I spent the last week enjoying a vacation with my family - my mom and stepdad, son and daughter, sister and brother in law, stepbrother and (step?)sister in law. My parents rented a house and invited everyone to come up for as long as they could, dogs, kids, whatever.
it was in Ludington, on the western coast of Michigan, aka the east coat of Lake Michigan, a bit more than halfway up the mitten. Northern Michigan but not the Upper Peninsula.
My parents went last summer and loved it, which is why they arranged the trip for this summer. I was skeptical. Lakes Erie and Ontario are the only great lakes I have really seen or swam in, and they really aren't all that. Kind of weedy and silty, not always the cleanest, just OK.
Well Lake Michigan is a whole other ball of wax....blue like the Caribbean sea, wide white sand beaches with sand that doesn't get hot or stick to your feet....beautiful sand dunes...public parks everywhere, little development.
I was particularly impressed by the lack of development and the high standards of the city and state parks. Clean clean clean, thoughtful amenities (refreshments, bathrooms, piers, walking and biking trails, board walk paths, ample parking, bike lanes.) Truly fine examples of what taxes can do and why I do not at all mind paying them. You can rent a fancy house if you have the money but if you don't you can put up a tent in a state park or enjoy a day at the beach for free, and there's lots in between.
Clearly the states (and Canada) that border the lake understand the importance of keeping it clean. I could never NOT see my feet when swimming, and usually quite a lot farther away than that too, and that's just naked eye out of the water. Divers say it can get to 100 ft visibility. Water temp was high 70's, cool enough to cool off but not so cold you couldn't stay in for hours if you wanted.
I tried to capture the water color, never was really successful but this one is closest: