Though I hadn’t classified this trip in my mind as a family reunion, I’m pretty sure it fits the bill: 30+ extended family members, a scenic lakeside location, a century-old house, and matching tees, to boot :)
Our last visit to John’s extended-family cottage in Northern Michigan was in 2017, when June was 1.5. This year’s trip was delayed three times over (in 2019 because both of John’s sisters gave birth, and in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID), so we were beyond thrilled to finally return. I would love to share a few photos, if you’d like to see! I also have a few thoughts to share on why this trip felt so removed from everyday life, and in that way, refreshing – because if I notice something, it’s hard for me to resist digging down into the roots to figure out what’s going on :)
The first layer of novelty that set our time in Michigan apart – and made this vacation feel especially refreshing – was physical. The weather, of course, was delightfully different than North Carolina in July: a crisp, sunny, 75 degrees during the day and a hint of chill at dinner, with almost no humidity in sight. I got to wear a sweatshirt! Almost every evening!
Because of the mild temperatures, we enjoyed true indoor/outdoor living, something I miss dearly about New England summers. We were in and out of the houses a million times a day and the windows and screen doors were open at all times. When inside, outside sounds floated in: children laughing, the slap of the bags hitting the cornhole board, the buzz of a boat on the lake. And the reverse when outside: pans rattling on the stove, the murmur of adults talking, and the gentle suck of the refrigerator door opening. I love living this way, but North Carolina’s 90+ summertime temps make air conditioning and closed windows a necessity.
The last physical layer? We move a LOT more in Michigan than I do in my everyday life. We walked the road between cottages multiple times a day. We ran and jumped in the sand dunes. We swam. We kayaked, we canoed, we paddle boarded. We tubed. We knee-boarded. We went to bed tired and with a gentle ache somewhere in our bodies pretty much every night.
And finally, of course, Northern Michigan is just incredibly physically beautiful: striking blues and greens everywhere you look.
The second novel layer is our schedule. The sun doesn’t fully set until 10pm, so the days seem to stretch and stretch. Unlike at home, where my time is pre-scheduled, regimented, and fairly routine, the days here unspool with languor. Our schedule is loose, and I’m largely not in charge of it – I’m often only vaguely aware of what’s going to happen next. Go on the boat? Sure! Take a detour to the lighthouse? Sure! S’mores at the big house? Sure! The kids play for hours at a time under their own steam, dashing past just often enough for us to confirm they’re still on their feet.
The third layer is relational. Here, we spend more time together as a family than we do in our everyday life, where we split off to school and work during the week. More than that, though, we’re surrounded by extended family in Michigan. There are aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins galore. There’s always someone to play with or have a conversation with or go on a paddle board with, and there’s an easy sharing of the weight of cooking, kid-minding, and logistics that falls on just John and I when we’re at home.
June bonded tightly with one of her cousins who was born just five weeks after her (remember, they last saw each other at a year and a half!). One of the sweetest parts, though? Seeing the big cousins hang with the little cousins. There are several high schoolers in our group, and they were unbelievably kind, patient, and goofy with our kids: reading to them, tubing with them, and allowing them to chase them around the house with badminton rackets (this happened multiple times a day, accompanied by shrieks of delight).
The final layer is historical. Since John and I didn’t grow up in North Carolina, our surroundings don’t conjure childhood memories. There’s something particularly powerful and sweet about seeing your children experience things you loved when you were young in the exact same place, even (especially?) when they’re different from the everyday.
Take this crazy flipping maneuver on the right. Apparently this is a longstanding Thomas tradition – my husband and his sisters remember doing it when they were young. The kids run at full tilt into a grown-up’s feet, get flipped over the adult’s head in a full pike position, and land on their feet. It is as astonishing and hilarious as it sounds, and the kids could not get enough.
From hiking Sleeping Bear Dunes to eating at the A&W to simply sitting on plastic Adirondack chairs, watching a lake day slide by, I’ll take nostalgia and relationship over extravagance most days of the week.
And that’s pretty much where we ended up. This vacation is about as far from glamorous as it gets, and family time can be messy and frustrating, but it is beyond precious to us. We feel so incredibly lucky to get to take our kids here – to have them experience the natural beauty, the laidback fun, and the relationships with people we love – that the siblings all vowed Michigan will be an every-other-year adventure for the foreseeable future. There are a million destinations I’d love to see in the world, but I know I’ll never regret prioritizing this one at this time.
