West Michigan has a lot to offer when it comes to adventure. I’m sharing 7 adventures that you will want to add to your list to try during your next visit.
What it’s like to try the Luge when you are not an Olympic Athlete
I love when plans work out for a spontaneous adventure. My friend was already coming to town, so I just offered her the “choose your own adventure” option for her visit. Try the luge, cross country skiing or attend an ice sculpture festival. I was sooo excited that she wanted to try the luge too. The weekend we went was the first time the track had been open all winter due to lack of snow. This was a Christmas gift I’ve been impatiently waiting to use.
I had tried the wheeled luge track with my kids this past summer and I knew I wanted to come back to try the winter one.
6 Unique Winter Adventures That You Can Try In Michigan
These are some of my favorite winter adventures that I tried last winter while living in Michigan. They are listed in no particular order because they were each special in their own way. Each unique adventure gave me the opportunity to meet people in diverse subcultures and try activities that were not part of my everyday world.
The Adventure List Made Simple
Check out my adventure list so far and get inspired to try something new too!
*Just click on what you want to read more about.
Classes I’ve tried
Winter Activities
On, In and Under Water
Inside Fun
Participating in Roller Derby Practice
Outdoor Fun
Becoming a Guiness Book of world Record Holder
Working with a community garden
TV Shows
Tv show extra for Travel Channel’s “Bert the Conqueror”
Live taping of The Oprah Windfrey show with the cast of The View
Races
Animals
Group teambuilding/ awareness exercises with horses
Mega Deal Destination
Gap Clearance Center (this is not an “outlet”)
Specific Destinations
University of Cincinnati football stadium (open to the public)
University of Michigan football game
Hittsville, USA (Motown Museum)
Greenbrier Hotel, Sulphur Springs, WV (bunker tour)
Food
Screams ice cream Hell, Michigan
Culinary School Restaurant lunch
Cool Annual Events
Cultural Event
Adventure Articles I’ve written for GRkids.com
Tallship ride (Michigan Maritime Museum)
Sleeping on a submarine (USS Silversides Museum)
Sand Dune ride (Saugatuck Dune Rides)
Underwater hockey (Holland Aquatic Center)
Car races (Berlin Raceway)
Train excursion (Coopersville and Marne Railroad)
Cable wake boarding (Placid Wake Park)
Stand up Paddleboarding (Wet Mitten Surf Shop)
Pure Barre exercise class
“A goal is a dream with a deadline”- The running tab for 2012
I had a sleepless night followed by a sleepless morning so I decided I would commit to print some of the experiences that I hope to try this next year and beyond.
In snow
Snowshoeing 1/20/12
Cross country skiing
Luge track 1/15/12
Dog sledding 1/28/12 drove the dog sled
Tobogganing track
Exercise
Hot yoga class 1/4/12
Anti gravity yoga class
Attend moms hockey practice 1/17/12
Run a marathon- hesitant to write that one down
Adult hip hop class
Belly dancing class
Crafty
Paint your own picture with a group class
Blow glass art
Make pottery
Create something for Art Prize in honor of my mom
Meet regularly with friends to make something from Pinterest
Specific places
City Musuem in St. Louis
Go up in St. Louis Arch
Visit world’s largest treehouse in TN
Take pictures with Superman at Metropolis,IL
Indoor Zipline at Mega Cavern in Louisville,KY
DisneyWorld
Fair Oaks Dairy Adventure
Haiti for a humanitarian trip
Not specific places
Winery tour where I can also stomp the grapes
Brewery tour
Nascar ridealong experience
Ride in a pace car
Watch a drag race
Go to an unexpectant destination for vacation (went to DC and stopped by Philly and Baltimore for a day to explore)
Trip to a destination riding on a train
Sandboard
Be an extra in a movie 1/14/12
Amish buggy tour ride
Ride in a Zorb ball
Regularly volunteer at an organization that assists the poor (started volunteering before we moved)
Events
Kentucky Derby
Watch a Civil War Muster
Host a street party to get to know my neighbors
In or On Water
Try rowing
White water rafting
Snuba
Cable wake boarding
Sailing on a smaller sail boat where I have to help
Surf
Fan boat ride
Scuba lesson
Swim with a dolphin or manatee or both
Tallship ride
Group speedboat ride
Underground Cave Boat Tour Bowling Green,KY
Jump on a blob
Kiteboard
Windsurf
Shark cage experience
Sporty
Shoot clay pigeons
Try lacrosse
Watch a boxing match 2/4/11
Indoor Sky Dive
Skydive
Participate in a mudrace
Successfully find a geocache
Play a game of frisbee golf 1/8/12
Outside
Zipline Canopy Tour
Segway Tour in a big city
Hot air Balloon ride
Fly in a small plane
Foodie
Progressive dinner with friends or at several restaurants
Dinner in the Dark (blindfolded meal)
Eat at least one restaurant listed on Man vs. Food and Diners and Dive and Drive ins ( maybe even try a spicy food challenge..maybe)
Sushi making class
Pasta making class
Wine tasting class
Grow an herb garden
Make one new recipe a week (….baby steps)
new additions
improv show 1/7/12
intro to curling class 1/19/12
So here is the start of the running tab. I reserve the right to add to the list as my curiosity continues to become aware of new places and experiences to try. Some are way more ambitious than others, but I figured I might as well go with the quote “shoot for the moon and if you miss you are still among the stars” Travel wise I would love to go all over the world but gotta start a little smaller.The list could really go on and on…….this is just scratching the surface . So I guess this is my start but I don’t ever want to stop adding.
Remember a “Goal is dream with a deadline.” Don’t let time get away from your dreams.
“If you want to do something bad enough, you will find a way, if not you find an excuse.”
What’s on your list? What should I add to mine? Who wants to join me?
Trying the Luge in the Summer
I had been wanting to check out the luge track in Muskegon, Michigan for awhile, so when I heard you that could try a luge track in the summer, I knew this would be fun for the boys and I to try.