Thanksgiving Retreat at Tawas Point State Park

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves last Thanksgiving at a cabin retreat. So this year we decided to do something similar at a cabin at Tawas Point State Park to spend the Thanksgiving weekend. We stayed at Fox Den cabin, which has a beautiful waterfront view of Saginaw Bay, off Lake Huron.

The cabin is a 2 bedroom cabin with a small living room. The living room is somewhat small but adequate to have sofa and kitchen counter. Each bedroom has a set of two bunkbeds. It is a very livable cabin, except that there is no running water and we had to go to the modern restroom, which was about 100m away.

The girls love their bunkbeds and had a whale of a time play acting our RV holiday on the bunkbed. They nicknamed their bunk bed the "Striper Bumper RV", a special RV which can also convert into a boat and roller coaster.

The weather was pretty cold and windy, but we spent the days exploring the beach, barbequeing and visiting East Tawas City. For me, just spending some time away from the internet, work and just playing Uno with the family was what give me the simple joy of this retreat.

Fall Colors At Boyne Highlands

Finally decided to make use of the Boyne Highland credit, from last year's planned ski trip that did not materialize, for a weekend visit to northern lower peninsula. This year the fall colors were really late because of the warmer than usual temperature. Typically mid October would already have been the end of the fall colors but this year, it was just starting. The peak colors were forecast for two weeks later.

We stayed in a 1 bedroom suite at Heather Highlands Inn. It was a very comfortable setup with a pull down bed in the living room. What I liked most was the swimming pool which had both an indoor and outdoor area connected by a tunnel.

The girls really enjoyed the breakfast at the hotel restaurant as it is not often that we have hotel breakfast, preferring to bring our own breakfast food. Both the variety and quality of food and service was commendable.

On the first day we visited Thorne Swift Nature Preserve, took a scenic drive to the Tunnel of Trees, had lunch at Wilderness State Park, spent some time at the beach fronting Lake Superior. In the late afternoon, took a ski lift up Boyne Highlands to see the rolling hills in the area.

Day 11 - Algonquin Provincial Park

What really surprised me at Algonquin was the mosquitoes. Would have thought mozzies would not survive at such a high lattitude but they were in swarms. Their favourite target was the young one and she had to cover herself from the attack of the mosquitoes.

Peck Lake

Their zoo.

Source Lake from Hardwood Trail.

Outdoor learning

Mew Lake at dawn.

Day 10 - Algonquin Provincial Park

A change in pace in the holiday and we head for the national parks. We managed to book a yurt in Mew Lake Campground. A yurt is a semi permanent tent structure which I thought would give the girls a taste of camping without traumatizing them too much. There was also heating and electrical supply which turned out to be really useful as the mornings were pretty cold.

The yurt and the outdoor kitchen.

A taste of camping life.

Day 9 - Ottawa

Ottawa was meant to be a quick stopover for the long drive between Quebec City and Algonquin Provincial Park. However, the capital city was alot more picturesque than expected.

View of the Library of Parliament, Peace Tower and House of Commons from Nepean point.

Day 8 - Montmerency Falls, Ille de Orleans

 Final day in Quebec City and we went out of the city to visit the sights

Manoir Montmerency

Montmerency Falls

Ille de Orleans

Day 7 - Quebec City Lower Town

After spending the most of the previous day in the Upper Town, this day was spent at the lower town.

Getting a history lesson at Dauphine Barracks

The little one trying to get some nougat samples.

Petit Champlain

Day 6 - Quebec City

After a 4 hour drive from Montreal, we arrive at Quebec City. Quebec City is a UNESCO protected site worthy of this honour. It is perhaps the most European like city in North America. The air of Europe cathedrals and cobbled street was in the air.

Chateau Frontenac

The citadel