P.S. Annie celebrated her first birthday on this trip! She did it in true Michigan style: digging into a cherry pie serenaded by a circle of smiling relatives.
The celebrations were not without incident, as a certain sibling leaned on her high chair tray and knocked it loose, causing the pie to crash to the ground…
… but thankfully, we had about 547 pies to feed our crew, so the birthday girl still got her happy ending :)
Our Michigan vacation was a very welcome respite in the midst of July’s crazy. We spent a week at John’s family’s rustic cottage on a small lake near Traverse City, and it felt like a very classic summer vacation: we cooked big meals, we waterskiied and paddleboarded and kayaked, we drank root beer floats, we watched the cousins dig in the sandbox, we played badminton and cards, and we watched the sun set over the water while roasting marshmallows. This is the kind of stuff I live for, and I wanted to share a few photos, if you’d like to see!
Is that not the life?! Much of our time was spent lounging in those Adirondack chairs, reading, chatting, and then walking the few steps to the lake when we got too hot.
By far the best part of this trip was the people. We were gathered with about 28 extended family members, including all of John’s siblings, spouses, and their kids. We are spread out around the country, which is sad, because we love spending time together!! It was a treat to all be in the same place.
We ate dinner perched on the porch steps, looking out at the lake, almost every night. June was a big fan of the setup.
We stuck pretty close to the cottage most of the time, but did make a few trips out for ice cream, lunch at the A&W, and climbing the Sleeping Bear Dunes.
I’ll leave you with perhaps my favorite photo from the trip, snapped mid-run through the towels on the line. Are those faces not pure, unadulterated JOY?
Happy summer, friends!
All photos by me, John, and my talented siblings :)
John and I just got back from our first big trip of the summer – a week in Northern Michigan!
His family shares a cottage on the shore of a small lake near Lake Michigan. The accommodations are rustic, but that’s okay, because the surroundings are spectacular.
We didn’t spend much time inside at all, actually. The beautiful weather turned this past week into one of my most active in the last few years: we biked, hiked, climbed dunes, jumped off dunes, ran down dunes, waterskiied, knee boarded, kayaked, played tennis, swam… my muscles were feeling it by the end of the week!!
We did make time to visit a few favorites: Cherry Republic (they carry their theme to perfection!), the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Frankfort, Inspiration Point, and Riverside, among others.
We also had a campfire (and s’mores!) every night, and saw some jaw-dropping sunsets while doing so. One night, we even saw a smoldering sunset in one direction, and a double rainbow in the other! Amazing!
I have a discouraging number of half-finished posts in the queue, including at least one other travelogue (our summer trip to Michigan!)… but also no hesitations about bumping this one to the top.
In my last post, I wrote that we’d canceled our trip to Lake Lure in the wake of Hurricane Helene and wouldn’t be traveling to the North Carolina mountains this fall. The whole family was torn up about this, but John especially so. Once the storm passed, he stewed over what to do for days: travel to the Lake Lure Airbnb and use it as a base to volunteer with a local organization, leaving the kids with family or friends? Cancel the Airbnb and head to the Virginia mountains? Stay home entirely?
While we felt called to volunteer, our original rental was without power and water. And though we love the Virginia mountains, it felt wrong to bail on our beloved NC in her time of need. As the days passed after the storm, the messaging out of Western North Carolina became more nuanced: yes, some areas were devastated and not ready to receive visitors, though they coveted our aid (and would for a long time). Other areas, however, were open and ready for business – and, in many cases, desperate for it. Fall tourism dollars are incredibly important to these towns, and the blanket messaging of “don’t travel to WNC” had really hurt them.
So, following NC’s travel advisory, we rerouted our trip to Bryson City. We had wanted to visit for years, but had stopped short of Bryson City, in the far western reaches of the state, in favor of the more accessible mountain towns of Boone, Blowing Rock, or Asheville. With those off the table, we happily drove a tad farther – a little less than five hours from the Triangle – to our destination.
It was a delightful weekend. The weather was perfect, and we logged some gorgeous hikes, ate good food, and rested and relaxed together. We also got to support some mountain businesses that were extremely grateful for our presence, and though we are no saviors, we were grateful to get to be a tiny part of bringing hope in a bleak time.
