Wine and Spirits Travel

We arrived in Milwaukee on the Lake Express Ferry in the evening. It had been a scenic ride across Lake Michigan from Muskegon, Michigan. It was good to be back to in Milwaukee. I had wanted to return for years, and it never worked out. Although this was to be a short trip, I wanted to make it happen. My friend, Lynn, and I were staying at a most unusual hotel. The Brewhouse Inn & Suites has a long history, going all the way back to 1848. It was a brewery, at one point for Pabst Blue Ribbon. It then became a boutique hotel and was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. The current Brewhouse Inn & Suites opened with a remodel in 2013. It is beautifully laid out, with reminiscent brewery tanks and intricate woodwork throughout. Although the front entrance to Brewhouse is not accessible, there is a side door I was able to go in with my power chair. It is right next to the parking lot. They also offer valet parking. We had a large accessible suite with a sitting...

  It was the final day in Michigan for my friend, Lynn, and I. It had been a wonderful adventure along the coast of Lake Michigan . We were prepared to spend the day with even more of it. We started with a breakfast meeting with Nick Nerbonne , Media & Digital Director at Pure Michigan . We met at The Coffee Factory for great lattes and breakfast sandwiches, and to talk about the mitten state and accessibility. Nick is interested in making the state as accessible as possible, knowing it has to be done place by place. He’s proud of the beach chair initiative and the continued efforts. He eagerly listened to my suggestions about hotels, transportation, and other accommodations. We went back to the Delta Hotel to pack up and check out. We still had until evening in Muskegon. After leaving our suitcases with the front desk, we walked the three blocks downtown to Hackley Park , where a Polish Festival was going on. Along the way we spotted murals and sculptures throughout the wel...

I had never been to Muskegon and, honestly, it wasn’t on my radar before. I had started hearing more about it and the representatives of Pure Michigan told me it was a lakefront town making strides in the wheelchair-friendly arena. Muskegon has had a big resurgence from the cruise industry which has led to growth in the town. In addition to the ferries that go across Lake Michigan (which we would be taking), three cruise lines are now making stops in Muskegon: Pearl Sea Cruises, Victory Cruise Line, and Ponant Great Lake Cruises. The town was building and improving for the influx of cruise passengers and the feedback on the port stop has been positive. This town would continue to thrive. ' Since we had a late lunch and skipped dinner the night before , we were ready for a big breakfast. Mr. Bs Pancake House was the perfect place. This local favorite has been around over 50 years. The portions were huge and the omelets, pancakes, and hashbrowns we had were delicious. After breakf...

  I have tried the last few years not to late my days be overbooked. It didn’t work out that way for my first day in Holland with my friend, Lynn. We had a very full day, but it was all filled with fun. We had a quick breakfast in the lobby of the Haworth at the Biggby Coffee before taking off for the day. I had their waffle egg sandwich, and it was quite good. ' Our first stop was Critter Barn in nearby Zeeland. It was the perfect place to put on our schedule as it focuses on those with special needs. They have mobility equipment to lend, quiet spaces and fidgets for those with neurodivergent issues, and an easy to access location with smooth paths everywhere. Critter Barn is a working farm which promotes learning to individuals and school groups as much as possible. It is not a petting zoo, though there are a few opportunities to visit with the animals (the piglets were especially adorable). It is mostly going through the barns and learning about the animals and how they play ...