Summertime….and the living is EZZZ. That sums up lake life in northern Michigan. The Hyatt family lake house (made entirely of Lake Huron stone) sits secluded and peacefully on the Straights of Mackinaw, the large body of water that connects Lake Michigan to Lake Huron.

Summertime north of the 45th parallel rewards us with long days to make up for the short summer season of July and August. Days are spent dipping and swimming in the cold, clear, fresh Straights of Mackinaw water –no sharks, jellyfish or salt water here.

Cycling (on trails or rural roads) kayaking, hiking, boating, sun bathing, and swimming prioritize each day. Grilling fresh fish from Stone Bay fishery or your favorite locally made Brat from Louie’s market along with an array of locally grown fresh produce is a frequent evening event.

The minimal rust belt town of Cheboygan boasts 4 stop lights, a brewery, several restaurants and shops, a yoga studio and farm market several days a week in the summertime. And there is so much more eye-popping scenery in the surrounding area –state parks, light houses, US Coast Guard cutter, stone churches, rural roads, beaches, marinas, massive buoys and lake freighters, inland lakes and rivers, fishing, wild flowers galore, driftwood, wild life and fresh berries.

The north country gems, the Mighty Mackinaw Bridge (one of the longest suspension bridges in the world) and Mackinaw Island (no cars allowed – bikes and horses only), attract thousands of tourists annually.

A slice of paradise – which is where I am heading today – Paradise, Michigan in the UP for the local blueberry festival and a bike ride out to the Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point, on the bay where the Edmund Fitzgerald went down in Lake Superior. Yup – summertime, and the living is EZZZZ.