Last fall I took a trip to Muskegon Michigan on the Lake Express ferry. It was a lot of fun and I met some interesting cross-country cyclists and bikers. I wish the boat was more affordable, though.
The ferry is very fast and did a good job handling the 6-8 ft swells and the 30 kt winds on the way there. It was an ominous start to have them announce over the PA that anyone with a tendency to get seasick might want to reschedule for another day.
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| So I loaded up the mighty Triumph America (which, by the way is the coolest motorcycle in the history of the world) |
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| and drove it aboard the ferry. They tie it down to the deck so it's in the same place you left it at the end of your trip. Well more precisely, they expect you to know how to tie it down to the deck yourself. I got a hand from some bikers on their way back to Ontario. |
The first thing I did was make my way to the cool hotel. I had reserved a room with a Jacuzzi and a fireplace and I was anxious to see if it was as nice as the photos on the website. It was even nicer. It had a little kitchen and three sets of sliding doors that opened onto balconies that overlooked the attached marina and restaurant.
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| Note the whirlpool tub in the lower right hand corner. |
Next I went directly to the beaches. The sand is so amazingly beautiful and clean-looking. Muskegon has three main beaches/parks (and other smaller ones) that each have their own character. Muskegon State Park, Pere Marquette Park, and Beachwood Park.
The picture shown here may actually be from Grand Haven, but you get the point. It just shows you what a great lake looks like when you don't build factories right next to it and dump sewage into it.
That first night I wandered around Muskegon and looked at a few restaurants and clubs but ended up eating at the hotel. I know that's lame but I really didn't know the city well enough.
The hotel had two big spa tubs on the deck of the swimming pool with a fireplace in between them. The fireplace salesman really did well at this place. Day two was to be my ride down to Grand Haven. I wish I had more time because I would have liked to see South Haven as well.
Naturally I had to use the whirpool in the room AND burn the gas fireplace all night with the windows open because...well because I could.
Early the next morning I set off for Grand Haven which is just wonderful. The whole main drag was decorated with sidewalk "Rocket Fish" sculptures that the retail stores had decorated in their own way. My favorite was one completely covered with glazed ceramic segments. Another favorite was the store that painted it with chalkboard paint and invited people to decorate it themselves.
I had a huge burger topped with blue cheese, relaxed in another cafe with a chai latté, enjoyed the dog store and spent a lot of time in a great bead shop. One touristy shop had a great idea: They had made local trees, cut down by the city, into "Neighborwood" cutting boards. Great name. Great idea. A little pricey at $50 each.
Then I saw an amazing guitar in the luthier's place. The owner said it wasn't for sale––only in for repair. It was a Gianini Craviola––built in Brazil in the '70s. It took me 7months but I just bought one for myself. I think I will make a whole separate blog entry about it. That is one sweet little guitar...er, excuse me, one sweet little Craviola.
A shop near the water was selling these awesome T-shirts. I wasn't sure if it was literal or a metaphor. Funny either way.
At first blush, Grand Haven is certainly a charming little city.
That night I rode back to Muskegon and (yup) took advantage of the pool, the spa and the whirlpool again. That hotel (The Shoreline Inn) is a modern building full of a combination of real and fake Victorian furniture and artifacts. Sounds weird but they actually pull it off. It's very romantic.
The next day I headed North to Duck lake where there is a beautiful state park. Probably not as romantic when it's overflowing with people in the summer, but beautiful nonetheless. next a stop at the White River Light Station museum, White lake, Whitehall and Montague.
Montague is proud of their giant weather vane, but the coolest thing I saw (a blast from the past) was that they have an actual Dog & Suds drive in restaurant. Only 17 left in the whole world.
The next day I toured the Silversides submarine in Muskegon which was very creepy because I was the only one on board. It was weird to sit in silence in the galley where people had spent WW II hundreds of feet below the surface, hoping each day that depth charges wouldn't blow them up. I imagined the conversations that would have been going on.
Just before the ferry was scheduled to arrive I stopped into Greek Tony's and had the best pulled pork sandwich ever. I REALLY want to go back there again and try some other things on their menu.
What a nice little trip.
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| At this time of year the beaches are deserted and peaceful |
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| At the height of the summer they look more like this shot of Grand Haven. |
That first night I wandered around Muskegon and looked at a few restaurants and clubs but ended up eating at the hotel. I know that's lame but I really didn't know the city well enough.
The hotel had two big spa tubs on the deck of the swimming pool with a fireplace in between them. The fireplace salesman really did well at this place. Day two was to be my ride down to Grand Haven. I wish I had more time because I would have liked to see South Haven as well.
Naturally I had to use the whirpool in the room AND burn the gas fireplace all night with the windows open because...well because I could.
Early the next morning I set off for Grand Haven which is just wonderful. The whole main drag was decorated with sidewalk "Rocket Fish" sculptures that the retail stores had decorated in their own way. My favorite was one completely covered with glazed ceramic segments. Another favorite was the store that painted it with chalkboard paint and invited people to decorate it themselves.
I had a huge burger topped with blue cheese, relaxed in another cafe with a chai latté, enjoyed the dog store and spent a lot of time in a great bead shop. One touristy shop had a great idea: They had made local trees, cut down by the city, into "Neighborwood" cutting boards. Great name. Great idea. A little pricey at $50 each.
Then I saw an amazing guitar in the luthier's place. The owner said it wasn't for sale––only in for repair. It was a Gianini Craviola––built in Brazil in the '70s. It took me 7months but I just bought one for myself. I think I will make a whole separate blog entry about it. That is one sweet little guitar...er, excuse me, one sweet little Craviola.
A shop near the water was selling these awesome T-shirts. I wasn't sure if it was literal or a metaphor. Funny either way.
At first blush, Grand Haven is certainly a charming little city.
That night I rode back to Muskegon and (yup) took advantage of the pool, the spa and the whirlpool again. That hotel (The Shoreline Inn) is a modern building full of a combination of real and fake Victorian furniture and artifacts. Sounds weird but they actually pull it off. It's very romantic.
The next day I headed North to Duck lake where there is a beautiful state park. Probably not as romantic when it's overflowing with people in the summer, but beautiful nonetheless. next a stop at the White River Light Station museum, White lake, Whitehall and Montague.
Montague is proud of their giant weather vane, but the coolest thing I saw (a blast from the past) was that they have an actual Dog & Suds drive in restaurant. Only 17 left in the whole world.
The next day I toured the Silversides submarine in Muskegon which was very creepy because I was the only one on board. It was weird to sit in silence in the galley where people had spent WW II hundreds of feet below the surface, hoping each day that depth charges wouldn't blow them up. I imagined the conversations that would have been going on.
Just before the ferry was scheduled to arrive I stopped into Greek Tony's and had the best pulled pork sandwich ever. I REALLY want to go back there again and try some other things on their menu.
What a nice little trip.
