🙋🏻♀️Good morning campers! It’s time to say goodbye to Holland & venture up the coast. It’s 🌞sunny & hot and 87* at 12:45pm as we pull away! Since our travels are short we enjoyed a relaxing morning at our parking lot site and a leisurely walk on the beach. Instead of taking the highway we took a less stressful way up the coast. We enjoyed Lake Shore Avenue the way up. There we passed Tunnel Park, mansions on the water and a beautiful shaded road, covered with trees. A lot of firewood for sale in bundles in front of homes with the honor system. As we drove slowly through Grand Haven due to a lot of traffic we commented how beautiful everyone’s yards and store fronts were, with beautiful flowers all over. 🪻💐🌻(And American flags).
We pulled into Muskegon State Park at 2:48pm 74* Channel Campground, second loop site # 147 Right on the corner of Lake Muskegon in front of us and the channel waterway to Lake Michigan to the right of us! We kept high fiving 🤚each other as we gazed at the water, then our site a few times! Boats were everywhere! Plus our loop only has a total of 5 sites! SCORE!!! 4pm its Happy Hour 🍷 then a quick nap. 6:30pm we left for Grand Haven for an adventure or two! We found the local, free parking area and as we walked out to the sidewalk, I noticed directly across from us an Elks Club. So when in Rome…we went in! I remember fondly, Sunday afternoons and special occasions at the Elks Club in Hackensack with my grandparents. My grandfather was an officer so a few years ago Tim & I became members in honor of him. We sat down at the bar and everyone was so friendly and then started suggesting places for us to visit. We had a drink then said goodbye. 8:15pm walked to Tip-A-Few Tavern that my friend Erika recommended. It’s a local Tavern known for their “Wet Burrito”. Tim tried that and I played it safe with chicken Taco’s. 🌮 We then walked around and stopped at the cute shops and at 9:30 picked up our chairs from the truck and walked down to the amphitheater where we set up by the sea wall. The “Musical Fountain” was recommended and we were told not to miss it! It only runs Friday nights with the regular show, then on Saturdays once a month a themed performance and it just so happens to be today! We enjoyed the different colored lights and fountain show, music 🎶 to “The Greatest Showman”. We made it back to the camper at 11:45pm. We traveled 100 miles today.
Sunday, Day 35 of our adventure ~ 😱 We placed our Michigan stickers on our US maps today on Ruby! 😂 Beautiful sunny, breezy morning on the water. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, coffee & tea outside watching the boats, jet skiers, & kayakers. We took a 🚲 bike ride through all the loops at both campgrounds. Enjoyed the beautiful outdoors followed by a walk to the walkway that runs along the channel all the way to the end to Lake Michigan. Still can’t wrap my mind around the fact this is a lake with a sugar sand beach! We came back and had lunch then it was time for me to do the plunge! Yes, i went in Lake Michigan to my neck! It was brrr 🥶 freaking cold but I did it! Hot shower never felt so good! We relaxed outside the rest of the day enjoying talking to other campers walking by reminding us that we have the best site….enjoying the boaters and seeing bright orange oriole’s & kingfishers put on a show for us there at our site. Worked on the blog & pictures and called it a night. We did 0 miles today.
Monday, June 5th ~ 65*, 🌞 sunny, cool breeze and water is flat! We enjoyed our coffee, tea & turkey sausage/egg sandwiches outside enjoying nature at its finest. Perfect day for an adventure. Inflated the kayak & launched it across from our site. We kayaked for 1 1/2 hours down the channel to the lighthouse into Lake Michigan then back down the channel into Lake Muskegon. Passed the museum which had a submarine in the water which was really cool to paddle besides! Our first time ever seeing a pair of swans & babies. Lots of mallard ducks 🦆 on the water. One of the pair of 🦢 swans decided to give us a show by tipping over, butt in the air to get food from the bottom! Funniest thing to see. Back at camp, deflated and cleaned the kayak and Tim nestled it back into the back seat of the truck till its next adventure. 1:25pm we left to explore the town of Muskegon. Downtown has all been redone! Dr. Rolf’s BBQ was recommended by locals at the CG, and there it was. We sat outside to enjoy the sun since there was a cool breeze. Tim enjoyed the smoked brisket and I tried the pulled pork. Delicious! But the cornbread waffles served with honey butter, a specialty made there in house, was fantastic! The waitress told us everything across the street was brand new to the area in just the past 6 months! The new Hockey/Sports Arena was directly across from where we were sitting. Really nice new area. Next adventure was to the local Sam’s Club to stock up on wine etc! We did see the older parts of town then. Had to try a Meier Store as this was suggested to us. Reminds us as a big Walmart. As we drove around we spotted the “Lakes Mall”. Older Mall with most of it empty. 5:20pm back to the CG it’s 73*. We took another bike ride then ate dinner around a campfire. Around 10:30 a big deer walked right past us to the point. Of course I then followed it and as soon as I flashed the light in its eyes it ran towards me (thinking I’m done for) it jumped right beside me up the dune! 🤦🏻♀️ No I didn’t shit 💩 my pants but almost! We traveled 43 miles today.
