, Hemlock, Shelter Ridge, Little Duck, camping trip, rustic camping, Muldoons, Muldoons Pasties & Gifts, pasties, Grand Island Ferry Service, hotty toddy, North Beach, Hemlock Beach, Bane, Milky Way, stargazing, Yogi Bear, Boo-Boo Bear, Yogi and Boo-Boo, Game of Thrones, Rains of Castamere, Trout Bay, Murray Bay, euchre, Eddie Rabbitt, I Love a Rainy Night, Williams Landing, guys trip, outdoor recreation, outdoor gear, cold weather, fall, fall getaway Comment

All Beach Bums Report to Beverly Shores, The Lakefront Hideaway Tucked Inside a National Park

It 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?

Michigan/Indiana/IllinoisLogan T. HansenAugust 30, 2025travel, travel advice, travel guide, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel recommendations, travel reviews, travel tips, travel ideas, Indiana, Hoosier State, Lake Michigan, Great Lakes, Indiana Dunes National Park, Beverly Shores, beach, beach day, beach life, lake life, sand dunes, summer, summer travel, nature, the great outdoors, Mother Nature, outdoors, outdoor recreation, Michigan City, Gary, Northwest Indiana, Midwest, hidden gem, International Dark Sky Community, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, US Route 12, US-12, Beverly Shores Depot, Beverly Shores Depot Museum & Art Gallery, South Shore Line, Chicago, Chicagoland, South Bend, Insull Spanish, Insull Spanish architecture, architecture, Mission Revival, California, 19th century, Beverly Shores Heritage Trail, Wes Anderson, South Broadway, East Lake Front Drive, Century of Progress, Century of Progress Historic District, Century of Progress Homes, 1933 Chicago World's Fair, I Love Lucy, America's First Glass House, Cypress Log Cabin, Florida Tropical House, Armco-Ferro House, Rostone House, House of Tomorrow, Robert Bartlett, Frederick H. Bartlett Company, Atlantic City, Save the Dunes, Save the Dunes Council, Indiana Landmarks, National Register of Historic PlacesComment

5 Bucket List Destinations for Travelers Who Thrive Off the Beaten Path

Because today is all about finding a new remote destination that is perhaps not so easy to get to. The following is not a list of the “most remote” places on the globe by any stretch, but it may just give you some new ideas or inspire you to seek out another faraway place. Even if you don’t plan on traveling to the ends of the Earth, hopefully you’ll learn something new.

General TravelLogan T. HansenMarch 31, 2025travel, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel ideas, travel lists, travel guide, travel advice, travel bucket list, bucket list, travel recommendations, travel itinerary, travel planning, Pitcairn Islands, Pitcairn Island, Greenland, remote travel, remote destination, remote island, Adamstown, Nuuk, Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe, Gulf of Guinea, Africa, The Telegraph, Portuguese, Lagoa Azul, Praia Micondo, Sao Nicolau Waterfall, Roca Belo Monte, Roca Sundy, Bom Bom, Sundy Praia, Kuste, Oman, Middle East, North America, Arabian Peninsula, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Royal Opera House, Mutrah Souq, Jebel Shams, Jebel Akhdar, Saiq Plateau, Green Mountain, Lonely Planet, Newark, New Jersey, Greenland Travel, Kangerlussuaq, Denmark, Inuk Hostels, Hotel Nordbo, Ilulissit, Kulusuk, Oqaatsut, Nanortalik, hiking, fishing, the great outdoors, Mother Nature, dog sledding, biking, kayaking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, Henderson Island, Ducie Island, Oeno Island, British Overseas Territory, Hawaii, Santiago, Chile, Argentina, Auckland, New Zealand, Air Tahiti, French Polynesia, Mangareva, Gambier Islands, Silver Supporter, Tahiti, Tokyo, Los Angeles, EBSCO, EBSCO Information Services, HMS Bounty, Bounty Bay, Ushuaia, End of the World, Antarctica, Tierra del Fuego, Tierra del Fuego National Park, Esmerelda Lagoon, Martial Glacier, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Intrepid Travel, AdventureSmith Explorations, ice climbing, Beagle Channel, Isla Martillo, helicopter tour, penguins, Buenos Aires, off the grid, off the map, adventure travel, South America, southernmost city, Muscat, Seeb, BawsharComment

The Flint Hills of Kansas Will Shatter Your Definition of Wide Open Spaces

For once in my life, I looked around, surrounded by unfamiliar territory, and though I had the greatest urge to spout that age-old movie reference — “we’re not in Kansas anymore” — the fact of the matter was that, yes, we very much were in Kansas. I mean, in the very heart of America, in that region known as the Great Plains, you have some idea of what you’ll come across, but reading about it or seeing a photo or video is truly not the same as being surrounded by rolling green hills as far as the eye can see.

