Summer break is an ideal opportunity to go on a road trip. This year, our family has chosen to travel north for our vacation destination: Traverse City, MI. With the van packed full of snacks and in-car entertainment, we planned to leave Kansas City around 4am. Dad transferred the kiddos mid-slumber in hopes that they’d continue to doze during our drive. We had less than a handful of pit stops along the way, and made it to our first destination around 3pm.
Chicago: Once in the Windy City, we found a public parking garage and set off on foot to explore. We checked out The Bean but it was under construction for repair, and decided to head to Navy Pier. On our way, we stopped at Maggie Daley park. The kids had a great time exploring all the different play structures. We could have spent the entire day there! After watching the boats and catching some live music on the pier during Soul Fest, we grabbed dinner at Billy Goat Tavern and dessert at Kilwins.
Quite by accident, we stumbled upon Grant Park Music Festival on our way back to the car. We stopped for a few minutes to enjoy the live music. Had we known about this event, we could have planned better as many attendees had packed blankets and picnic baskets etc. The next morning we ate at the hotel’s continental breakfast buffet and went to Lincoln Park Zoo. We were in awe at the exhibits and how close you are to the animals! After spending two hours there (which was not nearly enough time), we decided to hit the road since we still had another 4 hours to drive before making it to our AirBNB. We already have a list of things we want to do next time we're in Chicago though!
Leland: Popular attractions in Leland include exploring Fishtown and Van’s Beach. We spent the day walking around, window shopping and getting ice cream at the infamous Moomers. Once back at our rental house, the kids tried their hand at fishing.
Mackinac Island: The following day, we boarded a ferry to Mackinac Island, renowned for its quaint charm, car-free setting, and rich history. We indulged in fudge and admired the picturesque surroundings. Liam really wanted to go on a horse-drawn carriage ride but the temperature was unusually high that day and the wait plus ride would have taken over an hour so we decided to skip it. We'd love to go back sans kids or when they're older at least, because there are tons of historic sites to take in and you can bike across the whole island!
Traverse City: Wednesday, we walked around Traverse City, window shopping. We also checked out Clinch Park Beach, which includes an ice cream stand, decent restrooms, a splash pad area, and kayak rentals. We then enjoyed a round of mini golf at Pirates Cove before grabbing dinner at The Little Fleet, a food truck lot where you can enjoy an eclectic assortment of options.
Thursday, while the boys went golfing at Sugar Loaf, we took the kids to The Great Lakes Children's Museum. The innovative exhibits are designed to spark curiosity and learning about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The Great Lakes Children's Museum encourages creativity and problem-solving skills in a playful environment. It was the perfect rainy day activity for us and kept the kids entertained for hours. (Click here to read more about our trip to The Great Lakes Children's Museum!) My kids loved it and didn't want to leave - the only way we got them out the door was because everyone was hungry for lunch! We ate at The Filling Station, an old train depot turned microbrewery and pizza place. That night we enjoyed more time back at the rental, boating and fishing.
St. Louis: When we got to STL Friday night, we hit up the hotel's pool and then grabbed dinner at a nearby restaurant. In the morning, we packed our bags, visited the Arch, and then continued our drive back to Kansas City.
As we look back on this unforgettable journey, it's clear that the memories made and the sights seen will linger long after the road has ended. Here's to the adventures yet to come and the countless stories waiting to be told. Until the next trip, may the road always rise up to meet you.
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