Weekend in Northern Michigan: Scenery and Food

[BigBassin144]

I wanted to share some pics from a short family weekend vacation to Northern Michigan. We left Thursday after work and stayed in a small cottage just outside of Traverse City and visited some cool places like the Sleeping Bear Dunes and some wineries on the Old Mission Peninsula.

On Friday, we visited the Sleeping Bear Dunes, north of Empire, MI. My sister and I climbed the dunes and went about 1/2 way to the shore of Lake Michigan (it's about 2 miles from where the dunes start). The dunes are beautiful and just the fact that they were created by a glacier is amazing.


Sleeping Bear Dunes by PhotoRebel4, on Flickr


Sleeping Bear Dunes by PhotoRebel4, on Flickr


Sleeping Bear Dunes by PhotoRebel4, on Flickr

That night we went to a great restaurant - Boone's Long Lake Inn - where the portions are huge and food is great. I got the 8oz Prime Rib and Perch dinner of their Surf N Turf menu. My 8oz prime rib was more like 10-11oz and it came with over half a dozen perch fillets.



They are known for their 18oz New York Strip, which looks more like a roast than a steak. My mom ate it for dinner, shared a bit with everyone, and it weighed nearly 16oz when we brought it home.



Satuday was shopping around Traverse City with lunch at the Mackinaw Brewing Co. Appetizers shared around the table. My Mussels and Shrimp in a beer based brother were delicious.



Some of the best stuffed mushrooms I've ever had:



Saturday afternoon was well spent tasting wine (more watching than tasting for me) and enjoying the beautiful scenery on the Old Mission Tavern. Chateau Chantal Winery and Bed & Breakfast sits atop a hill looking over their many vinyards.


Chateau Chantal Vinyard by PhotoRebel4, on Flickr


Chateau Chantal Vinyard by PhotoRebel4, on Flickr

There were also a surprising number of hops farms along our drive up and down the peninsula. At the end of the peninsula sits the lighthouse and the historic Hesler House from the early 1850's.


The Hesler Log House by PhotoRebel4, on Flickr

The beach was very beautiful up there too.


The Beach by PhotoRebel4, on Flickr

Our day finished off with dinner at the Old Mission Tavern. My first taste of oysters with their version of Oysters Rockefeller.



Sunday brought breakfast at Mabel's in Traverse City and the best french toast (on homemade cinnamon swirl bread) that I've ever had (sorry, no pics... ate it too fast!). A little more shopping in downtown, a visit to the fish weir (there they catch the spawning salmon in the fall to harvest the eggs for the fisheries), and a cool little fly fishing shop. We're not much into fly fishing, but had to buy this unique weedless frog fly we found.



When fishing it, the hook is concealed between the foam sides of the fly. But when a fish its, the foam is pushed out of the way and the hook exposed.



I didn't get to wet a line the entire time, but it's okay because it was a great trip with my family.

BB