Share your stories and memories with us!

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Recreation on the Great Lakes mean something different to everyone. We want to hear what recreation means to you. Please tell us about your favorite place to stay, restaurant, beaches, fishing holes, and best kept local secrets. Share it all with us, including pictures, and then rate your experience 1-10, with 10 being the best. Please click on the location and share your memory!

To post your own memory open this page through "Edit" for a format example.

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NAME or USERNAME:Madison Jones
LOCATION: Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford museum
RATING: 10
Greenfield village and the Henry Ford museum was about the GREATEST place ever to me. This is because I have so many memories there. We went there for our fifth grade trip. My mom went with us. In our group we had four other kids, Jequan, Michael, and my two best friends. Alejandra and Madison. We had just about the best time there. We went to almost every building and saw everything there was to see. I was really cool how there was a real working farm there. We ate at A Taste In History. It was cool because you could eat and experience foods from the past. I got the hobo lunch. In the Henry Ford museum, we didn't have much time. But it that short time, we saw Rosa Parks' bus and made a point. We had Madison, who is white, sit in the front, while the rest of us, Jequan and Michael, who are black, Alejandra, who is Hispanic, and me, who is mixed (black and white) sit in the back. Then we went to the front and made Madison sit in the back, while we sat in the front. We also saw the limousine that John F. Kennedy was shot in.

But the most bittersweet memory that is at Greenfield Village is that we went during the last two months that I spent with my two best friends, Alejandra, who moved to Texas, and Madison who moved all the way to England. Cheer-i-o.

LINKS (optional)

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NAME:Terrie Dias
LOCATION:Mears, Michigan
RATING:10

I found a very special place in Michigan, Mears. Mears Michigan has the best nature has to offer, water, sand and woods. You can play in Lake Michigan and Silver Lake. My family, including my dog Sophie, played along the shore of Lake Michigan. We sat on Silver Lake and watched the sun go down over the dunes. You walk through the woods and you come upon hugh mountains of sand. When you get to the top of the dunes you can see Lake Michigan and Silver Lake. I've been there in the summer and the fall. Fall is my favorite time. I was sitting on top of the dunes and you could hear the sand moving and shadows made the sand appear to be all diffrent colors. It was a very relaxing and moving moment.

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NAME:Ben Phillips
LOCATION:South Haven (?)
RATING:9

Once, and only once, at a young age our family went to the Lake Michigan Beach. But this visit was slightly different. The crashing waves were frozen in time and space, with drifts of snow powder gathered in the troughs and solidified blue rooms to hide in. There's a running joke in my family about a picture that was taken with me, smiling in the foreground, and my sister far in the distance with a perfectly timed step and wave. We all thought she looked like an adolescent bigfoot, just passing through and seeing the photo-op.--Ben Phillips 23:17, 7 Dec 2006 (EST)

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'NAME or USERNAME:Carletta Johnson
LOCATION: Lake Superior
My favorite trip was every year i go up to Lake Superior. I went when i was 3 months old and still go. A famiy tradition is we always go to the lighthouse, eat at a fish restaurant, make smores and swim in Lake Superior. I swim the most. Oh we always go to Sea Shell City and Claim Castle Rock. I get buried in the sand by my Grandpa. i paint at Lake Superior. I always pick blue berries. My family and me love lake Superior.
Collette is a fourth grader from DeWitt

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NAME or USERNAME:Marly Kratz
LOCATION:Mackinac Island

At Mackinac Island there are no cars. You either ride a bike or a horse and buggie or you can walk. Also, they have the best fudge ever! When you've never been on a fairy, the trip over from the L.P. to the U.P. is ver exciting. The best part of the whole thing is definetely spending time with your family
Marly is a fourth grader from DeWitt

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LOCATION: The St. Mary's River in Goetzville, Michigan
RATING:10

