A pool, a sandy playground, two dune climbs and two beach visits later, we’re a bit sun-kissed and happily lodged beach side on the sleepy end of Ludington, Mich.
We made our way up from Holland by hugging the coast as much as possible.
That route up Shoreline Trail (B-15) took us through blueberry patches, apple and cherry orchards and past the largest fields of asparagus I’ve ever seen. We saw what seemed like hundreds of acres of billowy asparagus greens.
Our pledge to buy local was only met when we stopped at The Fox Barn Agricultural Marketplace & Winery to do a bit of tasting and to buy some cherry salsa and wine.
Unfortunately by the time we washed up from our late evening lake dip and walk to the Ludington Breakwater Lighthouse, we were too tired to hunt for a local haunt. So we went with Applebees. The only saving grace besides an incredibly good steak (anything is good after a day at the beach) was our waitress, who regaled us with stories of her farmgirl experiences. She’d been up since 6 a.m. canning, what else, cherries.
We’re thinking that we will not be happy with our hotel coffee, so we scouted out a Starbucks. But we may try the coffee hut we saw on the way in, Hotte Latte. It’s in a tiny shack that reminds me of the remote and compact drive up coffee shacks we’d see in the middle of nowhere in Alaska. In cold weather, there’s nothing like a good cup of coffee that doesn’t require you to leave the shelter of your vehicle.
Plus it’s a fair trade shop and it serves locally made baked goods…so, I’m thinking that’ll be our pit stop on the way out of town.
Virtual Farmgirl 