You're in the right place - Michigan's Sunset Coast (aptly named, for the gorgeous sunsets!). The beaches on Lake Michigan are clean, sandy, and very swimmable. There are excellent restaurants, extraordinary artists, great music, and plenty of outdoor activities. It's my favorite place, in the whole world.

In 1989, I made my first trek to Salt Lake City’s famed Red Iguana restaurant.
 
I was just 14 then and had gone to the four-year-old Mexican restaurant during a solo trip to see my brother, who lived in the area.
 

 

Resilience is a many-faceted quality. More than bouncing back, more than making it through, more than stepping up to face a difficult situation, yet resilience may include aspects of all those things. It is a quality needed in day to day life. Events on the world stage and how they may impact that day to day life also call for resilience. It's a quality affected by one's resources, background, and perception. One way to increase those resources is to hear stories of how others confront such disquieting and challenging circumstances. 

It’s a calm spring morning and I’m wondering what the heck I’ve gotten myself into. In just three days, I’m leaving on a long road trip from Utah to Minnesota. The trip will take me 17 hours and 52 minutes if I never, ever stop for gas, eat, sleep, or go to the restroom. Since I know that won’t happen, I’m not going to make a commitment to any certain arrival time.  

I'm elated to share the extraordinary art of Rachel Alvarez, a native of Salisbury, Maryland. She received her BFA in Painting and Photography from Salisbury University in 2002. Her original work has been exhibited at a number of local galleries, and her prints, notecards, and decals can be found in shops across the United States. Her work is inspired by her 2 children. Each piece in her collection was completed during their nap times and reflects her family’s love for backcountry drives, beach outings, and hikes in the woods.

Water. At some point in social studies classes, we stop learning about water and start learning about economics, history, and even a bit of geography. Water winds up reserved for science experiments and sips from the drinking fountain down the hallway. I never really understood why. Humans and the earth are made mostly of water. We need to drink it to survive, and the land needs it to thrive.

Let's face it - a family vacation isn't the ideal setting for romance. But with a few thoughtful gestures, romance can still be alive and well, despite the rigors of travel and the exhaustion of caring for your kids in a new locale. Here are ten tips for keeping romance alive while you're traveling with your family.

Hocking Hills feels hidden, tucked away.
 
Unlike most state parks with large signs hailing the entrance and easy-to-find landmarks, you’ve got to work to find the ring of sites that make up the Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park. 
 
You could easily drive right past Hocking Hills on U.S. 33 going southeast between Columbus, Ohio, and West Virginia’s state border without thinking there’s much to see. The rolling hills reveal little of what’s waiting inside.
 

Hiking is a great outdoor adventure – you can explore nature to your heart’s content, travel to new places, and challenge your body and mind. But it isn’t easy – you need to be prepared in a variety of ways, as well as be aware of your environment at all times. There can be too many accidents.

We've all been there - embarrassed by crazy tourists (or feeling out of place ourselves). One of the most respectful things you can do when you travel is to try to blend in and act culturally appropriate.