This is a very pleasant park near downtown Blissfield. It is on the banks of the River Raisin,…read morewhich enhances the attraction. It's connected by foot bridge to Bachmeyer Park which adds to the green space sprawl. There is a softball diamond, a basketball court (that appears to be kept in good shape) and decent-sized skateboard facility. There's also a play area for the younger kids. There are special events held here such as the River Raisin festival, making it a focal point of the community. It's a lovely public space that enhances the quality of this fine little community.

The little town of Blissfield is located in the same county in Michigan as our residence (Lenawee…read moreCounty). It's a place that's grown on me over the past couple of years. It's a little isolated as it's nowhere near a freeway (though it's on US223)...but that's part of its charm. We'll occasionally drive here for a half-day of enjoyment. Blissfield is a town of just over 3000 people and nothing of major historical significance has ever occurred here. So it's not a place where you'd expect to find a lot of high-profile things to do. And with that in view, you won't be disappointed or overly surprised to find out that's accurate. Having said that, however, Blissfield is a pleasant place to hang out for a morning or an afternoon. Blissfield's claims to fame, such as they are, are the antiques. While those are the major attractions, there's a bit more to it than that. To create the ambiance for a nice day on the town, strolling the vintage, diminutive one-block downtown area is a great start. As mentioned, there are a couple of antique shops that could keep you occupied for hours if you're into that sort of thing (and we are). There's a small Depot Museum with a few open hours on Saturdays that could be a fun stop. There are also several boutique shops on Lane St. that are worth patronizing. My favorite is The Packrat where you can find some fun stuff. One of the best things to do in Blissfield is to spend time in their two lovely parks, Ellis Park and Bachmeyer Park, that straddle opposite sides of the River Raisin. These parks are also where the River Raisin Festival takes place, with its carnival-like atmosphere. There's a Bluegrass Festival that also takes place in Bachmeyer Park. I've never been to it but have heard good things. There are some good restaurants in town. Lena's serves up good Italian fare. And their canopy-covered side patio is great in the summer. Beckey's offers some great comfort food, especially with the specialty sweet breads that they feature. Blissfield Coney Island downtown also offers comfort fare in a vintage space. Starling Lounge is a good coffee shop by day and a bar by night. And Emmy's Kitchen presents some wonderful baked treats. Because of lack of proximity to a highway and no major business in town, there are no hotels in Blissfield. But there are a couple of B&Bs that are interesting. The H.D. Ellis Inn and the Blissfield Bed and Breakfast both look like nice places to spend a weekend. Blissfield could be a lovely place to spend a bit of time. Hopefully, this review gives some thoughts that could help with that.

This park is so fun with all the different walkways, trestles, and railroad themes. I really like…read morethe trails also. It's a great place for formal pictures also.

Love, love, love Trestle Park. There are composite wooden plank bridge trails throughout the park,…read moresurrounded by dense trees, bushes and undergrowth, making you feel like you are walking through a forest. The South Branch of the River Raisin meanders through the park year round. Birds are singing and small wild animals getting a drink of water. During the fall, the leaves turn yellow, orange and red. It's our favorite park in Adrian. The park is a part of the Kiwanis hiking trail that starts at the southern part of Adrian to the town of Tecumseh, MI, about 10 miles away. The part is well maintained. During the winter time, it is covered with several inches of snow. The parking lot is behind the Lenawee County Jail, manned by the Lenawee County Sheriff.

This was a cool playground setup. It had some of the typical things like monkey bars, but lacked a…read morebunch of the other stuff. Instead it was a labyrinth of climbing and going in and out of wooden towers. It was difficult to follow along as I'm 6'2, 200. I barely fit in some of the spaces. But the kids had fun and had no issue at full speed. There is also a splash pad about 100ft away. It's not very fancy, but in combo with the playground and I'd say it's a pretty decent way to spend an afternoon. The library is next door too..

Sweet ride. Mostly flat and "smooth" by Michigan standards. I can imagine how beautiful it would…read morebe in the fall with the foliage. It runs 10.1 miles one way and the parking lot is a further drive if you use the trailhead on Yelp. On the other end there are restroom and a portable. Although there are many bodies of water as you ride across, there are no waterfalls as the name might suggest. Midway there is a nice cross breeze as it cuts between a lake. Today there was a horde of teenagers walking to the lake and was oblivious to anyone else around them. Hopefully, this is not a regular occurrence as it was difficult to navigate around them.

