Thursday, July 6, 2017

So we rented a cabin in Michigan

So when we were discussing ideas for a summer vacation for this summer we were trying to find someplace where we could spend time out in nature, not spend an arm and a leg, and be in a place that wasn't necessarily super crowded. As much as we love the beaches of North Carolina, we really couldn't afford to go there this year. We tossed around the idea of going to Hersey, Pennsylvania (too crowded this time of year), Hocking Hills, Ohio (I wanted to go out of state), Atlanta, Georgia (too commercialized), among other places. I searched for weeks online for some ideas and places to go that were within driving distance and met our demands.





I came across a cabin for rent by owner in Kingsley, Michigan. It was only 6.5 hours away and was available when we needed it. It boasted that it was in a secluded wooded area with a river that ran through the property. It was also about half an hour from Traverse City which offered restaurants, shopping, etc. We decided to take the plunge. I had several people tell me that they loved Northern Michigan and that we would have a blast. I hoped they were right.

On Sunday morning, June 25, we loaded up our rental SUV and hit the road to Michigan. We stopped for lunch at McDonald's on the way. The kids did great on the drive and were troopers through the drive.




When we arrived in Kingsley, we had a 2 mile drive down a dirt road/path to our cabin. It was truly secluded.



Thankfully, the owners had texted us a picture to show us how to get to the cabin, as our GPS didn't show us the road once it got to dirt and there were 2 turns we had to make.



When we finally got to the cabin, it was just as was described on the VRBO website. It was really cute! And the landscape around the cabin was secluded and wonderful.







After emptying out the SUV, we decided to head back to town to get some groceries and get some pizza for dinner after our day of driving.

We first stopped at a country store that the owners recommended that was about 10 minutes from the cabin. Well, let's just say I was NOT going to pay $6.79 for a box of graham crackers or $7 for a gallon of milk. We stepped back out to the parking lot and searched for the nearest larger grocery store.


I found one about 10 minutes away so we headed there. Their prices were much more reasonable ($1.79 for a box of graham crackers, $2.40 for a gallon of milk, etc.)! We got groceries for the week and then headed to pick up pizza for dinner. One thing I noticed about the town of Kingsley, Michigan was how polite everything seemed, even the speed limit signs...


We took everything back to the cabin and enjoyed the pizza.


We got pizza from A. Papanos Pizza. It was very yummy and a delicious dinner to start off our stay in Michigan.


After dinner, we headed outside to check out the surroundings including the railroad tracks and the path to the river.











After spending time outside, we headed back in to get ready for the evening. We ended our evening by watching "The Lego Batman Movie" before bed and having popcorn.


I realized that evening how dark and how quiet the evenings are in that area. I woke up around 3am to hearing what sounded like a large animal outside, but I wasn't going to go out and investigate. LOL

So that was our first day of our family vacation. We were looking forward to what adventures day 2 and beyond would bring to our family.




7 comments:

  1. I love northern Michigan. We just came back from Lake Michigan (Muskegon). WE stayed at an RV park nearby. Lovely! People are so nice. It doesn't get dark till almost 10PM!!!! (time difference for us).
    The place you rented looks lovely. So perfect. Enjoy your stay. You did good!

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    1. I noticed that it didn't get dark until later as well! We are used to it getting dark at 9:15 or so here in Ohio. The place we rented was lovely and perfect. We did have a nice stay and I am looking forward to recapping it here over the next week or so. Hope your stay was good as well!

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  2. What a charming cottage and surrounding property. Can't wait to hear the remaining recap of the trip.
    I don't blame you for going a little farther to a different store. I would have also.

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    1. Yeah, I wasn't about to pay those prices at the store! Even my husband was astounded when he saw the price of the milk. It was a lovely cabin and gorgeous scenery.

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  3. The one thing I miss about living in PA was our yearly visit to Hersheypark. But I can't blame you for wanting to get away to someplace quiet. The bedroom looks so cozy and comfy. All that clean fresh air is good for rejuvenating ones' body and mind.

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    1. My husband really wanted to go to Hershey but I didnt think it was a good fit for the boys or I as we don't like huge crowds. We had friends who went last year and said it was wall to wall people during their visit.

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  4. What a wonderful adventure! Getting a place over the internet can end up in disappointment but you really did well in your choice!

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