My family and I have been coming up to northern Michigan for as long as I can remember… when I think of summer, I think of the sandy beaches, skipping rocks on the water, kayaking down the nearby river, jumping waves and “body” surfing, bonfires and looking at the sky fill with stars. Growing up, every year we’d only go for a week, sometimes two. But every year I looked forward to it more than anything.
(Some links are affiliates.)
Once Upon a Time, When Michigan was a Vacation
I’ve long referred to Michigan as my “happy place” even as its meaning to me changed over time. As a kid, it was a week of nothing but sandcastles and time in the water. In high school and college, it was my break, a chance for this introvert to recharge. I’d bring about seven books with me so I always had something to read. (And nope, I never got through them all, but I couldn’t risk being without a book!)
Michigan changed again, in a good way, when my parents bought some homes and turned them into rentals. While we started to go up more than before, we rarely went during the peak of summer. In the spring, we visited as the leaves and flowers started to bud and the air was brisk. We visited in the fall when the leaves turned and the hiking paths were just the right temperature. We even went up in the Winter, like around Christmas, which meant making snow angels on the frozen beach.
The seasons changed, but my love of this beautiful piece of land never did. It was still my haven, my place to recharge, and where I went to read, write, and relax. Over my 30+ years of coming up here, I can’t tell you how many books I’ve read, how many journals I’ve filled, how many times I’ve dug my toes into the sand and waded out into the water, and how many naps I’ve taken while sunbathing (or even curled under a towel!)
Then we had kids…
And that sounds a lot more foreboding than it should. My husband also went up to Michigan as a child, and we both hoped northern Michigan would be special to our kids too.
It is still definitely special. I see how much my city girl loves the sand and the water (although it took a few years for her to even step foot into the sand without screeching!)
But I realized that Michigan is “work” too… and now I get why parents often joke that taking a “vacation” with kids isn’t really a vacation at all, especially when you’re not staying at a hotel.
Taking a vacation with kids? It’s more like a trip. There’s still food to be made, diapers to be changed, and keeping a vigilant eye on the little ones, especially when they want to play in the water. Plus, with my parents’ rentals in northern Michigan, there is a whole lotta other work that needs to be done in terms of upkeep and getting the place ready for renters each season… but that’s a whole other ball of wax.
I know things will change again in a few years when my little ones are older, but right now, “vacation” can be downright tiring. But you won’t hear me complain for one second… even though it takes work getting the family packed up — especially when my husband can’t come because of work. As the Onion has joked about family vacations, there’s still plenty of chores to do… it’s just that we’re in closer proximity to the water.
But hey, I’ll take it. I’ll take the view of the water, and I’ll enjoy every second of the breeze off the lake…because while the chores might still be there, and while I don’t spend hour upon hour just laying at the beach like I used to, it’s still very much my happy place. Plus, I’m starting to see how much my kids love it, and I can’t wait to see what memories they create there too.
