Warren Dunes

We followed up one beach day with another one.  This time instead of going to beach on the Illinois side of Lake Michigan we drove around (through Indiana) to the Michigan side.  Every year our ward holds an informal beach day activity.  Basically, anyone who wants to drives to the Warren Dunes State   Park and spends a family day at the beach.

It seems like every year we have something else going on so we haven't ever gone with the ward.  When we lived at Notre Dame, we went to the Warren Dunes a bunch of times.  It's a great beach.  The water is cleaner than on the Chicago side (they aren't down stream from Milwaukee!)  There are also hiking trails, clay pits, and a huge sand dune the kids can play on.  It really is a very fun place.

The Dunes are only about a 90 minute drive from us.  Unfortunately, on this particular day, Indiana was doing a lot of road construction so lanes were closed and the drive was definitely long and unfun.  Fortunately, we survived (Dave just barely) and we made it to the beach.

The weather was perfect, it was a fun day and the kids had a good time with friends.

 After a day at the beach, I talked Dave into stopping in New Buffalo, MI for some dinner.  Particularly, I wanted to try two famous places.  One was Redamak's, home of the hamburger "Legend"  By the time we got there, it was later in the evening.  Michigan is an hour ahead of us so it was almost 8pm.  We still had an hour wait and the line was outside and all around the building.

The Patty Melt "legend"

It was a good burger, tasted yummy, but not the best burger I've ever eaten.  We stuffed ourselves silly, but we couldn't leave town yet.  We had to have some ice cream at Oink's.  Another famous local hot spot.  And again that place was hopping, but we did get some ice cream.  The ice cream was so thick it was crazy, but very good.

Overall, a very fun family outing.  A good way to spend a summer day.