There is a small window of opportunity in which to visit the St. Mary's River. You've got to time your vacation between the late snows of spring, and the early storms of winter. I've found that the best time to visit is sometime between July and August. The days may be warm, but the nights can get chilly. So bring your sweatshirt and jeans, because you'll want to brave the chill to catch the Northern Lights, and countless stars.
Goetzville is about a half hour drive from anything, so I'm not going to lie, unless you're into catching 36 inch muskie, giant pike and a mess of perch and walleye, you better bring something to read. But if you love big fish and lots of them, the St. Mary's River is where you can find them.
My family stays in our cabin, but there are cabins you can rent. You do have to bring up your own boat, but there's a slip where you can put your boat in the river. My favorite place to eat, the only place to eat really...is the "Raber Bay Bar." They'll clean and fry up your catch for you, which makes for a great dinner after a long day on the river.
If you feel like you need a break from fishing the Soo Locks are about a half hours drive away. There's also a public pier in Goetzville which looks across the St. Mary's where you can watch the freighters. You can visit Drummond Island, and Lime Island which has a historical village and a ton of lighthouses. And if you're into gambling there are tons of tiny casinos-and I mean tiny...they're about the size of a 7/11.
St. Mary's may not be the most exciting place if you're not into fishing, but for those who want to write some big fish stories, and spend time away from civilzation it is a great recreation destination.

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NAME or USERNAME: Bcogley20
LOCATION: Glen Arbor, MI
RATING: 10

My first and only trip to Glen Arbor was a complete blast. Me and seven friends ventured to the luxurious Homestead resort on a long weekend in late July this summer. I had the time of my life heading down to the beach on Lake Michigan and spending time at down town Glen Arbor's local shops and restraunts (where we met ESPN announcer and Michigan native Mike Tirico). We quickly adapted to the friendly hospitality of the town locals at the beach, in town, and even at our resort at Hawk's Nest. And the town is within a few minutes drive of Traverse City. Good restraunt spots include Boon Docks and Arts Tavern. And there's even a park in town with basketball and tennis courts for sports fan. If youre looking for fun time away from it all up north keep Glen Arbor on your list and you wont be dissapointed.

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NAME or USERNAME: whitterg33
LOCATION: Pine Lake, Plainwell, MI
RATING: 8

As a kid growing up in Southwest Michigan one is guaranteed a summer's full of wet and wild fun. I have been lucky enough to have eighteen years worth of fun on the many lakes of Barry County. My favorite lake in Barry County is Pine Lake. It's actually four connected lakes creatively named Lake One, Lake Two, Lake Three and Lake Four, all of which are deep enough for tubing, jetskiing, and pontoon boats. I have spent countless hours on Pine Lake hanging out on friend's pontoons, swimming off the tiny islands, jetskiing, and tubing.
Pine Lake is a residential lake, with a very involved lake association, who put on a spectacular fire works show every 4th of July. This event was definately something I looked forward to every summer. Everyone would come out onto the lake with their boats, to cover the surface of the water. I remember the coolest part of the Fourth would be to get all of your friends parked next to each other so you could jump from boat to boat all night long. Some residents on Lake Two get a live band to play out on their property, and people would motor up to their dock to hang out for the night. The night before the fireworks sometimes was the best part though, at least for me as a kid. On the third of July all the residents create floats out of their pontoons, and dress up to match, and create a boat parade to celebrate the holiday. We used to get so into it when I was younger, working all day on making the perfect Western-themed boat float, and then getting to drive around and wave to all the neighbors in our super cool cowboy hats.

Pine Lake is one of the many hidden jewels of Southwest Michigan. There are hundreds of other lakes just like Pine Lake, great for fishing, camping, and boating. Pine Lake is only ten minutes from the town of Plainwell. Plainwell's a great little town, with several summer festivals, unique restaurants, hotels, and shops. My favorite place to eat in Plainwell is Arie's Cafe, and you can't miss the Plainwell Ice Cream Company, where they make their own ice cream right in the back!
Whether you're looking for a quiet lakeside get away, or a fun afternoon on the lake Pine Lake is great for the family, daytrippers, or an extended stay.