Tunnel Park – This 22-acre park with its extensive Lake Michigan beachfront is a great place for swimming, and picnicking. This unique park has a tunnel through a dune, and a dune stairway with scenic views of Lake Michigan.
Muskegon – is situated around a harbor of Lake Michigan. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas and pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. A popular vacation destination because of the expansive freshwater beaches, historic architecture, and public art collection. 2020 the population was 38,318. Elevation 617 ft.
Muskegon State Park – on the shore of Lake Michigan there’s lots of beach shoreline along with forested dunes. Over 12 miles of hiking trails & lots of bike paths. Muskegon State Park was established in 1923. The City of Muskegon gave the Conservation Department (later the Department of Natural Resources) a gift of land to help begin the park. The park has enjoyed much community support over the years and remains an important contributor to local quality of life. Muskegon State Park is home to 3 miles of breathtaking shoreline (2 miles along Lake Michigan and 1 mile on Muskegon Lake), Snug Harbor, forested dunes, two campgrounds, picnic areas, multiple trails and more. One of the park’s popular features is the blockhouse that was originally built by the CCC in the 1930s to provide opportunities for visitors to see in all direction. It sits on the highest point in Muskegon The campground has two loops and is located near the navigation channel walkway . The first loop sites (#1-92) are adjacent to the navigation channel, and the second loop sites (#101-147) are located near the large dune and Muskegon Lake. The second loop features larger sites…only 5 of them!
Grand Haven is on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River. The 2010 population was 10,412. Elevation 662 ft. The Potawatomi & Ottawa Native Americans lived in the area for centuries and used the river as a trade route into the interior of Michigan. Some of the long cultures of the Ottawa tribe is being revealed through the excavation of archeological artifacts. The city dates its European-American founding to French colonial settlers. A fur trading outpost called Gabagouache was first established. After the War of 1812, this area became more settled by Americans. A trading post was established here about 1821 by the American Fur Trading Co.In the mid-to-late 19th century, Grand Haven developed as a logging, lumber mill, and shipping town, as well as a shipbuilding center.
Elks Lodge – in Grand Haven was built in 1927. It at the corner of 3rd St and Franklin Ave. Since its founding on February 16, 1868, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) has been recognized by the noble creature that is the symbol of the Order. The elk is a peaceful animal, but will rise in defense of its own in the face of a threat.
The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is a synchronized water and light show accompanied with music of all varieties. “The Greatest Showman” was our 40 minute featured show for Saturday night. Built in 1962, it is the world’s largest musical fountain of it’s kind and was the world’s largest fountain until The Fountains of Bellagio opened at the Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas. The show takes place atop Dewey Hill and is best viewed from Waterfront Stadium. The fountain was the brainchild of Dr. William “Bill” Creason, a longtime resident, dentist, and former mayor of Grand Haven. The fountain was modeled after a musical fountain show Bill saw in Germany while providing dentistry for the US Navy after World War II. Designed by a local engineer, William Morris Booth II (who is also the patent holder), and built in 1962 by volunteers at an estimated cost of $250,000, it was the largest musical fountain in the world at that time.
The Tip-A-Few Tavern has been a Grand Haven, Michigan legend since 1976 and world famous Home of the Wet One. This iconic “hometown” bar has been a staple in the Grand Haven Community. Their “Mexican Style” menu along with many other flavorful favorites located in downtown..
Dr. Rolf’s BBQ ~ Dr. Rolf Hissom is a skilled, dedicated physician who has delivered top-notch health care to the Muskegon community for over 25 years. He has a similar passion for culinary excellence. His recipes have been influenced by his Appalachian upbringing. Having spent the last two years becoming recognized as the best BBQ place in downtown Muskegon, including offering “Michigan’s Best Chili”, Dr. Rolf’s is delighted to bring the same quality, craft BBQ tradition to downtown Muskegon.
Meijer Inc. ~ is an American super-center chain that primarily operates throughout the Midwestern US. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company’s 259 stores are located in Michigan, the others are in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, & Wisconsin. The chain is ranked by Forbes as the 14th-largest private company in the United States, and is the country’s 21st-largest retailer by revenue as of 2020.
Follow Tim & Sandy's Adventures 
😍
LikeLiked by 1 person