So we keep finding sweet Michigan coast towns that make us want to return here soon, and are seriously considering just that.

Grand Haven greeted us with a beautiful red lighthouse at the entrance to the Grand River. There were several people out enjoying the cool, sunny fall day.

I’m going to stop for a second to recognize the state of Michigan and their dedication to the waterfront parks and marinas. We have found them all to be in yippee-skippy shape and you can tell they are a source of pride. I don’t know what the state park budget is here but keep it up Michiganders!

While Tom explored the local West Marine, I took a walk along the waterfront down to the beach and back into their quaint town. 

The population here is around 10,000 and there are lots of downtown businesses utilizing the historic buildings. I stopped into a rather impressive chocolate shop and snagged some butter cookies. Gotta support the local businesses. I wish now that I had taken a picture before I inhaled them, but such is life. They were delicious.

I also snapped a picture of a cool building and was quickly on my way. 

Later that evening we met up with our current travel friends Kenton and Kathy. I mentioned to them that I walked into town and was pointing out the cool buildings as we passed by. Kathy then informed me that, in fact, she saw me take a picture and keep going. If you look you can see her pointing at me in the photo. I was so focused on getting the whole building in the picture that I didn’t notice them standing in front. Derp!

We had a delicious dinner at the Paisley Pig and walked back for the night. I took a picture of this unique looking old grain elevator which is the spot where a restored train now sits. You can see my shadow at the base of the picture-sort of looks like a ghost in the doorway….

While in bed that same evening, I started hearing an odd noise and couldn’t decipher the source. We have done so well in the last few weeks with no issues (please don’t jinx it), and this sounded serious. 

Tom took a look outside and yelled at me to come out. We encountered a small floating city passing by at a slow cruise. It was massive and never in a hundred years would I have expected to see something that large pass by that location. But it did, then snuck back out the next morning.

The next day we decided to pull up anchor (well, not really because we tie up to the dock, but it sounds very nautical to say it that way) after hitting the farmer’s market for more fresh flowers and leaving another painted rock behind.

We left Grand Haven and traveled a short distance to St. Joseph, MI. I must have slacked off there because I have zero pictures of that town. Sorry, St. Joe!

Next stop–Chicago–or thereabouts.