Summer 2020 Travel Highlights & Tips
This summer was definitely a blessed-filled one. I had canceled plans due to the pandemic, but it was still one for the books. I’m just extremely grateful for everyone who was up for the adventures. With that said, here is a quick highlight of what I did this summer (social distancing, of course).
STARVED ROCK STATE PARK, IL
This trip was a last minute trip but it was so worth it! This was my first waterfall of the summer. We went later in the evening, and I’m so glad we did. When we got to the main building there was so many people. Some wore masks, some didn’t. We walked to a couple different locations within the park until we decided to just go see St Louis Canyon. We drove to the other side of the park and hiked to that cannon. If you can avoid the main location, I would.
The canyon was beautiful. The waterfall wasn’t gushing with water but that entire location was just beautiful. The caves, the white sand, the rocks—all of it was beautiful. When we arrived there was a group leaving and a couple people. But after they left we got the whole place to ourselves. My sister said that’s very unusual because it was almost always very busy. It was also a Saturday so we were surprised it wasn’t crowded. (Granted that day was humid hot!)
The photos don’t do this location justice. I even caught some water drops. Climbed a rock. Saw a turtle. Walked behind the waterfall. If I could do one thing over, I would wear shorts so I can actually go in the water.
The hike there wasn’t bad. I thought it was pretty easy. The trail was well kept. Definitely wear comfy hiking shoes though, this trail is not for sandals.
Admission: Free
CHICAGO BOTANICAL GARDENS
Everyone was required to wear masks upon entering and within six feet of others. When we went there wasn’t actually a lot of people (according to my sister and brother-in-law). They said usually the parking lots are filled so they were surprised when we actually got parking in the first lot.
Plan to do a lot of walking if you want to see everything. If you love beautiful scenery and plants and landscapes, this place is for you.
I think this is great for family, couples, friends (both guys and gals), even solo trips. My favorite gardens are the Japanese garden and the English garden. They were just...beautiful, stunning. There is so much to see here. I loved it. So glad we made this stop.
Admission: Paid parking. When we went you had to RSVP a time slot online. Check the website for updates.
APOSTLE ISLANDS
Apostle Islands was my birthday trip this year. For the longest time I wanted to kayak the sea caves up north. So for my birthday weekend, I did just that. We stayed in a cabin suite a mile north of Bayfield, which was absolutely beautiful.
When we arrived we hiked the Iron Bridge Trail in Bayfield. After that, we avoided Bayfield all together. It was very crowded when we drove passed. There were some people wearing masks and some didn’t. But we just didn’t want to risk being in crowded places so we didn’t explore the town at all. (If I was to go back, I would love to explore it more because there were a lot of cute coffee shops and restaurants I wanted to see).
When I was looking for places to stay I knew I wanted something off the beach but still secluded. So glad I found this place! It was right by the lake. It had a private lake front. Yes, woke up to the most gorgeous sunrise. There’s a lot of privacy and it’s quiet at night. I also liked that it was only a couple minutes from town so we could order food for delivery or run to buy any last minute things. The location was beautiful. Love love this location.
When we arrived we fished of the dock for a little bit and then the rain came in. After the rain left, there was the most gorgeous fog settling above the lake. It was beautiful. I mean BEAUTIFUL!
I would definitely highly recommend this location. The view was beautiful and the suite itself was beautiful. A great place for a getaway. If you have kayak or paddle boards, you can launch it from this private lakefront too.
The next day we hiked the Meyers Beach Trail. We only hiked 2 miles there and back (total of 4) because there was a big storm early that month and they were still working on clearing out the rest of the trail. Nonetheless, we came to the infamous spot. I love seeing the sea caves from above. This trail I would say was moderate. There are a lot of ups and downs. Love hiking this trail though. If you’re not into hiking, this trail may be slightly challenging. But I think for the most part, it’s quite fun. I wish we could’ve hiked the entire trail!
Then we kayaked the sea caves. People always ask if it was worth it. YES! YES! YES! We went through Rustic Makwa Den Kayak Tour. Our tour guide was wonderful. We were the last group for the day so we took our time. (What was a 2 hour guide turned 3). The tides were higher than usual and the waves were higher than usual but he still took us through as many caves as possible. It was beautiful. If you’re ever in the apostle islands, definitely book a kayak tour!
