Michigan is known for many things, including the Blue Water Bridge that leads to Canada. I recently visited Michigan and got to see the beautiful Blue Water Area along Michigan’s eastern shores.

St. Clair

While in Michigan we stayed at St. Clair’s Encore Resort, an affiliate of Passport America. It is located near Interstate 94, which means it has easy access for RVs. The main facilities, amenities and friendly staff are worth overlooking a few ruts in the road around the resort.

In St. Clair, we visited Palmer Park.Walking the boardwalk there was one of my favorite things to do in Michigan. This was one of the places you find the majestic blue waters of Michigan.

Palmer Park offers a one-quarter mile walkway that lends an up close and personal view of the freighters passing by. They seem so close that you feel like you can touch them.

You can swim in the blue waters here, but while we were there it was too cold. I hope to plan a trip back to enjoy that experience, though.

There are port-o-lets available here, a food truck for a quick bite, and free Wi-Fi. As we walked the boardwalk, we met a veteran who was fishing, and he was more than happy to talk to us. There is so much to do here: have a picnic, take pictures, smell the tulips, talk to the locals, swim, fish, or let the blue waters wash your cares away.

Downtown New Baltimore

The next day we met up with our Michigan-born friends who took us sightseeing. We visited the local farmers market in downtown New Baltimore where we ordered a venison pasty. A pasty is a Michigan meat hand pie.

We visited boutiques and sampled sweets at the local ice cream shop. Everything was within walking distance to the Walter and Mary Burke Park.

The water here is beautiful and calm and offers swimming and fishing. We watched the local waterfowl fly high into the sky, scan the lake and then dive in to retrieve their tasty treat of fish.

It was quite comical, so much so that we kept taking videos. While the beach is small, there are plenty of other things to do here.

There is a playground for children, pavilions for picnics and plenty of docks to fish from. I highly recommend visiting this area. There is no fee to park or play here.

Many places we found did charge, and if you were a tourist, the cost was higher. This is something new to this Ohio girl. Some parks charged as little as ten dollars during season.

Coastal Drive

On another day, we decided to drive the coast. It is always exciting to get in your vehicle and just drive with no destination in mind. I find you discover more by doing this than looking at a map and planning your day trip.

We drove, and every time we saw a pull off area, we did. We found lighthouses, several fishing spots, many locals and tourists to talk to, and the Great Lakes Maritime Center/Vantage Point Maritime Center.

At first, we were not sure if there was a fee or what exactly we had stumbled into. I am glad we took the chance.

The staff was friendly, the museum was free and the experience priceless. The center offers ship watching and education. This is one place that RV parking is plentiful.

There is a small café located inside for a cost. The food was the only thing we found here that had a cost associated with it. It seems if you have a group larger than six you must make reservations seven days in advance.

The view was amazing. You could see Canada and freighters passed by often. Each time a freighter came by, a staff member would come over the speaker and explain in detail about each one. Outside are shade tents, a walking trail and, on specific dates, a farmer’s market.

If you need to rent a meeting room, they offer that, too. However, while we were there the tour guide explained that, behind closed doors a private meeting between the United States EPA, the Canadian environment ministry and a Michigan Indian tribe was being held.

Port Huron

On up the coast, we came to Port Huron and the access point that allows you to cross the Blue Water Bridge to Canada. The water here was as clear blue as it was at Palmer Park.

It was windy as it usually is when you are on a lake, but it did not stop the fishermen. You could see their fishing poles lined up and down the water rails, but not a fisherman in sight. Where could they be? They were in their vehicles “car fishing.” I have “car fished” when at Lake Erie in Ohio. They tell me this area is known for its walleye and perch.

Conclusion

Michigan is a beautiful state. I could spend the whole summer there and not see everything. It is a destination that will capture your heart with its authenticity, scenic views and clear blue waters. You can swim, fish, bike and kayak here.

There is no need to catch a plane and fly to the Caribbean when you have Michigan!