Sharing the simplicity of the small things

Day trips are so worth your while because there are 24 hours in a day and if you want to make them count, then GO ON THE DAY TRIP!

They do require a bit of planning, but also a sense of going with the flow. If you are willing to drive a little, there is a lot to see within the radius you are willing to go.

When I was looking for a radius of 2 hour driving distance from where I live, I found the best results from this website. Based on my experience, the best day trip radius is within 2 hours of driving time. Merely based on the fact that you’ll be spending a total of 4 hours in a car in one day. The maximum would have to be a 4 hour drive- at that point, it almost doesn’t feel worth it and you’ll be left saying “That was so much fun, but I’d never do that again”

I often decide these day trips anywhere from a week up to the night before. Nothing that a couple quick google searches can’t solve! I have been on countless day trips and I have had some awesome experiences with them.

When I was living in Park City, UT for a job for a couple weeks, I HAD to go to a National Park before I left. That decision was made at 11:00 PM the night before. I met a girl who was a nanny for the family of the house I was staying at. On a whim, I asked her if she wanted to come with me and she called off work the next day and I was at her apartment at 5:00 am the next morning. It was about a 4 hour drive to Zion National Park. We hiked the two most famous trails, The Narrows and Angel’s Landing. This totaled in 11 hours of hiking and 7 miles. We were so exhausted at the end of the day and got back at midnight. They were the all-time hikes I’ve been on and it was totally worth it.

Another fun day trip I took with my best friend, Julia, was to Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio. It was about 3 hours away and we hiked the longest trail which was 10.2 miles. The park was free of entry and filled with a wide variety of scenery. There was a random trail race on the hike too, so we were constantly watching people pass by cheering them on. We were starving after and we went to this hole-in- the-wall burger place that was cash only. We knew that burger was about to hit the spot. As we finished the day of hiking, we were met with some not-so-fun thunderstorms. At least we were dry in our car!

Caseville/Port Austin: With these two spots so close to each other, you might as well take advantage of visiting both! There are a couple hikes in both spots that you can do free of charge. A pretty walking one is the Dunes Boardwalk Nature Trail. In downtown Port Austin, try out Pak’s Backyard to enjoy a post hike meal while enjoying the scenery of Lake Huron. Before you leave, you HAVE to drive over to Grindstone’s General Store for the biggest and best ice cream cone in the Thumb of Michigan.

Corktown in Detroit: This is a new and upcoming area of Downtown Detroit, which used to be home of Tiger’s Stadium before it was torn down. The old train station, Michigan Central, was recently remodeled and it is surely breathtaking. They hold tours and even have shops! Around this area, there are also nifty restaurants to check out like Cork and Gable and The Yard at Corktown.

Ann Arbor: There is so much to do down here especially depending on the time of the year! Although my family is a big “Go Blue!” house, there is more it than the maize and blue! One of my favoirte events is the Ann Arbor Art Fair because it is HUGE and full of gorgrous local artists displaying their work. If you like supporting small businesses, there are about 100+ of them with live music and unique foods while you are strolling around.

Belle Isle: One of Downtown Detroit’s prettiest scenes on the nature side! It is home to the United State’s oldest aquarium, the infamous Belle Isle Giant Slide, and countless spots to see both Canada and the Detroit skyline from. Sometimes they check for passes to enter the park. Information on pricing can be found here.

Frankenmuth: A German inspired town with a walkable downtown. Filled with small shops and delicious food, it doesn’t even feel like Michigan. Check out Zhender’s of Frankenmuth for an authentic dining experience and so much more! Near by spots also include Birch Run Premium Outlets for all the shop-aholics, and Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland for anything Christmas.

Albion: If you read my ‘About Me‘ blog, you’ll know this is where I went to college, so maybe I’m biased. If you are looking for a quick stop on your way to the west side of the state somewhere, consider Albion! Their downtown may be small, but the restaurants are constantly on my mind. Check out the Malleable, Michigan’s top rated burger in 2020, Frosty Dan’s Ice Cream, with all kinds of ice cream and a delicious Fruity Pebbles Flurry, and The Foundry Bakehouse and Deli, filled with scrumptious sweets and the best home cooking away from home. The Amtrak Train also runs right through Albion, so now you have some spots to hit up if you only have a short stop!