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When you think about it, the metro Detroit area is one of the best places to live if you’re in the mood for a weekend getaway. In less than an hour, you can be immersed in music festivals in a foreign country, enjoying a spectacular Michigan beach, or exploring unique shops and restaurants in northern Ohio. A few more hours takes you north to pristine golf courses, wooded trails, and miles of beautiful shoreline — or west to Lake Michigan communities, including Chicago.
Whether you reach your destination by car, Amtrak train, or plane, Detroit is the perfect hub from which to begin your trip. Where you choose to go depends on what kind of adventure you seek. Maybe you’d like to explore Michigan’s newest waterfront hotel, yet still be only 90 minutes away from Chicago. You can do that at Harbor Shores, located between Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. Perhaps Mackinac Island is calling you to escape into its carefree, car-free culture. Even the smallest communities have big events, like Dexter’s outdoor art festival. Guests of Shanty Creek Resort can enjoy free shuttle service to the quaint town of Bellaire, and still be close to all the excitement and entertainment of Traverse City.
Need a little help in planning? The following pages offer ideas for great places to visit this summer. And if you want to stretch that weekend trip into a full-out vacation, AAA Travel can help you get cruising on the Seine or soaking your limbs in Iceland’s healing waters.
The weather is fine, and it’s time to treat yourself to a getaway. Whether you want to travel near or far, visit a big city or a small one, there’s always an adventure waiting to welcome you.
Ride AMTRAK®
For information and fares, visit Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL
Say goodbye to cancelled flights, traffic jams and detours. There’s a better way to travel. On Amtrak®, your journey begins before you reach your destination. Sit back in a comfortable seat and take in the scenery. Stretch your legs and grab a drink or a bite to eat in the café car. Spend quality time with friends and family, read or work.
Amtrak offers weekly specials and everyday discounts for seniors and kids. With deals to more than 500 destinations nationwide, it’s easy to take Amtrak and Enjoy the journey®. Take the stress out of traveling next trip, and experience trainsportation and not just transportation. For more information, visit Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.
Harbor Shores
Guest Information: 201 Graham ave., Benton Harbor, MI 49022
www.harborshoreslife.com
Ideally located just 90 minutes from downtown Chicago, Harbor Shores is nestled on the edge of Lake Michigan in the cities of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. With five breathtaking beaches, towering sand dunes, and panoramic views of Lake Michigan’s blue waters, Harbor Shores is unlike any other community in southwest Michigan.
Harbor Shores played host to the Senior PGA Championship this year and again in 2016 and ’18. This past spring, Harbor Shores welcomed a new 100-slip marina and opened the doors to the Inn at Harbor Shores, an eight-story waterfront hotel.
With ongoing development of the Fairways Signature Golf Homes, Trailside Cottages, and Hideaway Cottages, and the addition of the Renaissance Athletic Club, it’s easy to see why many families are now calling Harbor Shores their vacation home destination.
For more information about Harbor Shores, visit www.harborshoreslife.com.
Kingsville Folk Music Festival
Guest Information: Lakeside Park in Kingsville, Ontario
519-997-7777 • kingsvillefolkfest.org
BRUCE COCKBURN, JANE SIBERRY, RON HYNES, AND DAVID FRANCEY will headline the first annual Kingsville Folk Music Festival, Aug. 8-10, 2014, at Lakeside Park in Kingsville, Ontario. Surrounded by a world-class wine region and nestled on the shores of Lake Erie, 30 minutes from the Detroit/Windsor border crossing, Canada’s most southern town will play host to more than 30 national and international award-winning musicians performing on the evening main stage and interacting on the three daytime session stages.
The Family Stomping Ground will feature performances by Fred Penner, Michigan’s ukulele sensation Ben Hassenger, children’s karaoke, and activities families can enjoy all weekend long. Stroll through the artisan village and sample local foods, wines, and brews, while taking in one of the most spectacular festival sites in Canada. From the time the gates open Friday to the last note sung on Sunday night, the Kingsville Folk Music Festival has something for everyone. Weekend passes available. Children 16 and under, accompanied by a parent, are free!
AAA Travel
Guest Information: 31 Offices in Michigan
1-800-878-9192 • AAA.com/TravelAgent
AAA Travel is pleased to present its new AAA Vacations® lineup, featuring exciting itineraries, engaging experiences, and exclusive values not found anywhere else in the marketplace.
This year’s AAA trips are all about more — more destinations, more departures, more inclusions, and more value. The expanded collection of vacations includes cruises, guided tours, and independent vacations both in the United States and reaching to all corners of the globe offering everything from the traditional to the exotic.
What really sets AAA Vacations® apart, however, is the built-in value. Every AAA Vacations® guided tour comes with engaging experiences and complimentary inclusions that are often considered “extras” on similar vacation packages — if they’re offered at all. For example, on a AAA Vacations® tour, you could soak in a natural hot pool in Iceland known to have therapeutic powers, dine with “The Tenors” in Rome as you enjoy spectacular live music, cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the steamship TSS Earnslaw for a farm visit and dinner in the rugged Outback, or take in breathtaking views of Paris at night while cruising the Seine River — and everything’s included!