To my fellow NC folks, or those in surrounding states: consider a fall or winter trip to the mountains if you can. NC’s tourism site is regularly updated with an interactive map of areas that are ready to receive you, as well as lots of other helpful information. If our trip is any indication, it will be a blessing to them and even more so a blessing to you.
Ready for a little Bryson City travelogue? Let’s do it!
FRIDAY
Our goal was to leave our home at 8:30am, but if you know us at all you are not surprised to hear we left at 9 o’clock on the dot. Time was of the essence because we planned to eat lunch at Haywood Smokehouse in Dillsboro which, at over four hours away, would have tested the bounds of our young travelers’ stomachs even if we had arrived perfectly on time. Still, we endured the drive pleasantly enough with the help of lots of snacks and a third or fourth listen through of On the Night Train, the audio mystery our kids can’t quit.
Our drive was clear, but as we got toward the mountains, we passed tons of downed trees along the roadside. Once, we saw an evergreen farm whose trees were marked with a mud line about four feet up their branches.
We arrived in Dillsboro, a very cute and very tiny downtown, around 1:30. There’s about one block of commerce, but it was plenty for our purposes: we had lunch at the Smokehouse (where the kids discovered they all loved Brunswick Stew) then poked around in the shops near the railroad depot. The Fox’s Burrow was our favorite (we snagged lots of Christmas gifts!), but it was sobering to see the floor and about one foot of wall stripped back to plywood because of the flooding.
From the shops we crossed the railroad tracks to the river itself, and it was beautiful – clear and running swiftly. We walked along the edge for a bit before doubling back to our car and continuing on the last half hour to Bryson City itself.
We arrived at our rental around 4 and the kids’ usual flurry of excitement over exploring a new house kicked in. They raced up and down the stairs and then out the back door where a capacious porch swing and wide, shallow creek waited. I helped John bring our bags inside then curled up with a blanket and my book – this one, loved it so much and now I want to call everyone honey – on the swing. I read for an hour or so while John napped and the kids pretended to be puppies and spies.
Around 6:30 we gathered ourselves, added another layer (it was chilly!), and headed out for dinner in town, about five minutes away. We put our name in at Anthony’s then explored the railway depot and a few shops while we waited. A local legend, Anthony’s reminded me of all the traditional Italian restaurants in all the little towns I’ve ever visited :) We ended the evening with our first of many trips to The Chocolate Shoppe for truffles, squares of toffee, and rock candy sticks, which we ate on our rental’s comfy sectional as we watched Cinderella.
SATURDAY
We woke to another crisp mountain morning on Saturday. We dressed for hiking and drove into town for breakfast at La Dolce Vita, which had yummy bagel sandwiches, cinnamon rolls, muffins, and more.
After breakfast, we drove across the boundary line into Great Smoky Mountains National Park – the most-visited national park and one we had yet to experience! We parked and set off on the Deep Creek Loop Trail, opting for the 2.5 mile configuration in consideration of little legs. We saw deer, crossed wooden bridges, admired changing leaves, and paused for a snack by one of several waterfalls before looping back to our car about two hours later.
After a quick lunch at High Test Deli (YUM) and a hot chocolate from La Dolce Vita, it was time to board the train!
We had reserved open-air tickets on the 2pm Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Nantahala Gorge excursion. Our family had an entire bench to ourselves, with plenty of room to sit, stand, stretch out, and move around. The train whistle sounded and we pulled out of Bryson City at about 2:20, traveling through kudzu forest, past Appalachian homes, and across a trestle bridge over Fontana Lake before arriving at the Nantahala Outdoors Center around 4:45pm.
We had about an hour at the center before boarding the train for the journey home – enough time to grab a snack and watch a practice session of a US national junior team canoe slalom racer! Very cool. Then it was back on the train for a glowy sunset steam back into the Bryson City depot, arriving around 7pm. We snagged a quick dinner at The Rice Wagon, a food truck permanently parked at the Mountain Layers Brewery in downtown, and more treats at The Chocolate Shoppe before heading home for a dip in our hot tub.
SUNDAY
We got off to a slower start on Sunday morning – a perk for the kids of most family trips like this is getting to watch a few episodes of a show while mom and dad wake up – and rolled into Bryson City Bakery around 10:30.
