Wine and Spirits Travel

It was our third day in Sault Ste Marie , Michigan, and we were taking a day trip. When I decided to make the trip to Sault Ste Marie, one of the main attractions I was interested in was Tahquamenon State Park, just about an hour from there.  The park is nearly 50,000 acres and home to wildlife and birds (including bald eagles, which we did see). It’s second to only Niagara as the biggest falls east of the Mississippi River. Since I have physical limitations, we decided the best way to enjoy Tahquamenon State Park was to take the Toonerville Trolley RiverboatTour . The tour is divided into two parts. The first is on land, on the ‘trolley.” It runs along a railroad track for five and a half miles. While there is an opportunity to see many animals, we just saw a few deer and some birds. The trolley then stops along the river, where you pick up a boat for a narrated cruise, 21 miles to the rapids of the Upper Tahquamenon Falls. The falls themselves were

After a good night’s sleep in our spacious suite at the Superior Place in Sault Ste. Marie, Brittany, Jamie, and I got ready for our morning breakfast meeting. We were getting together with Linda Hoath, Executive Director of the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau . She had graciously put together this trip for us last minute after one in a nearby area did not work out. We met Linda at the Lock View Restaurant downtown. It was right across the street from the Soo Locks and you could see both the American and Canadian sides from the building. Everything on the menu looked great, but our host recommended the pancakes and I went for the chocolate chip ones. They were as good as she said. The other ladies had eggs and we were all quite full as we learned more about the area and the plans about other activities on our list. After we finished eating, we walked around town and looked through some more shops. Linda pointed out the Michigan Made sto

It took us all day to drive up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but Brittany, Jamie, and I were excited about the trip ahead of us over the Mackinac Bridge. The trip to Sault Ste Marie was a first for all of us. This city on the Lake (Superior) is filled with history and fun and we were ready to experience it. The Sault Ste Marie tourism board arranged for a large suite for us at Superior Place . It is in a good location and quite comfortable, with a pool and gym for use at the Best Western across the parking lot. We got an early start in the morning and headed downtown to find someplace for breakfast. Oh, Crepe immediately caught our eyes and we decided to go in. They have a menu with a little something for everyone. I went for the sweet ( Nutella and banana), while the girls did more savory crepes, with bacon, sausage, and eggs. This year celebrates the 350 th anniversary of Sault Ste Marie , the oldest city in the state of Michigan. Sault Ste

When I first received an email about Ravinia , I have to confess that I had no idea what it was. I had heard of it, but didn’t think of it beyond being a venue in Chicagoland. I was certainly wrong about that. Ravinia is actually the longest running outdoor music festival in North America.  Unlike what you would normally expect from a “festival,” this one lasts for four months and has been taking place for over 50 years. It is also non-profit. Each year, from June-September, Ravinia Festival schedules 140 musical performances, from classical to rock.  Among those for 2018 are Diana Ross , Tony Bennett, and Seal. My friend and photographer, Brittany, and I went through the schedule to decide which event would work best for us.  We decided on the concert with ZZ Top and John Fogerty, neither of which we had ever seen. We drove to see the event. I was not feeling my best and was immediately impressed with their complimentary and easy to find handica