If I have friends in from out-of-town I love to take them on a drive to Frankfort to see the town, maybe catch a bite at Villa Marine then over to Elberta where I know I'll get a wow or two out of 'em when we go down the steep hill to miles and miles of dunes and Lake Michigan beaches. It's an unbeatable stretch of Northern Michigan beach at its best! On the way home a little stop off at Otter Creek off M-22. But if it's just a quick beach day I grab my beach chair, book, a little cooler and head for the public bathing beach on the bay in Elk Rapids, or behind the power dam. In just a couple of minutes from my house I can catch the sun blazing or setting on Michigan's gold coast...
I love Pearl's in my town of Elk Rapids, always quality and creative food--and the staff is great! Have Crazy Lady fix ya' a Cosmo or Bloody Mary with a Blue Cheese stuffed olive. The Sunday Brunch is very nice, too. There are wonderful restaurants throughout the north--Legg's Inn in Cross Village is another go-to destination to take visitors. The ride up through the tunnel of trees is worth the drive and the building is a story in and of itself--and the Polish food takes me to Hamtramck (as close to Poland as I've ever been!).
As far as nightspots...nothing beats a bonfire at someone's house or out at an area park.
I love Whitewater Park off Elk Lake Road--close to the house, great for running the dogs in any season. Before the campers are out, in the Fall, Winter and Spring it's a great spot to hike, snowshoe or just mosey. Camping is a ball--maybe out at Ranch Rudolph or up in Eastport along Lake Michigan. Great camp facilities and, again, close to home for me.
There are breathtaking views at any given turn around Northern MI. I love Peterson Point on the Peninsula, various elevations of Mackinac Island, the top of the dunes at Sleeping Bear or any of the gorgeous trails through the lakeshore area, the beautiful vineyards of Leelanau County and the sunsets anywhere on Lake Michigan.
This spring, I stopped in Frankfort with some girlfriends that were visiting from downstate. We were gonna grab some smoked fish and a bottle of wine and hit Elberta beach for an hour or two. We stopped at the Port City Smoke House, got some salmon and whitefish pate, cheese and wine and some other goodies. We also asked Fred, the friendly fella behind the counter, for a good piece of fish for our dinner when we got home. He sold us a beautiful salmon fillet and gave us a few details for cooking it on the grill ( 1/2 can of beer… what to do with the other half). It was an incredible day of eating thanks to the food we got there on Main St. in Frankfort.
I love a lazy couple of hours in a hammock in the summer, or a fun-filled day on the sandbar with other members of our Red Neck Yacht Club. We have so many options to live like we are on vacation even without the time off!
