travel by iPhone: Detroit

like the tank top my dad had in the 80's said: "Detroit is no place for wimps." it's full of fighters who believe in their city. but what might surprise you is that it's also full of artists, new development, local businesses, great music and some darn tasty food.

it's been a while since I've had an installation of my travel by iPhone series, and given that I'm back in the mitten... I need to show Detroit some love.

yesterday afternoon we went downtown to walk around the Campus Martius area, Hart Plaza, Renaissance Center, and the Riverfront Park. you never know what you'll find in Detroit: buildings old + new, food trucks + gourmet restaurants, and all forms of art + music. we even found Taiwan!

how cool is this community library box in the riverside park? in recent years, large companies have started moving offices back downtown, and around lunchtime the streets are filled with professionals out for a stroll or sunning and reading in the park. this also helps support the smaller local businesses in the area, and creates even more jobs.

after wandering around and enjoying the free live lunchtime music, we drove further out to the Corktown neighborhood to eat some tasty tasty barbecue at Slow's. the nearby train station is still abandoned, but the lot where old Tiger Stadium was has been converted to a neighborhood baseball diamond.

and this is only a small slice of what you can find in Detroit these days. the Eastern Market, the DIA,  and Belle Isle are just a few more ideas. if you haven't been in a while - or ever - I suggest taking a detour through Detroit and checking things out.

linking up with Nicole and Megan

hiking to Big Sable Point

I have a soft spot for lighthouses. growing up in Michigan and being surrounded by the Great Lakes [and having a mother who is a little obsessed with lighthouses] I have visited my fair share. Big Sable Point is one of my favorites. partially because you have to hike, bike, or boat to get there.

the most direct route involves a straight but sandy path back from the Pines campground, and is a little less than 2 miles. you can bike this way. but the road runs between the woods and the dunes so in some spots it can get a little tough with all the blown over sand.

or you can hike out on the aptly named Lighthouse Trail. this trail starts in the woods, then emerges onto the dunes. your shoes will definitely be full of sand by the time you make it to the lighthouse... but that's why you take them off and dip your toes in Lake Michigan when you get there.

you can pay a small fee to go inside the lighthouse for a tour and to climb to the top. [we opted to skip that given our hike was going to be 5 miles round trip and we've all been up before.] instead we enjoyed the view from "sea" level and took a snack break.

crossing the dunes from the woods to the lake can be really warm, especially in the low areas where you are shielded by wind. since it was a hot day we decided to follow the shoreline back to link up with the Coast Guard Trail. not only did this mean we had a lovely lake breeze, but we could walk barefoot in the cold water.

[check out the Michigan DNR website for more information on hiking this and other trails at Ludington State Park.]

the cup of coffee that fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Jenn. she drinks her coffee with Truvia + almond milk and blogs about lifestyle + home improvement over at Near and Far Montana.

linking up with Bonnie, Kaelene, Sammy, and Van for Travel Tuesday