If you're looking for a delightful way to usher in the holidays, consider going Dutch–as in Dutch WinterFest.

Held each year here in Holland, Michigan, it celebrates the season with colorful pageantry and old-world charm.

Holland was founded by Dutch settlers in 1847, and its streetscapes reflect their Netherlands heritage, with stepped gable roofs, brick walkways and inlaid tile over doors and windows. Read the rest of this entry »

The SS Keewatin, the last of the elegant Great Lakes passenger steamships, is now a floating museum docked in Douglas, Michigan, just across the Kalamazoo River from Saugatuck (see page 62 for more about Saugatuck).

I never expected to find a time warp on Michigan's western coast. But that's exactly what my husband, Walter, and I found in Manistee several years ago during its Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend. Read the rest of this entry »

Each year, our travel plans include a stop in Charlevoix, Michigan, home to art galleries, gift shops, cafes–and mushroom buildings.

Yes, you read correctly! Charlevoix features 26 unusual residential and commercial buildings designed and built by Earl Young, a local architect and real estate agent. The cozy-looking structures are built out of stone and feature low, curved rooflines. Read the rest of this entry »