Although Jim and I have been to Sleeping Bear Dunes several times before, we’ve never done it without kids. So we figured this time we’d explore some areas that might not have held our kids’ attention when they were little. Our first stop of the day was the Point Betsie Lighthouse which is actually a little bit south of the national lakeshore. We learned all about the lighthouse which was built in 1858 and the Life Saving Station that was added shortly after.
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Point Betsie Lighthouse
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Back at Sleeping Bear Dunes, we did the Empire Bluffs trail which is a 1.5 mile round trip hike that leads to a high bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. The views were spectacular with Lake Michigan being a beautiful blue-green color.
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The Empire Bluffs Trail
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The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive was our next destination. It is a 7.5 mile drive that affords some of the best views of the dunes and the Lake Michigan shoreline.
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A covered bridge on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
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| It's a very steep drop from the top of dune to the shore. There were several signs warning that it's a $3000 fine if you climb down to the shore and then need to be rescued because the climb is too much for you. We saw one young couple who had hiked down to the water and were on their way back up. A crowd of people at the overlook cheered for them when they made it back to the top. |
Our final stop in Sleeping Bear Dunes was the Dune Climb. This is the most popular attraction in the park that we’ve done before with our kids. Luckily, it was not very crowded and we had a great time climbing the dunes.
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The Dune Climb
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After the Dune Climb, we got back in the car and drove the 35 miles to Traverse City to enjoy an evening with my aunt, uncle, cousins, and their kids. It was a great evening of catching up!
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| Michigan family |
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| The kids |
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| Grady explaining his robotics project |
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