Grand Hotel opens ice cream parlor
A new ice cream shop at the Grand Hotel is as good a reason as any to return to Mackinac Island this summer. Sadie’s Ice Cream Parlor dishes up 24 flavors made by Holland-based Hudsonville Ice Cream.
The Good Life
Sit back, relax and enjoy some of the finer things in life
Greg Tasker
Michigan's beer of choice? Vanilla Stout
For a sudsy taste of Pure Michigan, seek a pint of Founders Vanilla Stout. That’s the favorite among the 1,200 fans who voted in a contest to choose a beer style that best represents Pure Michigan. The choices were Vanilla Stout, Apple Ale and Wheat IPA. It was a close race between Vanilla Stout and Apple Ale, according … Continue Reading →
Save with Cedar Point season pass
Cedar Point opens this weekend, and my friend Will is already planning several trips to the Ohio amusement park throughout the summer and fall. He not only wants to ride Cedar Point’s new rollercoaster, the Gatekeeper, located near the entrance of the park, but he plans on returning to enjoy the water park and HalloWeekends. Will could save $10 each time … Continue Reading →
New tours on tap for Leelanau wine visitors
April turned out to be a sorry month to celebrate Michigan’s flourishing wine industry. And if the endless snow, rain and frigid temps kept you from raising a glass to Michigan Wine Month, all is not lost. Spring is as near as the weekend, and at least one wine promotion group is making it … Continue Reading →
Help choose a Pure Michigan beer
If Pure Michigan were a beer, what would it be? Vanilla Stout? Apple Ale? Wheat IPA? It’s a question beer aficionados can help decide. Founders Brewing Co. and Pure Michigan, the state’s award-winning tourism brand, are asking beer fans to select a brew that best represents Pure Michigan. Through May 3, beer fans may choose from … Continue Reading →
Greenfield Village reopens for the season
One of the sure signs of spring in Southeast Michigan is the reopening of Greenfield Village for the season. The village sprang back to life this week, and this summer visitors will see a few new things, including a pair of actors impersonating Henry Ford at different times in his life. Look for a young, curious Henry Ford at the Miller … Continue Reading →
AAA Michigan honors hotels, restaurants
They’re not the Oscars or the Grammys, but the AAA Four Diamond Awards do create some buzz, at least in the tourism industry and among armchair travelers. AAA Michigan bestowed its highest honors Tuesday on 15 hotels and five restaurants. The awards were presented as the grand finale of the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on … Continue Reading →
Better the second time around
The swanky Miami Beach neighborhood was not at the top of my list for a long weekend, but friends — not to mention Michigan’s lingering winter-like weather — persuaded me to seize the chance to escape.
In Chicago: Donuts worth the wait
I never thought I’d wait an hour for a donut. But there I was early Saturday, standing in line outside The Doughnut Vault in Chicago, eager to get my hands on one of the freshly made pastries I’ve heard so much about. Tucked into a corner building at Franklin and Kinzie streets – in the … Continue Reading →
Traveling? Hit the ground for adventure
“Boots on the ground,” Katie prodded as we made our way by train from Rome to Naples to Sorrento, on our way to the Amalfi Coast. Her mantra was meant to encourage me and two other friends to talk to the locals, to rely on our own wits and our own two feet, so to … Continue Reading →