Offical website for the city of Plainwell
Offical website for the Pine Lake Association
Rental properties at Pine Lake
Rental properties at Pine Lake
Rental properties at Pine Lake

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NAME or USERNAME: Andrea Dias
LOCATION: Metro Beach, Harrison Twp, MI
RATING: 6

When i was a child, going to Metro Beach was the best part of summer. I would put on my new swim suit and make a direct b-line for the water, ignoring my burning feet the whole time. I would play with for hours until my feet and hands were as wrinkled as a prune. As i got older i also loved going to the beach. Still putting on my new bathing suit, but now it was laying on the sand with my girlfriends and playing football and volleyball with the boys. Metro Beach is a part of my life and the lives of those i am closest to. Though i have wonderful memories of my times there, sometimes the lake did not deliver. Many summers the water is closed for most of the season due to pollutants. It is unsafe to swim in, and even when the water is ok, many will not swim out of fear. It is a shame that corporations have dumped into this body of water. They have ruined a great summer tradition for thousands of kids. Metro Beach is a great place to spend the day. We need to do something before it is too late.

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NAME or USERNAME: donald43
LOCATION: Lake Charlevoix, Charlevoix, MI
RATING: 8-10

As a young boy, my family and I would often vacation to my grandparents summer house on Lake Charlevoix. We didn't really spend much time on the beach, because I don't think there was much of a beach in front of where the house was, but it was very nice to go sailboating or tubing in the lake. The town itself is very nice, it has been a long time since I've visited, but if I remember correctly, the topography of the area is a nice change of pace for the eyes if you are used to suburbs and cities and in town there are interesting shops to check out.

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michiganlove
Lexington, Michigan
8

Lexington is one my favorite places to visit. Only an hour and a half drive from Southeast Michigan it is a quick escape to a slower pace. Here you can water ski, fish, swim and relax on the shores of Lake Huron. Lexington has quaint little shops ranging from fudge shops, clothing stores to the historic General Store. Some of my favorites restaurants are Smackwater Jacks and the Cadillac House. If you are into playing golf, check out Lakeview Hills. We always like to stay at cottages along Lakeshore.

NAME: Ben Phillips
LOCATION: Hickory Corners, Michigan
RATING: 10
Here is a letter from my grandmother, who worked in a factory during war-time in South Haven:

In the 60's I worked in the Coil industry on the channel of Lake Michigan, there were many large cargo ships that came into the channel with loads of gravel, cement and etc. They unloaded the cargo via a conveyor, it was interesting to see the ships unloading. Don't know how much emission was destroying the lakes' environment, but I'm sure it had to be some. So. Haven being a tourist area there were many Foreign ships with many visitors that would disembark and walk up the block into the heart of the city. Many would be coming back to the ship with packages, I presumed were souvenirs. On some hot days in July or August (with the windows open so we could get some lake breezes) a ship would come in and people would be on the Deck, some of the older women knew what country they were from by the name of the ship. There were ships from Germany, France and Italy. One of the ladies could speak the language and she would talk to them from our 2nd floor window across the street. I enjoyed the job because there were many interesting benefits such as this.

In its days gone by, before my time they tell that they had excursion trips from Chicago to South Haven and back. Don't remember the schedule, but I presume at least once a week or so in the summer time.

The Trip to Mackinac Island

On my boat, for our first week long vacation, we decided to take it up to Mackinac Island in Lake Huron. On that trip we discovered some of the best small towns on that lake. One is Tawas, MI. On the night we were there, it was the 4th of July. So the marina was loud with boat horns. The next stop was Harisville. It has the best "Mom and Pop" restaurant. Also the have a Fudge/antique store (it is home make fudge). Presquile, MI is a very small town, but can be very fun. There is a Old Haunted Lighthouse, and a new Lighthouse. Then at last, we made it to the island. We biked around and ate at some great restaurants. It was one of the best vacations I was ever on.

Iroquois Hotel

The Iroquois Hotel on Mackinac Island is a rare experience in beauty and surroundings, taking one back in time. We stayed there for anniversaries & so enjoyed sitting by a quiet window, watching the ferry boat come in and looking over the lake at the lighthouse. Mackinac Island is stepping back in time but sometimes it is crowded and congested. But the Iroquois (like the Grand Hotel) offer a quiet retreat from both the crowds and life at home. Iriquois Hotel

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