Heritage Museum of Menominee

The former lumber town Menominee derives its name from the Menominee Indian tribe that used to live in this area on Green Bay, next to Wisconsin. It is the southernmost city in Michigan's UP with lovely beaches. In addition there is a charming Heritage Museum located in an old Catholic Church displaying a whole miniature collection of the Cole Brothers 1920's circus.

SS Badger lands in Ludington

At least once in your lifetime you want to make the Lake Michigan crossing on the SS Badger which is still going strong at age 59. It is huge. It swallows up cars and campers, semis and motorhomes. The upper deck has reclining lounge chairs upon which you can watch the dazzling blue skies overhead. Not into that? Enjoy a movie in the theatre one deck below, or the little maritime museum, a cute gift boatique, and plenty of food and beverage service. We boarded in Ludington and using coal to fuel the steam-powered engine, it took 4 hours for the passenger ship to make the trip across the lake at a top speed of 24 mph. We thoroughly enjoyed!

Diamond Jack Boat Tours of Detroit River

The Diamond Jack boat tours have been around a long time now giving great views of Canada, river traffic and our beautiful city of Detroit. You learn a lot during their two hour narrated tour on the busiest international waterway of the world. There are 2 different departure points: one is from the Rivard Plaza in downtown Detroit which offers views of the upper Detroit River and the other leaves from Wyandotte on two different scenic routes. Captain Bill Hoey from Grosse Ile is the owner. He purchased former Arnold Line Mackinac ferries and converted them into the sightseeing ships they use today. They will be celebrating 20 years next year. Let's hear a big freighter toot for that!

The Detroit RiverWalk

The Detroit RiverWalk (our front porch) is just getting more beautiful with each successive visit. In our meanderings this weekend, we found the beautiful Great Lakes-themed carousel which has our familiar fish on it like sturgeon and walleye and, well, a mythical river mermaid, also! The standing glass sculpture, looking like a wave, shows us a map of the St Lawrence Seaway. All in all, the Riverwalk is pretty darn cool. They are currently expanding it and it will be 5 1/2 miles long when it is done. Awesome. On September 16th, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is holding a fundraising gala called the Shimmer-on-the-River-Party from 6-11pm. Be there!

Outrageous Art by Kimberly Arden

Do we love to wear our art? Especially when it's from Michigan! Kimberly Arden, professional artist in Temperance, makes some beautiful jewelry pieces and also teaches how to create them using polymer clay at the Monroe Community College Whitman Center in her town. Her memory wire bracelets are cool, too. We met her at the Ann Arbor Art Fair, but she'll be at Birmingham's Art in the Park Sept 25-26.

Marble Lighthouse on Belle Isle

The Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse on Belle Isle is so worthy of visiting. It has the distinction of being the only marble lighthouse in the United States. Designed by Archtiect Cass Gilbert and built in 1929, it stands 70 feet tall and is full of art deco detail. William Livingstone, a popular Detroiter, was the president of the Lakes Carrier Association in the early 1900's. It is still an active light, but climbing the stairs is not an option as it is not open to the public.

Bayview Yacht Club Detroit

The Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit, just north and east of Belle Isle, was the exciting scene this past weekend for the Toyota International Match Race of identical sailing boats with 12 teams competing from five different countries. This world class regatta was won by the American team led by Dave Perry who received the coveted Detroit Cup. The Bayview Yacht Club is celebrating 95 years since its founding on the Detroit River.