One month. Six parks. Memories of a SEM-cation.

As a kid growing up in Sterling Heights, summers held a very special place in both my mind and heart. Not only was it a time measured over days and months, it was also a feeling, an excitement, and something sacred that couldn’t come quick enough, but always ended way too soon.

For me, summer was a mix of excitement for school to finish, for soccer tournaments to begin, and for the chance to head “up north” with family and friends. Although my family never had a “cottage,” that didn’t stop us from making multiple trips north each summer to a friend’s place on Houghton Lake or staying a weekend in Traverse City, Petoskey, or Charlevoix.

Now that I have kids of my own, summer has a slightly different feel to it. It still is a time I look forward to, and it certainly still holds excitement. But instead of spending days in carefree relaxation, much more time and thought goes into answering the annual question of “with school out…how do we keep these boys busy and active?”

While we still try to travel a bit each summer, local activities and destinations are always at the forefront. The truth is that while “heading up north” is a great part of summers in Michigan, Southeast Michigan has much to offer, too.

Regardless of where you live, prime venues for summer activities with family and friends are often closer than you think. While “staycations” have grown in popularity, I’m proposing you take a “SEM-cation” before this summer is over. And to get you thinking about kinds of fun activities in our region, here’s a sampling of six destinations my family visited in July. As you’ll notice, these places are pretty “park-heavy.” That’s not by coincidence. We used a special new tool to plan our SEM-cation.

Southeast Michigan has a wealth of parks – over 2,600! SEMCOG’s new Interactive Park Finder application contains parks and recreation information on every park in the region. This application allows communities to promote recreational assets and enables families to learn about the recreation options and park amenities both near and far. If you haven’t already done so, please explore this new tool, provide feedback on how it can be of most use and impact and, most importantly – use it and share it with your friends, family, and residents!

Without further ado, here is my travel log, featuring a month of exploring parks in Southeast Michigan.

The Regional Destinations

July 2 – Historic Fort Wayne, Detroit
For years, my father-in-law has been asking to visit Historic Fort Wayne in Detroit. Although he grew up in the city and has lived in the region for all of his 64 years, he’d never been. This was of particular frustration since he’d been to battlefields and historic forts across the country and world. Touring the old fort along the Detroit River is truly like walking back in time. The entirety of the Star Fort Interior has the feel of being back in 1860s with the limestone barracks being the main draw, but the two highlights for us were the Powder Magazine building (storage facility for gunpowder) and Sally Port (secured entry way), both of which feel untouched since the times of the Civil War and provide a direct window into the lives of the soldiers who called the fort home.

Our goal for later this summer or next is to revisit the fort during one of the special events held – from Civil Wars Days, to the vintage baseball games to what I could only imagine must be phenomenal…the after-hours ghost tours!

July 7 – Gaffield Children’s Garden at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens – Ann Arbor

Full disclosure…prior to visiting this regional treasure, I didn’t know it existed. After taking our six- and three-year-old boys to the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum (a regional destination in itself), we decided to give them a little taste of nature by taking them to the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. After a brief walk around the trails and grounds and then the Conservatory, we stumbled upon the “Children’s Garden.” To say this was a favorite of our boys would be a severe understatement. We stayed for over two hours and resorted to ice cream bribery to get them to depart. Highlights included:

• A guided tour of all the seasonal vegetables in the garden, including tasting, smelling, touching, picking, and even a bushel of greens for the road;
• Climbing on huge tree trunks and logs, and building a cabin out of large sticks, stones, and branches;
• Drawing pictures with chalk on slate boards and digging holes with tools provided;
• Walking through and discovering hidden treasures such as fairies and trolls in the labyrinth maze; and
• Putting on an impromptu “play” with provided costumes at a wooded, make-shift amphitheater and stage.
  

In short – for one afternoon in early July, my family played together in nature and learned about many of the wonders of active and physical play!

July 16 – Blue Water Sand Fest – Fort Gratiot County Park, Port Huron

The Blue Water Sand Fest is a three-day event in which both amateur and “master” sand sculptors create unique and amazing designs out of sand, with awards given to the “best” creations. In addition to these phenomenal creations, there’s live music, hands-on lessons, a kids zone, and sand sculpting demonstrations. Although learning how to build sand sculptures and viewing (and voting on) some of the most amazing designs imaginable, highlights of the day for our two boys included playing, building, collecting unique stones, trying to skip any “flat-surfaced stone,” swimming, and watching the boats and kayakers pass by along the shores of Lake Huron.

I know I promised six destinations, but you’ll have to wait for part two, “The Local and Neighborhood Gems.” Coming soon! Related: SEMCOG’s Regional Parks Bus Tour is August 24. More information.