No Stress in Key West: Soaking Up the Sun on Ernest Hemingway's Erstwhile Island Home

Key West wasn’t necessarily high on my travel bucket list, but it was on there (as is just about every other destination on planet Earth). Regardless, I figured it was better to visit sooner rather than later; that is, before the Florida Keys succumb in their entirety to the catastrophic effects of unchecked climate change and become the newest version of the Lost City of Atlantis.

North AmericaLogan T. HansenMarch 27, 2023travel, travel guide, travel advice, travel ideas, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel recommendations, travel reviews, travel tips, travel planning, travel bucket list, Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Ernest Hemingway, Sloppy Joe's, Sunshine State, Cuba, Captain Tony, Duval Street, Gulf of Mexico, Mellow Cafe, Smoked on the Water BBQ, Garden of Eden, Whistle Bar, Luke Skywalker, Batman, Joker, Gotham, tourist trap, Lost City of Atlantis, Atlantis, Airbnb, Duval, Irish Kevin's, Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant, live music, Key Western Fest, Little Texas, Ricochet, Kendall Marvel, Capt. Tony's Saloon, Hemingway, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Jimmy Buffet, Mike Leach, Papa Hemingway, John F. Kennedy, Rick's Bar, Rick's Entertainment Complex, Durty Harry's, The Durtbags, Red Garter Saloon, The Bull, South Beach, Smathers Beach, beach life, beach day, beach getaway, Higgs Beach, Simonton Beach, Key West International Airport, Sunset Watersports, Salute! On the Beach, Southernmost Point, Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S., Southernmost Beach Cafe, Southernmost Beach Resort, Lagerheads Beach Bar & Watersports, Blue Mojito Bar & Grill, Mother Nature, outdoors, the great outdoors, Sebago Watersports, Fury Key West, Ocean Vue Adventures, Sandbar & Kayak Eco Adventure, Miss Valyn, mangroves, mangrove islands, Florida Keys National Marine SanctuaryComment

The Unassailable Allure of the Great Ghost Trains of Maine

Hidden in the 17.5 million acres of forest spread across the state of Maine are a number of abandoned sites. These include vacant paper mills, deserted homes, old forts, and underground bunkers. But one of the most interesting things you’ll find in the woods of northern Maine are a pair of long-forgotten locomotive engines, rusting away in the middle of nowhere.

This is the Best Way to See All of Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory

It would be very easy to write something here about the island of Anguilla not necessarily being anyone’s first choice when it comes to planning a Caribbean vacation. It would be even easier to say that you might instead consider destinations such as the Bahamas, St. Thomas, or the Dominican. And it would be tempting to remark that you could hardly be blamed for choosing one of those other destinations. So let’s not do any of that.

CaribbeanLogan T. HansenJune 7, 2022travel, travel guide, travel advice, travelspiration, travel inspiration, Anguilla, British Caribbean, Airbnb, Blowing Point, Blowing Point Ferry Terminal, Caribbean, Caribbean Sea, mopeds, scooters, Unique Bar & Grill, British Overseas Territory, Hurricane Irma, Sint Maarten, Saint Martin, St. Martin, Calypso Charters, D&D Rentals, Anguilla Arch, West End Bay, Island Harbour, Shoal Bay, Shoal Bay Beach, wildlife, wild goats, Madeariman, beach life, beaches, island life, Sandy Ground, The Valley, The Village Bakehouse, Village Bakehouse, Route 1, Shoal Bay West, West End Village, hurricane damage, Carib, Carib Lager, Carib Brewery, island adventure, island time, island hopping, island, summer travel, summer vacation, Dutch Caribbean, French Caribbean, French bakery, Mother Nature, the great outdoors, nature, natural beauty, natural attraction, scooter rental, moped rental, moped, scooter Comments

The Mitten State of Mind: One Thing to See or Do in All 83 of Michigan's Counties, Pt. 1

Michigan 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 One, which covers the first 29 counties alphabetically, from Alcona to Gratiot.

