Charlevoix & Boyne City

After that long trip to and through the U.P. and back, we were ready for a quieter day sticking closer to 'home'.  We started our day with a visit down to the beach to fish, then packed up and went to Charlevoix for the day.

We started with a swim at the public beach near the channel and the lighthouse.

And what kid would miss this opportunity?

Looking for petosky stones - we found a few!

Lifeguard on duty in training

Elliott still prefers to play on the beach while the girls swim for hours.  He is getting more comfortable being around water, but has not yet developed a love for it.

Watching boats of all shapes and sizes pass through the channel from Lake Michigan to Lake Charlevoix.

Drawbridge going up, looking east.

Dear Santa, I have been a VERY good girl this year..... 

Silly!

After a picnic lunch, we went to the splash pad right by the boat docks.

Charlevoix is a beautiful place.

I could definitely live here. 

Some of these yachts are pretty large.  This one pulled in while we were enjoying the spash pad.  Complete with his & hers matching scooters and a dingy boat worth $10K and three floors of living space.

Those are up on the second level - does anyone know how those come down?

After we dried off again, we took a walk through the downtown area in search of..... you guessed it! 

ICE CREAM!

Charlotte found a botique called "The French Bulldog" that was filled with gifts and decorations and clothing from Paris.  More frilly pink dresses and shoes than you can count.  She was in her element!

We then walked back to the channel and sat near the drawbridge, which raises/lowers every half hour.

Hooray!  Coast Guard!

We love Charlevoix!

After that trip, we headed over to Boyne City, which is on the far end of Lake Charlevoix, away from Lake Michigan.  It is a beautiful little coastal town, too.  Just smaller. 

Lake Charlevoix is HUGE!  It takes approximately half an hour just to drive down one side of the lake, from Charlevoix to Boyne City.

We spent the evening playing at the playground near the beach downtown, and doing some window shopping and looking around.  We ate at Red Mesa Grill and had some wonderful fresh TexMex cuisine with locally produced ingredients (including fresh homemade nacho chips!).  So yummy! 

The kids are just about worn out: we're having so much fun!  One more day to go.  Tomorrow we head home, but per their request we are taking the kids to Beulah (another coastal town just south of here) to eat at the Cherry Hut.  Aside from Red Robin, where we go to celebrate Beresford birthdays, this place is the bee's knees.  It's legendary at our household and we can't have a trip this far north and skip a trip to the Cherry Hut!

Goodnight!