outdoors
ADVENTURES IN FAMILY CAMPING by CHRIS LOUD
This tip-of-the-peninsula park makes for a wild (at heart) weekend escape.
photo by Shea Haddad
O
ur decades-old tent flapped uncontrollably in the steady Lake Michigan wind. We had one pole in place out of approximately 4,000 poles that still needed to be secured. The only thing keeping it from blowing across Grand Traverse Bay was my 22-month-old, stomping around on the still flat parts of the time. Luckily, most sites are not too far from a restroom. tent, giggling hysterically every time we pleaded with her to Besides the beach (where the shallow water is perfect for do literally anything else. The parents with similar-aged kids wading and swimming), the main attraction for kids is the who arrived well after us at the campsite next door were allarge, artfully designed playground—truly one of the best in ready sipping on drinks and roasting dinner on their roaring the region. Other adventures to try: biking the roads around fire, as their children played quietly in their fully set-up tent. the park, visiting the historic Grand Traverse Lighthouse and I hated those people, and I still do if I’m honest. its kid-friendly exhibits and walking the nearby trails, which Eventually, with our 4-year-old are accessible for even the tiniest using all her muscles to hold one hikers. And if your kid is like corner of the tent and my wife and mine—always begging to fly a kite GET THERE I stretched in several directions on days when the wind is virtually To reserve a site at Leelanau or other keeping it all together, we had just nonexistent—I recommend getting Northern Michigan state park gems, one more pole to place. As we in some solid sky time at the park. including Indian Lake, Tahquamenon Falls, looked around desperately for the It’s not like it’s the top of Mount Petoskey, Hartwick Pines, Interlochen final piece, our toddler found it, Washington, but at the very tip of and North Higgins Lake, book at picked it up and casually handed it the Leelanau Peninsula there’s often midnrreservations.com. to her mom, redeeming herself. The a steady breeze, ideal for kite flying. tent was set. And every moment The beauty of Leelanau State that followed proved again and Park is that it’s quiet and easy, but again that camping with small children is kind of hard, but kids feel like they’re isolated on a wild island, far away from 100 percent possible, and 200 percent worth it, especially at everything. And so do parents. In reality, you’re only a a place like Leelanau State Park in Northport. 10-minute drive from Northport, where you can get almost On this Father’s Day weekend, the campground was full, anything you’d need. yet didn’t feel busy. We were lucky to score a site on the We’ve found that if you camp with small children, the beach, but there are so many easy ways to access the water occasional parenting struggles are a small price to pay for that it’s really not necessary. In fact, a nice wooded site that look in their eyes when they truly feel like they’re on an within a short walk to the beach might be even better—kids adventure—and they have you to thank for it. can play around in the woods, you can stay shaded on hot days and, you know … shelter a bit from the wind. Also, take Chris Loud is co-founder of The Boardman Review and note of your distance to the vault toilets, because this will lives in Traverse City with his wife, two young daughters undoubtedly become important at the most inconvenient and two dogs. JUNE 2023
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5/4/23 7:31 PM