Michigan/Indiana/IllinoisLogan T. HansenFebruary 8, 2022travel, travel guide, travel advice, Michigan, travelspiration, travel inspiration, travel recommendations, travel tips, travel ideas, travel planning, travel appreciation, travel guidance, travel junkie, travel bucket list, Great Lakes State, Great Lakes, Escanaba, Upper Peninsula, mitten state, Chippewa County, Tahquamenon Falls, Tahquamenon River, Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Mother Nature, the great outdoors, outdoors, outdoor adventure, Grand Traverse Bay, Grand Traverse County, Alcona County, Churchill Pointe Inn, Sturgeon Point Lighthouse, lighthouse, Lake Huron, Hubbard Lake, Lower Peninsula, Alger County, Pictured Rocks, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Lake Superior, kayaking, Allegan County, Oval Beach, Conde Nast, Conde Nast Traveler, Saugatuck, Lake Michigan, Alpena County, Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Lady Michigan, Shipwreck Alley, shipwrecks, Antrim County, up north, Torch Lake, Torch Lake Monster, Arenac County, Charity Island, Charity Island Lighthouse, Saginaw Bay, bird watching, Baraga County, Mt. Arvon, L'Anse, hiking, biking, jogging, cross-country skiing, cross country skiing, Huron Mountains, Barry County, Gilmore Car Museum, history, Bay County, Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum, BaySail, Benzie County, Inspiration Point, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville, Frankfort, Beulah, Crystal Lake, Platte Lake, Berrien County, Warren Dunes State Park, camping, Branch County, Capri Drive-In Theater, U.S.-12, Binder Park Zoo, Calhoun County, Wild Africa, Cass County, Dowagiac, Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary, Charlevoix, Charlevoix County, Charlevoix the Beautiful, Beaver Island, Beaver Island Hideaway Campground, Beaver Island Music Festival, Cheboygan County, Mackinaw City, Mackinac Bridge, Mackinac Island, Black Mountain Recreation Area, off-roading, snowmobiling, cheboygantrailways.com, Sault Ste. Marie, Soo Locks, St. James Harbor, St. James, Cops & Doughnuts, Clare County, Clare City Bakery, Clinton County, Uncle John's Cider Mill, US-127, Mid Mitten Cider Fest, Fall Craft & Gift Show, Crawford County, Hanson Hills, Hanson Hills Recreation Area, Grayling, Grayling Winter Sports Park, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, tubing, winter travel, summer travel, disc golf, archery, mountain biking, Midwest, Delta County, Escanaba in da Moonlight, Jeff Daniels, Fayette Historic State Park, Northern Sun Winery & Vineyards, Ludington Park, Little Bay de Noc, Dickinson County, Pine Mountain Ski & Golf Resort, Pine Mountain, ski jump, Eaton County, Dimes Brewhouse, BrickHaven Brewing, Sanctuary Spirits, Dimondale, Grand Ledge, Emmet County, Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Genesee County, Flint, Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad, Stepping Stone Falls, Saginaw Street, TripAdvisor, architecture, Anthony Bourdain, art, murals, Gladwin County, Hard Luck, ghost town, Au Sable State Forest, nailhed, Gogebic County, Big Powderhorn Mountain, Big Snow Resort, Blackjack Mountain, Indianhead Mountain, Traverse City, Old Mission, Old Mission Peninsula, winery, vineyard, Gratiot County, Fred Meijer Heartland Trail, Alma, Greenville, Montcalm County, wildlife, nature, travel junkiesComment

Three States for the Price of One: This is the Place Where Michigan, Indiana, & Ohio Meet

You’ve no doubt heard of the Four Corners — the monument that marks the spot where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona come together, allowing you to stand in all four states at once — but there’s another convergence of state lines over in the Midwest that’s likely never crossed your mind. It’s so obscure, in fact, that it might as well just be marked by a rock on the side of a dirt road.

10 Things I've Learned From Being a Travel Blogger for (Nearly) 10 Years

Writing and travel are two of my greatest passions in life, so you’d think combining them would send me into a state of euphoric delirium. The truth is that being a travel blogger means I am constantly thinking of ways to make content out of my travels, which can be draining at times. When you’re in a new place experiencing new things, it’s generally best to simply be in the moment and enjoy it, but there is always a little voice in the back of my mind reminding me that these posts don’t write themselves.

One Spooky Town to Visit in Each of the 6 New England States

Sporting some of the best fall foliage anywhere in the nation, New England is kind of the place to be when you start to feel that crisp, crisp air creep back in. The color-changing parade that falls across the region like a patchwork quilt every September and October is undoubtedly one of the biggest draws for anyone looking to put a fall getaway on the books, but let’s also remember that this is spooky season, and New England is hardly wanting in the arena of things that go bump in the night. From haunted houses and hotels to ghost-riddled cemeteries and ships, you can scare your pants off properly six ways to Sunday.

7 Michigan Cider Mills That'll Help You Get in the Autumn Mood

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but summer is pretty much over. Pumpkin spice-everything is already lining the shelves at your local grocery store, the pumpkin-shaped Reese’s have sprouted from the soon-to-be leaf-littered ground, and, perhaps most importantly, football season is underway. Instead of fighting it, why not just turn the page and delight in all that the autumn season has to offer?

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