Wow. All the pastries are made in store and are giant and delicious. We went with a few more traditional options but drooled over the cases of apple galettes, peanut butter pie stuffed croissants, s’mores cruffins, maple pecan twists, vanilla bean morning buns, and white chocolate scones with blackberry glaze. While John stood in line, I wandered over to the adjacent general store, MRKT on the Square, and picked up a few more gifts for Christmas from their selection of kitchen goods, toys, and art supplies.
We wrapped up breakfast, hopped in the car, and drove about 30 minutes to Mingo Falls. Though we didn’t have a chance to stop at any of the historical or educational sites along the way, it was neat to see the Cherokee syllabary on signs as we passed through. And of course, Mingo Falls is well worth the trip on its own – it’s a short but steep .3 mile hike to a stunningly tall waterfall. Steps are built into the hillside to make it a bit easier. The big kids bounded up like goats while John and I hoofed it up behind them, Annie on John’s shoulders for part of the time. We hung out at the top for a good half hour and let the kids explore before heading back down.
We continued our circumnavigation of the Smokies and entered the national park again, driving 45 minutes to reach Kuwohi (formerly known as Clingman’s Dome, and the highest point in Tennessee, in the Smokies, and on the Appalachian Trail). The drive was gorgeous: similar in feel to the Blue Ridge Parkway, with curving roads that hug the mountainside and expansive vistas dotted with blazing foliage.
After finding a parking spot (tough on a beautiful fall day!), we set off on the Forney Ridge Trail around 2pm. AllTrails describes it as having a “captivating forest atmosphere,” and I couldn’t agree more.
We trotted along mossy stone steps, across wooden beam walkways, and through sunlit-filled pine forests to reach Andrews Bald about two miles and one hour later.
John selected this hike especially for me, as I’m always pestering him about visiting balds – unique mountains in the Southern Appalachians that are topped with treeless, grassy meadows instead of rocks or trees and thus boast incredible views. Andrews Bald did not disappoint: it was glorious to sprawl on the grass and snack on apples, peanut butter crackers, peanut m&ms, and mini Chomps before turning around.
But we weren’t done yet!! Two miles later we made it back to the parking lot and were all ready to sit down – but we were at the start of the Kuwohi Observation Tower trail, and we (or at least the parents, ha) wanted to make it to the top. Like Mingo Falls, we were in for another short, steep hike – this time, .5 miles each way and 337 feet of elevation gain. It’s a paved trail, but man, it was a rough add-on after the afternoon’s hike.
But also worth it! We hoofed it up the trail, the kids trailing comically behind us, and eventually made it to the top to enjoy the 360-degree views.
But only for a few minutes :) Back in the car and looking at the clock, we debated whether the timing was too tight to go back and change before our dinner reservation, but agreed that if we could be in and out of the house in ten minutes we could arrive within the grace period. Cut to the five of us sprinting and giggling through the house to get out of our hiking clothes and into mountain dinner appropriate attire as fast as possible :)
Our reservation was at the Fryemont Inn’s dining room, and it was a trip. Think summer camp dining hall, think big stone fireplace, think 100+ year old history. All dinners include the soup of the day (BLT soup on the day we visited!), a mixed green salad, the entree of your choice, three family-style side dishes, and dessert. (Plus soda for the kids, a thrill!) Was it the most delicious, creative food I’ve ever eaten in my life? It was not. But it was homey and memorable and a perfect way to cap off a mountain-y day.
MONDAY
We slept in, then packed up the house and drove to brunch at Mountain Perks, which had delicious bagel sandwiches and the kindest staff.
After browsing a few more shops, we ended our time in Bryson City with a visit to Darnell Farms. Nestled right against the Tuckasegee River, it had swings, a giant hollowed-out tree, knobbly pumpkins, a farm shop, and a hay maze to explore.
And that, my friends, is our trip to Bryson City! While BC is a bit rougher around the edges than some other mountain towns we’ve visited, it is so lovable and we were so grateful to get to visit it – and our beloved mountains – in this unusual fall.
If you’re planning a trip to Bryson City, I hope this recap was helpful! Any questions, I’m happy to answer – just leave them in the comments! (And if you’d like to see this weekend in motion, I had fun making this little video.)
