Everybody wants to go somewhere warm in the wintertime for the holidays, right? Well, when others head south, my family ventured north to Manistee, Michigan. Our hope was to hike, ski, skate, tube, and snowmobile in the beautiful snow. We did not find any snow (thank you, climate change!). Instead, we encountered rain and blustery skies. Therefore, we improvised by touring and finding alternative activities. Michigan is a great place to visit any time of year and this post provides ideas for your own road trip to explore this beautiful state.
Beaches
Since we couldn’t hit the slopes, our explorations began with visiting the beaches along Lake Michigan. We explored several locations, including the area surrounding Manistee. By the inlet, you find beautiful beaches and paths through the sand dunes to comb up and down. On either side of the channel are piers stretching out into the lake and a lighthouse to explore.
Manistee Light 
Sleeping Bear Dunes 
Point Betsie Light
After exploring the Manistee beaches, we headed out to highway M-22, which is part of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour. This road escorts drivers up the western coast and around the “pinkie” of Michigan’s mitten. Our route wove through gorgeous pine forests and skirted around beautiful lakes. I was surprised at the rolling hills and curves we navigated until we arrived in Crystal Lake and Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore area.
At the southern tip of the dunes, we ran across our second lighthouse, Point Betsie. During the warmer months, the restored house and the grounds are open to viewing and exploration. The water in this part of the lake is a brilliant blue, even on a cloudy winter day. From there, we explored several different spots on the dunes and beaches of Sleeping Bear. Tons of hiking opportunities and great overlooks of the lake from the bluffs. The park contains lots of undeveloped space for hiking or water activities. I definitely plan to return in a coming summer.
Going Out on the Town
Our day trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes included a stop in Traverse City. The town boasts numerous shopping, dining and drinking options plus great access to the lake via the Grand Traverse Bay. We walked and window-shopped our way down Front Street. Eventually, we decided we needed something for lunch. Luckily, we discovered the U & I Lounge. Our group was looking for casual and fast. This place hit the mark with delicious Greek eats, friendly service, and yummy local brews. You can find all levels of dining in the area, from pizza to fine dining. There were also several breweries that looked inviting. Had we known our trip was going to involve several days of rain, Traverse City would have kept us busy with all of the business going on. We had a great time but we left much to be explored.
Traverse City 
Manistee
Our home base was Manistee. There were bookstores, outdoor apparel, local wares, restaurants, and a vintage movie theatre. We had dinner at TJ’s Pub one night. They had a nice drink list and a variety of choices to cover vegetarian, whole food and meat-eaters, which worked great for us. Fast, friendly service. Another evening, we walked down to North Channel Brewing for a couple of drafts. I thoroughly enjoyed several nitros on the brew list. Big Al’s was a no-frills pizza parlor with a dynamite selection of Chicago-style or traditional pizzas plus subs, salads and more. Great value, especially for a large group like ours. There were several other restaurants with solid reviews and nice curb appeal, but we only had so much time. Maybe next visit.
Stocking Stuffers
A couple of miles up the coast, you run into Orchard Beach state park and the Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary. We really enjoyed the time we spent at the sanctuary. Some really nice trails to explore with a great array of bushes, plants, and trees. Even more interesting was the beach area. Lots of stones and other things washed up onshore. We spent a good deal of time exploring and combing through the sand here.
Lake Bluff Sanctuary 
Spring Well
Striketown
After leaving the sanctuary, we decided to check out one of the artesian wells pumping spring water to the surface along the coastal area. As you can see in the picture above, it was simply a pipe coming out of the ground with fresh, clean water. It tasted like nothing, which is perfect for water. For those daring enough to give it a try, they were rewarded with satisfying refreshment.
We headed back to town and decided to check out a local bowling alley on this rainy afternoon. We parked and strolled into a vintage alley with lots of 80s music. No big hair though. My son rolled a 210 for our high score of the day. We had a great time. Afterward, we played the night away with games at home. Our favorite new game of the trip was Farkle, a fun, dice game for large groups. It involves luck and risk-taking and is a great time for closet gamblers out there. The only you may lose is a game. Check that one out next time you are looking for a new group game to play.
Wrap It Up
Even though the weather wasn’t perfect, we discovered plenty to do. We ventured into towns with unique stores to shop. We found plenty of parks with hiking and beach combing opportunities which may be done in almost any weather. The restaurants and breweries had something for everyone. As a result, I cannot wait to go back when the weather cooperates a bit more for even more fun. Check out some Pure Michigan!
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