Brian Kelly Productions
Lakes
“I grew up playing on a lot of lakes in the winter and swimming in them in the summer, just like any hockey player growing up in Michigan.”
Michigan’s 11,000-plus inland lakes offer lots of places for summer splashing, kayaking, fishing and more.
Among the options: Play amid the dunes at Silver Lake, between Muskegon and Ludington. Go birding at Gull Lake near Augusta, home to the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station Bird Sanctuary. Rent a pontoon boat on Lake St. Clair, just outside Detroit. Or stop by Lake Leelanau while exploring the wineries of the Leelanau Peninsula.
Oscoda
“We used to take family trips to Oscoda. Those were great memories up on the beaches and the lake.”
Nestled on Michigan’s Sunrise Coast, along the shore of Lake Huron, Oscoda is home to more than 20 miles of beaches and the Au Sable River. Take a kayak or canoe trip down the Au Sable or drop a line for walleye, trout, salmon or perch. Beach lovers can relax in the sand at Huron Sunrise Park or Three Mile Beach Park, complete with grills and picnic areas. Or, spot birds, including herons and bitterns, at the 5,000-acre Tuttle Marsh Wildlife Area.
Detroit
“Another favorite memory is coming down to the Joe Louis Arena to watch games as a kid with my dad, my brother and cousins.”
The Joe may have closed in 2017, but fans of hockey and Detroit’s other pro sports can still get their fix at Little Caesars Arena. Home to the Red Wings and the NBA Pistons, the arena is part of The District Detroit, a multi-neighborhood sports and entertainment district. Football and baseball fans, take note: The Lions’ Ford Field and the Tigers’ Comerica Park are an easy 10-minute walk over the highway. There are shops, restaurants and the iconic Fox Theatre as well.
Arcadia
“Now as I’ve gotten a little bit older, we do family trips up to Arcadia—play golf there and on the west side of the state.”
A drive along M-22—one of Michigan’s most scenic roadways—will bring you to Arcadia. There’s plenty for water lovers to do, from fishing and boating to gathering Petoskey stones on the lakeshore, but this west coast town is also a big draw for golfers. Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club features two 18-hole courses open to the public: The Bluffs Course offers stunning views of Lake Michigan, while the South Course showcases expansive, undulating greens and wide fairways.
Traverse City
“I try to go at least once in the summer, and then we spend a lot of time up there for training camp. It’s a beautiful part of the state.”
A favorite destination in summer and winter, Traverse City is home to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore—and the area has long held importance for the indigenous Anishinaabek peoples’ way of life. Climb the dunes, cruise along Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and step onto the Lake Michigan Overlook for stunning views from 450 feet up. In winter, go skiing, fat-tire biking, ice-fishing, ice-skating and more. The area also boasts award-winning wineries and a farm-to-table dining scene.
