Fiero Fun in the Sun July 27-31, 2011 Silver Lake Sand Dune Area Hosted by: LaVerne & Dianne Bailey 8024 W. Lumberjack Dr. Upper Silver Lake Mears, MI 49436 231-873-7768 dlbailey@umich.edu Tentative Schedule of Events Event(s) for the day and times can be changed to accommodate the most people. Wednesday, July 27 Arrive in time for our local car cruise at 7 p.m. Meet at 5 p.m. at a local restaurant, That Place for dinner before the cruise, located on Polk Rd., just east of the US31/Hart Exit. We cruise for about an hour (on paved roads only) and end up at an ice cream store. Thursday, July 28 Meet at the Bailey s home at 10 a.m. for a cruise to see some of the highlights of the Silver Lake Area: Visit the Little Sable Point Lighthouse and Lake Michigan Beach (State Park entry required). Tours of the lighthouse are available for $2 each. Climb one of the tallest lighthouses left in Michigan today and the oldest remaining brick tower on the Great Lakes. The climb is worth the awesome view of the lake and sand dunes surrounding the area. Visit The Fox Barn Winery, a beautiful restored historic barn, and sample the wines of this fifth-generation family farm and orchard. Stop at Stoney Lake Inn for lunch and visit Claybanks Pottery, a unique studio and showroom outside Stoney Lake. Cruise back to Silver Lake and spend the rest of the day with activities on your own. See the suggested list of things to see and do. 1
Friday, July 29 Meet at the Bailey s home at 10 a.m. to begin a cruise to Pentwater, a harbor town ten miles north of Silver Lake. Lots of gift shops, art galleries, and antique stores. Continue up the coast on a scenic drive to Bortell s Fish Market, a family run market for over 100 years, for lunch (cash only). Order fish of your choice to be fried, add a couple of sides and eat it across the road in the county park overlooking Lake Michigan. Continue north a short way to view the Ludington Pump Storage Plant on Lake Michigan, which also is a very nice view of the lake itself. The Ludington Pump Storage Plant is a hydroelectric plant and reservoir. It was built between 1969 and 1973 at a cost of $315 million and is owned jointly by Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison and operated by Consumers Energy. At the time of its construction, it was the largest pumped storage hydroelectric facility in the world. Spend the rest of the day with activities on your own. Since we are close to both Ludington and Pentwater, you could visit some of the suggested things to see and do in those areas. Cruz'In'--A classic and vintage cruise/parade from downtown Whitehall to Montague (about 20 miles south of the Silver Lake area). Between 500-600 cars showup to be in the parade that starts around 7 p.m. You must be pre 1975 to participate. We always cruise down around 4p.m. and park on a side street and get out and walk around looking at all the cars before the parade and then find a spot along the street to watch the parade. Saturday, July 30 8 th Annual Take It to Hart Hometown Festival Downtown Hart Car Show. The car show is from 9 a.m. 3 p.m. approximately and is planned as a visit, however if anyone is interested in entering your Fiero in the show, we can provide information. Ladies can visit Heggs Gallery of Fine Furniture in downtown Hart, an area destination for furniture and home accessories. Spend most of your day doing what you want. We would be happy to repeat some of the things we did earlier in the week for those of you that arrived Friday night or later. You are invited to the Bailey s home on Upper Silver Lake for a cookout and pontoon ride at 5 p.m. to as late as you want to stay. Sunday, July 31 Brunch at the Bailey s home on Upper Silver Lake at 11 a.m. Anything you haven t seen and want to, we would be glad to give guided tours or other information before you leave for home. 2
Things to See and Do 1. Play in the sand: Mac Woods Dune Rides $16/Adult; $11/Kids 11 and under Hike the dunes in the Silver Lake State Park near the ORV dune entrance. Go to the beach at the lighthouse, county park just before the lighthouse, or at the State Park Rent a jeep from Parrot s Landing in Silver Lake and drive the dunes yourself. We can be your tour guide with our dune buggy. Four adults can ride in a jeep. It costs $110 for one hour, $200 for two hours, or $80 per hour for 3 hours or more; $50 nonrefundable deposit and a $300 security deposit (kind of pricey), but definitely an experience. Parrot s Landing also gives dune tours (you driving with a guide) that cost $100/hr. with no other deposits, which might be more reasonable. The dunes you can drive yourself are located in a different spot than Mac Woods Dune Rides and can be very interesting and busy during the weekend. It is recommended that you drive the dunes yourself on a weekday. 