Secrets
It's been more than two days, and no one has commented on my latest Sunday feature story, which means one of two things: 1) No one reads The Herald-Palladium anymore or 2) They thought the story stunk.
Don't worry, I thought the story stunk, too. Well, I did at first. It's starting to grow on me. I guess in hindsight, I think it would have worked better as a series of stories about each place/activity. It's such a finite list and I'm worried that some people will say I missed something obvious (which I probably did) or included something that's not really that big of a secret (also probably true for some people). But that's the risk you take with a story like this.
Here's how the start of the story looked in print. My co-worker, Crystal Myers, did a great job with my story as always, but she won't read this far down the post, so I might as well say she did a horrible job. It's too bad she'll be leaving the copy desk.
And here is the rest of the story. If you don't feel like clicking on the pictures and trying to read the story, don't worry. Here it is in full:
Don't worry, I thought the story stunk, too. Well, I did at first. It's starting to grow on me. I guess in hindsight, I think it would have worked better as a series of stories about each place/activity. It's such a finite list and I'm worried that some people will say I missed something obvious (which I probably did) or included something that's not really that big of a secret (also probably true for some people). But that's the risk you take with a story like this.
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Southwest Michigan's Best-Kept Secrets
By Andy Steinke
HP staff
Secrets. Everyone
has them. Some will be shared. But some will stay locked in the vault forever.
Today, The
Herald-Palladium is revealing a few of its secrets. With only a month of summer
left, we are sharing 10 of Southwest Michigan best-kept secrets.
From sandy beaches
to walks in the woods to free workshops for your kids, Southwest Michigan
offers a little bit of everything.
An area as ripe as
ours has much to offer, but if you are looking for one last weekend activity
for the family before school starts, try one of these.
Drive-in movie theaters
If it’s a taste of Rockwellian Americana you long for, look no further than the drive-in.
Southwest Michigan
is unique in that it is home to two: Sunset Drive-In and 5-Mile Drive-In. With
as few as 10 drive-in theaters still open in the state, having two nearby is a
luxury.
Both are owned by
Neal and Glenda Edwards, and the drive-ins feature playgrounds and full
concession stands for a family-friendly nighttime experience.
What: Sunset
Drive-In
Where: 69017 Red
Arrow Highway, Hartford
When:
Fridays-Sundays, May-October
Cost: $15 per
carload
Contact: 621-4194,
sunsetdriveinhartford@yahoo.com
Online:
www.sunsetdriveinsouthwestmi.com
What: 5-Mile
Drive-In
Where: 28190 M-152,
Dowagiac
When:
Fridays-Sundays, June-October
Cost: $15 per
carload
Contact: 782-7879,
fivemiledriveindowagiac@yahoo.com
Online: www.5-miledriveinsouthwestmi.com
Rocky Gap County Park
This small county
park is arguably Berrien County’s quietest Lake Michigan beach. Sandy shores at
Tiscornia Park, Silver Beach County Park, Lions Park Beach and Jean Klock Park
attract most of the visitors to the St. Joseph area, leaving Rocky Gap for only
those who know its top-secret location. It doesn’t have a playground or
bathrooms, but parking in the small, partly-shaded lot is free and only a short
walk from the beach.
What: Rocky Gap
County Park
Where: 1100 Rocky
Gap Road, Benton Harbor
When: Dawn-dusk,
April-October
Cost: Free
Contact: 983-7111,
ext. 8435 (Berrien County Parks Commission)
Online:
www.berriencounty.org/parks/?dept=1&pid=192
Children’s workshops
For the little boy
or girl in your family who loves to play with hammers, look no further than
Lowe’s and Home Depot. The home improvement stores periodically host free
workshops for the little ones. Home Depot’s Kids Workshop program is offered
the first Saturday of the month, while Lowe’s Build and Grow program is offered
sporadically (generally every other weekend). First-time participants receive
free aprons and a pin or iron-on patch, along with their wooden creation.
What: Lowe’s Build
and Grow
Where: 1300 Mall
Drive, Benton Harbor
When: 10 a.m.
Saturdays or 2 p.m. Sundays (see website for dates)
Cost: Free (online
registration)
Contact: 927-6000
Online:
www.lowesbuildandgrow.com
What: Home Depot
Kids Workshop
Where: 2075
Pipestone Road, Benton Harbor
When: 9 a.m.-noon,
first Saturday of month
Cost: Free (online
registration)
Contact: 926-2173
Online:
workshops.homedepot.com
Grand Mere State Park
Hike the dunes, tan
on the beach, go for a swim or plan a picnic. The beach is usually a quiet one,
but it’s likely due in part to the sand dunes between the parking lot and the
beach. If you visit during the summer, remember the sand will be hot and the
bugs will be out in full force.
Be prepared for a
hike to reach Lake Michigan’s sandy shores.
If you are more of
a fisherman, Grand Mere State Park offers a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline and
three inland lakes – one with a boat launch.