There are plenty of extras to be found on AAA Vacations® cruises, as well. Priority check-in, private AAA cocktail parties, onboard spending credits, free excursions, specialty dining vouchers, and Champagne in your stateroom on arrival are just a few of the many benefits that could be included on your next trip — extras specifically designed to make your cruise experience even more enjoyable.
Plus, if you’re a member of AAA, you could save even more. An expert AAA Travel Consultant can check to see if the AAA Vacations® trip you’re planning is combinable with other AAA member benefits offered, in addition to cruise and tour past passenger discounts and benefits. You’ll also get AAA’s Best Price Guarantee and 24/7 Member Care.
Why wait another day to turn your dream vacation into reality? View AAA Travel’s current lineup of AAA Vacations® cruises and tours at AAA.com/aaavacations, or contact a knowledgeable AAA Travel Consultant and book your incredible adventure today!
Positively Perrysburg!
Guest Information: Sandy Latchem, Director, Perrysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau • Perrysburg, Ohio
419-874-9347 • director@perrysburgchamber.com
Enjoy small town charm with all of the big city amenities in Perrysburg. Located on the banks of the Maumee River at the crossroads of I-75 and the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/90), Perrysburg is only minutes from Toledo and Lake Erie. Enjoy our gracious historic district, distinctive shopping areas, unique restaurants, and unparalleled entertainment. Whether you’re here for business or pleasure, Perrysburg has it all.
Explore history at Fort Meigs, the country’s largest walled reconstructed fort and the site of a crucial battle in the War of 1812. Don’t miss the museum, gift shop, and thrilling battle re-enactments.
Everyone is sure to have loads of fun at Levis Commons, where you can enjoy shopping, dining, movie theaters, entertainment, and special events year-round.
Get your game on! Perrysburg has golf, jogging trails, tennis, parks, fishing, and more. Be sure to make a stop at Perry Falls Mini Golf — it’s fun for the whole family.
Historic downtown Perrysburg is home to many unique shops and restaurants. Special events include a classic car show, horse-drawn carriage rides, a farmers’ market, and festivals and parades that are scheduled throughout the year.
Hungry? Enjoy a variety of great eateries in Perrysburg. From sausage to sushi, Mexican to Mediterranean, we love it all!
Everyone needs a place to rest and relax. Choose from romantic boutique hotels; kid-friendly accommodations with pools, game rooms, and jacuzzis; or studios and suites for the business traveler.
Mission Point Resort
Guest Information: Mackinac Island, MI
906-847-3000 • www.missionpoint.com
Nestled on 18 acres of lakefront property, Mission Point Resort — one of Michigan’s iconic Up North destinations — offers an escape to a slower way of life. The property boasts 239 guest rooms and suites; three restaurants featuring excellent regionally sourced meats, fish, and produce; on-premise bike rental; and waterfront mini-golf — and it’s just a short walk from bustling downtown or the wooded trails of the Mackinac Island State Park.
Village of Dexter
Guest information: 8123 Main Street, 2nd floor Dexter, Michigan 48130
734-426-8303 • www.dextermi.gov/arts
The Dexter Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee is hosting the second annual Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival Aug. 11-16, 2014. Artists can enjoy five days of outdoor painting in Dexter, while appreciators of the arts will have a wonderful opportunity to meet the artists and observe them at work. Dexter offers the outdoor painter charming subjects from which to draw inspiration, including parks, meadows, rivers, wetlands, wildlife, historical landmarks, and architecture.
Shanty Creek Resorts
Guest Information: Bellaire, Michigan
855-Up-north • shantycreek.com
Shanty Creek Resorts, a four-season golf and ski resort, welcomes guests with award-winning service, multiple dining choices, hundreds of lodging options, and world-class recreation including four golf courses and two ski mountains, boating and fishing on nearby Torch Lake and the rest of the Chain of Lakes, and more than 30 miles of single-track hiking and biking trails at Glacial Hills. Broaden your experience by taking advantage of Shanty Creek Resorts’ roundtrip shuttle service into downtown Bellaire, where you’ll find more entertainment. Just 31 miles northeast of Traverse City, it’s a beautiful day at Shanty Creek Resorts.
Traverse City Tourism
Guest Information: 800-Traverse
www.traversecity.com • www.facebook.com/visittraversecity
Nestled at the head of beautiful Grand Traverse Bay, Traverse City is a laid-back, four-season destination where breathtaking natural beauty meets a rich blend of adventure, relaxation, and fun.
Known for its 180 miles of sugar-sand Lake Michigan shoreline and an abundance of inland lakes, beaches, bays, and dunes — including the magnificent Sleeping Bear Dunes, voted Most Beautiful Spot in America by viewers of Good Morning America — it’s also home to award-winning wineries, championship golf courses, and a vibrant nightlife scene.
Says who? Well, Fodor’s Travel News calls it one of America’s Top 10 Small Towns, FamilyFun magazine named it one of America’s Top 10 Tourist Towns, and Bon Appetit magazine thinks it’s one of the country’s Top Five “Foodie” Towns.
But don’t take their word for it. Set a course for Michigan’s “True North,” and discover for yourself why there’s so much buzz about TC!
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