As a kid, Southwest Michigan Spark Magazine publisher Steve Ellis’ family didn’t go to your typical vacation spots like Mackinac Island and Sleeping Bear Dunes.
“Mining towns, ghost towns, digging around old buildings—if it was kind of out there or down a two-track, my dad was real interested in taking us to it,” says Ellis.
In every issue of Spark, Ellis features these weekend getaways and in June he’ll do a photo presentation on them. The presentation will take place on June 11th at 7 p.m. at Plainwell's Ransom District Library.
Ellis says there's nothing wrong with the usual tourist hotspots like Charlevoix and Frankenmuth.
"But as you get older, the crowds, the traffic, the parking, the waiting two hours in line for dinner gets a little bit annoying. So it's fun to try and find these places that are maybe like what those places were 50, 70 years ago, where they're sleepy little, cool destinations just a little bit further off the beaten path," he says.
Here are a few of Ellis' favorite Midwest weekend getaways:
Where: An hour west of the Mackinac Bride on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Michigan.
Why Visit: The park is the site of an abandoned mining and smelting town. Many of its opera houses, saloons, hotels, and other buildings have not been used since about 1910. Ellis says there are no tour guides, visitors are free to talk walks in the park and see the old buildings.
Where: West Baden Springs, Indiana. About an hour south of Bloomington.
Why Visit: When it was built in 1920 it had 1200 rooms. Ellis says they called it the “8th wonder of the world” because it was the largest domed building at the time (the Houston Astrodome was built in 1967). Ellis says the building sat empty for about 50 to 60 years and people were allowed to walk through the ruins if they wore a hard hat and signed a safety waiver. He says the building has since been completely refurbished.
The Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor
Where: Illinois Counties near Chicago
Why Visit: In 1848 a canal was built to connect the Illinois River in Chicago to the Mississippi River. Ellis says this spurred westward expansion in the United States because water travel was an easier way to ship goods and transport whole households. Ellis says the canal is not used today, but there is a 100 mile long bike path that follows the canal through small towns in Illinois.
Where: Close to Mackinac Island
Why Visit: It’s a very small town. Ellis says only about 35 people live there year-round—which makes it an excellent camping spot. Ellis says if you want total peace and quiet, go here.