The Falling Waters Trail in Jackson County, Michigan serves as a great recreation spot for…read morebicyclists, joggers and walkers in the central part of the Mitten State. The trail is a beautifully paved 10.4 mile pathway linking the west side of the City of Jackson with the picturesque Village of Concord, Michigan with its many Victorian homes. The trail was once an old Michigan Central Railroad route and was converted to a Rails-to-Trails recreation area in 2007. The trail runs through rural countryside and beautifully shaded woodlands with only a handful of road crossings. The trail's name reflects the area's natural beauty and the region's native Potawatomi Indian tribe..."The land of Falling Waters". The Jackson trailhead at Weatherwax Drive and Park Road provides plenty of secure parking as does the trailhead ten miles to the west in Concord. Today we rode the full 21 miles out and back in beautiful Michigan summer weather before rewarding ourselves with Orange Creamsicle Milkshakes at Arby's on the way out of town....definitely a 5-star biking experience all the way.

After a few years we are back to one of our favorite campgrounds in southern Michigan. It's a dark…read moresky preserve campground with very few amenities. Pit toilets, hand pumps for water. Its so quiet and peaceful. Word of warning. Several of the sites have the electric box a fair distance from the actual campsite. We thought we had enough cord to mbv ake it. Nope, short by about 15 feet. Thank goodness the next day a friend who was visiting hit an rv store for more cord. Being that it is a rustic campground, there is no dump for RVs. A quick drive to the fairgrounds in Adrian or Hayes State Park will handle the for you. The starts at night are worth the inconvenience.

Peaceful camping. Private sites. Sites right on the water, makes it feel like the lake yours for…read morethe weekend. Been camping here at least once a year since 2011. One of my favorite campgrounds.

Cute little find to walk through while we were in town! Relaxing and beautiful flowers along the…read morepath.

After the Black Swamp Arts Festival I was looking around for more to explore and I came across this…read morehidden gem a good walking distance from downtown. When I was walking there I thought I was surely lost. I love plants and gardens in general and this was quite a collection of plants and flowers. The Simpson Garden Park is 11 acres of rolling gardens in the middle of an urban landscape. The estate features a Children's Discovery Garden with pond and activities, Sensory Garden, Shade Garden with an incredible collection of Hosta, Daylily Garden with an amazing collection of lily, Sculpture Garden (which left me wanting a little more, sadly), a new Japanese Peace Garden and a Healing Garden at the end, to name a few. All free to the public to enjoy. You can easily spend a few hours exploring all the flowers but also the wildlife. An abundance of bees, butterflies, frogs, caterpillars, and hummingbirds are provided a free playground with all the pollen rich florals. Great place to get away and take a breather and to bring the kids to let them safely explore the riches of nature found in their own backyard.

This beach was Heath Beach back in the day-and the spring fed water is very clean! They had tested…read morethe water and was said to be the cleanest fresh water lake (quarry) in 13 states! We moved quite a distance away, but we'll travel for a day at Get Away Bay, aka Heath Beach!! Always a great time!

Not so hidden GEM just south of Milan. Right off 23. You can see it from freeway! Slice of heaven…read more What was previously known as heath beach/ milan beach is the same natural spring fed lake with a new owner who is breathing a fresh life into the place. You can tell by the new chairs and picnic tables! Natural spring fed lake with just about everything you can think of for a fun day in the sun (summer... fall... and winter...) Let's start with summer... pontoon sun deck with diving board, dock with diving board, water slide... Plenty of room to lay out. Just about anything under the sun can be rented for maximum enjoyment.. paddle boards, boats, paddle boats, floats, rafts etc etc. all reasonable prices. Here with family? A roped off sandy beach area with a couple floats for the kids to enjoy. Also- ADA water toys to help those that need help getting into the water. A nice touch! Did I mention an ice cream cart that drives around?! Or if you don't want to wait... a snack bar with all the options... water/pop/gaterade and snacks... including ice-cream. Want to host a party? There is a barn. Or a pavilion and plenty of upgrades to make the day fun including grills to rent or comfortable lounge chairs. Rentals are endless.... Anything and everything to make the day great. Wouldn't be surprised if you could purchase a bathing suit at this place. Not into water? Plenty of fun activities on land. Volleyball nets, orbeez gun obstacle to go all tactical with your buddies, horse shoe, disc golf. Sounds like camping is now included. And plenty of fire pits to rent for a fall gathering. More to come with the follow up fall and winter reviews... hay rides. Bon fires... possible haunted hay ride? Ice rink in the winter? Really a year round haven of activity. Fishing is just on the weekdays. Plenty to get after!