2. Rent ski boats ($90/hr), wave runners($60/½ hr), kayaks ($10-15/hr), canoes ($15/hr), rowboats($15/hr), fishing boat with motor ($25/hr), sandboards ($5/hr), pontoon boats ($75/hr) and paddle boats ($15/hr) from Wave Club Water Sport Rentals for a ride on Silver Lake. 3. Golf (several golf courses in a 10 mile radius) 4. Other winery visits nearby: Tartan Hill Winery (near the Stoney Lake area). To get there you do have to drive on about ½ mile of a sand/gravel road. Jomagrha Vineyards Winery (located north of Pentwater) 5. Visit Ludington (only 25 miles north of the Silver Lake Area) Historic White Pine Village. Take a self-guided tour to relive Mason County s past as you visit 29 museum buildings comprising the living history village. North Breakwater Lighthouse in downtown Ludington at Stearns Beach and Big Sable Point Lighthouse located on a scenic drive to the Ludington State Park (State Park sticker required). Both Lighthouses are open to climb. Todd & Brad Reed Photo Galleries in downtown Ludington two of the best photographers in the area. Several antique shops Lake Michigan Carferry. Leave the Silver Lake area on Sunday and take a boat trip across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. 6. Visit Manistee and the Little River Casino (approximately 1 hour from the Silver Lake Area) (perhaps for the night owls). 7. Walk the town of Silver Lake shopping, go-carts, bumper cars, Fast Trax, etc. 3
Lodging Note: Since July is a busy summer month, early reservations are recommended. See website: www.thinkdunes.com (Click on lodging) American Host and Comfort Inn are located in Hart just as you get off US31 at the Hart exit. Gateway Motel (east of Hart) and Hart Motel (close to downtown area of Hart) are located in Hart. Silver Sands Resort, Sierra Sands Family Lodge, and Dunes Waterfront Resort (on Silver Lake with a view of the sand dunes and the most expensive) are located in Silver Lake. The four motels located in Hart are about 6-9 miles from Silver Lake and our home. The three motels in Silver Lake are located about 2 miles from our home. 4
Suggested Restaurants Silver Lake Sands Restaurant Mears Open Hearth Grille & Bar Hart That Place (50 s style) Walkers (fine dining, but you don t have to dress up) La Fiesta (Mexican) Hart Pizza (best pizza town) Schooners Island Bar & Grill Pentwater Brown Bear (best hamburger around) Gulls Landing (outside seating; entertainment on weekends) Cottage Garden Café (open only for lunch 11a.m. - 3 p.m.) Village Café Village Pub of Pentwater (outside seating; entertainment on weekends) Ludington Scotty s (best perch in the area) PM Steamers (same perch as Scotty s, but located across the street from the harbor, the Lake Michigan Carferry) El Rancho (good Mexican food, good price) Blue Moon Bistro (very eclectic furnishings and the presentation of food is great) James Street Station Sportsman s Restaurant & Irish Pub House of Flavors (known for turkey dinners and ice cream) Picnic Spots Silver Lake State Park Pentwater Pier Lighthouses Ludington Waterfront Park Ludington Stearns Park Beach Ludington State Park 5
Directions to Silver Lake Area Located approximately 3 ½ hours from the Detroit area. Approximately 220 miles. Fastest Route: Take I96 west to US 31. Exit to US31 north towards Muskegon. Go 35 miles and take the Hart/Mears Exit. American Host Inn and Comfort Inn: Turn right off the Hart/Mears exit (Polk Rd.); both motels are within ½ mile of the exit. Hart Motel: Turn right off the exit. Go two miles on Polk Rd., turn left on State St. and go ½ mile. Gateway Hotel: Turn right off the exit. Go three miles on Polk Rd. to Oceana Dr., turn left (north) on Oceana Dr. for approximately 3 miles. Silver Lake Motels: Turn left off the Hart/Mears exit (Polk Rd.) to go to Silver Lake. Go 1 mile to 56 th Ave. and turn left. Go one mile to Fox Rd. and turn right (you will be in the little town of Mears). Go 3.5 miles to 34 th Ave. (also called B-15); turn left and follow the road into Silver Lake. As 34 th Ave. curves around it becomes Hazel Rd. You will pass Sierra Sands Family Lodge on Hazel Rd. As you come into Silver Lake there will be a roundabout. Exit the first street out of the roundabout to get to the Silver Sands Resort or exit the second street out of the roundabout to get to the Dunes Waterfront Resort. 6