Two Augusts ago, my family and I fell in love with St. Joseph, Mich. Take a step back and relax. When I start to recollect my memories from this vacation I just melt! We visited four different cities in a week’s time, but St. Joseph was our favorite. It’s an easy drive to a small piece of paradise: gorgeous lake views, sightseeing, history lessons, outdoor activities, familyfriendliness, and wonderful, affordable, and casual dining for a family. Erin Nevitt lives in Louisville with her husband John and their kids Molly (10) and Will (2).
HIGHLIGHTS: Our 4-mile roundtrip walk down the beach to the North Pier Lighthouse.
3
FOR TYPE As: Curious Kids’ Museum and Curious Kids’ Discovery Zone, Silver Beach Carousel, Amtrak train ride to Chicago, art museums, plenty of local shops through the downtown district, plenty of weekend activities (outdoor concerts, workshops, speaker events, author events), outdoor amphitheater, bus tours, great local eateries. (Check out Silver Beach Pizza and Chocolate Safari.)
St. Joseph, Michigan
(292 miles)
THE DETAILS TRAVEL: By van TRAVEL TIME: Roughly five hours, a little more than 300 miles # DAYS: 3 (took some other short trips throughout Michigan while there) GROUP: Two adults, two kids ages 9 and 1 ACCOMMODATIONS: Baymont Inn in Stevensville (1-2 miles away from beach town along scenic byway) OVERALL FEEL: Relaxed
HIGHLIGHTS: Visits to City Museum, Magic House Children’s Museum, Grant’s Farm, St. Louis Arch, Fitz’s Soda Bar & Grill, and an Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour FOR TYPE As: Tons of places to visit! We covered quite a few, but there are more to explore. FOR TYPE Bs: While we buzzed through each of the attractions, you could easily spend a day exploring City Museum and Magic House and take a more leisurely approach to your sightseeing! WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THIS TRIP: It’s close, and there are things to do for kids of all ages. Younger children will enjoy the Children’s Museum more, while kids of all ages will love the endless opportunities to explore at City Museum. DON’T MISS: City Museum. It is called a museum, but it is anything but! Think of it as a renovated warehouse space filled with recycled items and materials that you crawl and slide through, around, under, and over! BEST TRIP MEMORY: Feeding the goats with bottles at Grant’s Farm
24
FOR TYPE Bs: Beaches, parks (Silver Beach County and Jean Klock Parks in particular), walks along edges of lighthouses, quaint dining spots, Saturday morning farmer’s market, a great little local library, a marble chess game atop
4
the cliff overlooking Silver Beach County Park WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THIS TRIP: The town resembles a small town right out of the 1950s. Its location on the West Michigan Pike will not disappoint adventureseekers. St. Joseph is old-fashioned, picturesque, charming, pretty, and appealing to multi-faceted family dynamics. And it has affordability written all over it. DON’T MISS: The scenic lighthouses; some have tours, some are accessible to visit inside. BEST TRIP MEMORY: The day it warmed up and we spent the day on the beach having a picnic at Rocky Gap Park. This hidden gem had no pay-up-front parking! Our walk down the beach was the highlight of our trip.
St. Louis, Missouri
(260 miles)
THE DETAILS TRAVEL: By car TRAVEL TIME: About 4 hours # DAYS: 3 GROUP: Two adults and two kids, ages 8 and 6 ACCOMODATIONS: Holiday Inn Airport (booked through Travelocity) OVERALL FEEL: Family fun!
We took a trip to St. Louis in the fall when the kids had a long weekend. We had heard wonderful things about the museums in St. Louis and wanted to check them out for ourselves. They did not disappoint! Everything we experienced was so different from anything in Louisville; we truly felt like we had “gotten away” and had a mini-vacation, even though it was a quick four-hour drive! Susan Viers Wobbe lives in Louisville with her husband Thomas and their daughters Lily (10) and Elise (8 in April). 4 4 4todaysfamilynow.com 4 4 4facebook.com /todaysfamily 4 4 4 @todaysfamilynow