After our tour, we stayed to watch the sunset. When we got back to our suite, I went to watch the stars. I even saw a shooting star! Yes, I made a wish. I don’t remember what it was though. But this day was definitely a filled day—to watch the sunrise, then the sunset, and the stars—it was beautiful & fulfilling.
If I was to visit again, I want to do an overnight tour. One where you kayak to one of the uninhabited islands to camp overnight. I think that would be awesome. I loved this trip. It wasn’t Yosemite National Park (which was the original plan), but it was still one for the books.
Admission: Nothing was free except Iron Bridge Trail lol. Meyers Beach there is a $5 parking fee for the whole day. The kayak tour varies depending on what kind of tour and who is your guide.
COPPER FALLS STATE PARK
We stopped by Copper Falls State Park. The trail was easy. (Yes, one you can wear sandals). There are a couple stairways, but otherwise it was mostly subtle hills or flat. The hike was a beautiful altogether. Love the sound of rushing water. There weren’t a lot of people when we went and everyone there kept their distance. There were some areas along the trail where you can go into the water so that was really nice.
We also had a picnic there before we left.
Admission: State park pass. I believe they are open again for daily passes.
GRAND RAPIDS
I went to GR for a wedding. The next day we visited downtown. I forgot how much art is displayed in downtown GR. This was a good quick visit.
We got bubble tea from Dingtea. Because we all wanted bubble tea. We ate at Brickyard Tavern. They had an outdoor patio so we stayed out there. The food was actually pretty good. The location was also very nice.
Admission: N/A
WASHINGTON ISLAND
I went here with a friend. You have to take the ferry to the island. It was both our first time on a ferry. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was very easy and the people working on the ferry made it effortless, which was great. The island itself was small. There are a few local places to dine in, but we didn’t want to be in crowded areas so we didn’t stop by any of them.
We went mainly for the lavender farm. The farm harvested a lot of their lavender already, but it was still beautiful. I love all the purple. We took a bunch of pictures there. If you’re ever in door county, definitely take a trip to visit the lavender farm!
I tried a lavender lemonade for the first time—it wasn’t bad at all. It was interesting but in a good way.
We also visited the Stavkirke Church. We couldn’t go inside, but it was still a pretty sight. Love the architecture to the building.
Admission: The ferry you have to pay for yourself and your vehicle round-trip.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
I learned how to skip rocks!!!! It was AWESOME!! It was exciting. I’m still excited just talking about it. LOL. Learned while in Apostle Islands.
Boba Tea Ice Cream: Tried it for the first time and it was great. I prefer the drink, but it was still good. If you haven’t tried it, definitely try it.
I put on my first live worm on my fishing pole. I fished a lot this summer. But I always had someone else put my worm on for me because I’m scared of worms. LOL. But then I went fishing with my brother one time and he said I’ll have to put on my own worms if I wanted to get worms. So, I put on the worms. It was scary at first. I screamed doing it. But eventually it was easier and easier. I’m quite proud of myself. It was exciting.
TRAVEL TIPS:
Bring a mask and hand sanitizer. A lot of places require masks now, but always bring it with. Some outdoor places can still get crowded too.
Research the area about certain rules and regulations. Before our Apostle Island trip, I made sure to research what their rules are there due to covid-19. It’s good to just keep these changes in mind in case you run into any issues.
If you can, avoid crowded areas. If there’s a crowd, see if you can come back at a later time. Or if you can avoid it all together without ruining your trip.
Order for pick up or delivery. If you want to dine in, see if they have outdoor seating or research how the restaurant is keeping up with dine-in regulations.
Be flexible. I can always plan for something. But sometimes it doesn’t work out because a restaurant is too crowded or the weather changes. I’ve learned to still have the best time even with the interruptions.
If hiking trails, wear comfortable shoes, bring snacks and water. It’ll help make the hiking experience so much better!
FINAL THOUGHTS
There’s still a few days left of summer. But it’s definitely starting to feel like fall. This summer was a wonderful one. So many firsts. And it was exciting. It was a great start to a new year, a new age. Even though I didn’t get to visit Yosemite or go on a road trip out west, this summer was still beautiful in its own way. It taught me that sometimes, right where I am can be beautiful and exciting. That even here, God is working. Even here, God is faithful.
More than anything though, I’m just grateful. Grateful for God’s grace and His new mercies, for His patience and blessings, and especially for breakthrough.
I don’t have any more plans for this summer. But for fall, first up is ZIP LINING!!! I’m so excited.
Fall 2020, I’m ready.