What: Grand Mere
State Park
Where: Thornton
Drive, Stevensville
When: Dawn-dusk,
year-round
Cost: Recreation
Passport required ($11 annually)
Contact: 426-4013
(Warren Dunes State Park)
Online:
www.michigan.gov/grandmere
Eden Springs Park
Work is progressing
as Eden Springs Park makes its way through its second full season at the House
of David. Take the kids for a ride on the miniature, gas-powered train Saturday
afternoon, or return Sunday to ride the steam-powered engine.
The park is seeking
funds to continue extending the track and to restore the No. 7 Boiler – the
first engine delivered to the House of David colony more than 100 years ago.
Rides are short –
about four minutes – but will get longer in coming years as trestle work is
completed. Each rider receives a ticket, which the conductor punches with a
custom, train-shaped punch.
What: Eden Springs
Park
Where: 793 M-139,
Benton Harbor
When: Noon-5 p.m.,
Saturdays and Sundays
Cost: $2 per ride
Contact: 927-3302,
edenspringspark@gmail.com
Online:
www.edenspringspark.com
Ross Coastal Plain Marsh Preserve
Get away from it
all and get lost at the nearly 1,450-acre nature preserve in Covert Township.
According to the Nature Conservancy, the preserve is home to eight species of
flora that are either endangered or rare. The preserve contains wooded dunes,
wetlands, lakes and one of the largest unfragmented hardwood forests in
southern Michigan. The area is ripe for birding and also allows deer hunting,
snowshoeing and cross-country skiing later in the year. Just make sure you
carpool with your friends, because there are only two parking spots.
What: Ross Coastal
Plain Marsh Preserve
Where: Parking off
CR-376 (44th Avenue), Covert
When: Whenever
Cost: Free
Contact:
517-316-0300 (Nature Conservancy field office), michigan@tnc.org
Online:
www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/michigan/placesweprotect/ross-coastal-plain-marsh-preserve.xml
Harbor Habitat for Humanity Restore
Who doesn’t love
getting more for less? That’s exactly what will happen if you shop at the
Habitat Restore. The store draws in customers by selling home and construction
items for 50 to 75 percent off normal prices. Want to find an old door to
rehab? They have them. Want a couch for that basement crash pad? They have
them. Want a new set of shutters for the house? They have them.
Besides quality,
used items, the store also sells some new items. The stock is unpredictable,
but it turns over often.
What: Harbor
Habitat for Humanity Restore
Where: 2302 Plaza
Drive, Benton Harbor
When: Call for
hours
Contact: 927-0006
Online:
www.harborhabitat.org
Harbor Shores recreation
It’s the Jack
Nicklaus-designed golf course that everyone remembers, but part of Harbor
Shores’ lease with Benton Harbor included the formation of nature trails.
Asphalt, sand, concrete and gravel paths offer running, biking, skiing and
snowshoeing opportunities for the public.
The best part about
the more than 12 miles of paths? They are free to use. If you get tired of
walking, rent a canoe or kayak and explore the property aquatically.
What: Harbor Shores
nature trails, canoeing/kayaking
Where: 201 Graham
Ave., Benton Harbor (Harbor Shores clubhouse); 200 Upton Drive, St. Joseph
(rentals)
When: Trails – open
daily; kayaks/canoes – 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays
Cost: Trails –
free, Rentals – $20 per person (for two hours)
Contact: 927-4653
(clubhouse), 985-3747 (rentals), info@harborshorespaddle.com
Online:
www.harborshoreslife.com/nature-trails.html,
www.harborshoreslife.com/HarborShoresCanoeKayak.html
Hidden Pointe
While it isn’t
exactly hidden – you can see it from the interstate – Hidden Pointe offers
hours of family-friendly fun. Head outdoors for mini golf, go-kart racing,
batting cages and JumpShot basketball. When you’re
done, cool off
inside with arcade games and a scoop of Sherman’s ice cream. If music is more
your thing, head over to the event center for open jam Thursdays, corn hole and
a cold brew.
What: Hidden Pointe
Where: 1062
Nickerson Ave., Benton Harbor
When: Fun park
(summer hours) – 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, noon-11 p.m. Sundays; event
center – 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursdays (check website for other events)
Cost: Mini golf,
$4.50-$6; go-karts, $6; batting cages, $1 per token; JumpShot basketball, $3.50
Contact: 926-1358,
contact through website
Online:
www.hiddenpointe.net
Bear Cave Resort
Want to go
spelunking but aren’t sure where to do it? Check out Bear Cave in Buchanan. The
resort bills itself as the only cavern in the Great Lakes area. See stalactites
and petrified leaves in the 15-foot deep cave, which was once part of the
Underground Railroad.
What: Bear Cave
Resort
Where: 4085 N. Red
Bud Trail, Buchanan
When: 10 a.m.-4
p.m., daily, May-October
Cost: $3 adults, $2
children, free for children under 5
Contact: 695-3050
Online:
www.thousandtrails.com/getaways/michigan/bearcave.asp
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