I grew up in suburban Detroit. From an early age, I spent time up north. First, our family went camping on Otsego Lake and elsewhere, including the Upper Peninsula. Then, we had a series of vacation places, beginning at Michaywe in Gaylord. Ultimately, we ended up at the Homestead in Glen Arbor, Michigan. This video will give you a good sense for the Homestead:

Having settled on the East Coast in my 30s, there was a gap in my going to the Homestead each year. However, the tradition is alive and well again. Every summer, my family rents a condo on Lake Michigan at the Homestead in Glen Arbor.

- I love the sunset over the horizon line on Sleeping Bear Bay. Beautiful.

- I love the stars at night. You feel like you could reach out and touch them.

- I love the sense of timelessness in the Glen Arbor area on the Leelanau Peninsula. The place today is much as it was when I first encountered it over 40 years ago.

- I love the Dune Climb.

- I love the Pierce Stocking Scenic Historic Drive and its breathaking dune overlook high above the Lake Michigan shore.

- I love how long the days are in the summertime. The sun sets after 9 pm in July.

- I love Lake Michigan and the Glen Lakes.

- I love dining at La Bécasse.

It's a special place for me. Grateful that for the last ten plus years we have been going with our daughter and that she can share in this magical place.