Walk, Paddle, Zip: Three Ways To Explore Great Lakes Bay

Nothing re-energizes me quite like the great outdoors. Fresh air, blue skies and endless opportunities to explore this big, beautiful world of ours. Whether its a leisurely walk in a garden or a treetop zip line through a forest canopy, I’m always looking for new ways to experience what mother nature has to offer. I recently had a chance to feed my insatiable curiosity in Pure Michigan and have a few recommendations if you’re looking to explore the Great Lakes Bay region…

1. Walk – Dow Gardens

If you love flowers, a stroll through this 110-acre botanical garden is a must. Developed by Herbert Dow – founder of The Dow Chemical Company – it’s filled with architectural gems, thousands of flowers and magnificent trees. They even have a bloom calendar online so you can plan your visit accordingly. We wandered through the garden during the height of tulip season — they have over 28,000 on the property!

2. Paddle – Chippewa Nature Center

I’m convinced that a visit to this oasis will leave you in a zen-like state. Whether you sip on a cup of coffee while overlooking the river from the visitor centre or you grab a paddle and make your way down the Chippewa River with Ike’s Mobile Kayak Rentals like I did, you’re in for a treat. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of this 1,200- acre property: bird walks, wildflower hikes and epic kayaking journeys await!

3. Zip – Frankenmuth Adventure Park

This aerial forest park will get your heart pounding just a little bit faster (don’t worry, they provide a harness and equipment to keep you safe). Frankenmuth’s newest attraction offers some of the best climbing and zip line adventures in the state: a great way to experience nature in a fun way! They have five colour-coded trails which vary in difficulty so you can go at your own pace when exploring the park (great news for people like me who are terrified of heights!). Head here with a group of friends or your family (age 7+) and I’m sure you’ll leave with some incredible memories. They even offer night climbing – how magical does that sound?!

The activities listed above were all coordinated and paid for by Pure Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB as part of a press trip. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own.