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A Long Weekend Itinerary in Traverse City, MI

September 6, 2023

If you are looking for a weekend getaway that is not only beautiful but has it ALL, Michigan is such a hidden gem. Traverse City is a short 5 hour drive from Chicago, IL. We spent Labor Day weekend up there but are already want to plan a trip back in the Fall. Here is our 4 day itinerary with almost everything being dog friendly including our amazing Airbnb.

DAY 1

Explore town downtown Traverse City

Dinner- The Little Fleet food trucks (dog friendly)

Ice cream- Moomers (lots of ice cream shops sell Moomers)

DAY 2

Golf- Bahle Farms

Lunch- Hop Lot Brewing Co.

Head home to change

Beach – There are beaches everywhere but drive to Good Harbor beach believe me it’s worth the drive. It’s dog friendly but dogs must be on a leash. Plenty of room to spread out as it’s not a crowded beach!

Shower/change

Dinner- Artisan (grab an outdoor patio seat) or Trattoria Stella

Cocktails- Lowbar (dive bar feel) or North Bar (rooftop bar that sometimes has live music)

Go out- Kilkenny’s Irish Pub

DAY 3

Breakfast- grab a breakfast burrito to go at Shipwreck Cafe

Hike/sightsee

Empire Buff Trail- easy hike with a beautiful view
Pierce Stocking Scenic Route ($25 to get into the National park, only do this if you have a few hours)
Sleeping Bear Dunes overlook, trail, climb (this is 3 separate hikes with different difficulties)
Pyramid Point Trailhead- if you do just one hike, let it be this one!

Coffee at The Mill

Walk around Fishtown

Lunch- Village Cheese Shanty (cash only)

Leland Wineries

Head home to freshen up

Dinner- Apache Trout Grille (go early and sit on the back deck for a drink) or Farm Club (farm to table)

DAY 4

Breakfast- Towne Plaza

Coffee- Seven Hills (Mission Proper)

Visit Mission Point Lighthouse and Old Mission General Store

Winerie’s in Mission point

Brys Estate (dog friendly + the Pinot Blanc and Froze are delicious)
Bowers Harbor (dog friendly)
Mari Vineyards (dog friendly, enjoy a flight in the adirondack chairs overlooking the winery and water)
Black Star Winery
Bonobo Winery
2Lads

Lunch- Jolly Pumpkin (opens at 12, ask about ghost Genevieve) or Peninsula Grill (both are dog friendly)

Head home to change and get ready for dinner

Go to the rooftop at Hotel Indigo for drinks

Dinner- Boathouse (make a reservation in advance)

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Outfits, Travel

4 Beach Vacation Outfit Ideas

March 13, 2018

Sandals | Beach Tee | Jeans | Luggage Set | Passport Holder

My goal when traveling is always comfort with a little bit of chic thrown into the outfit. Because airplanes are always cold, you can almost always find me in a pair of jeans or leggings with a small jacket or cardigan in my carry on. This “Hola Beaches” tee is the perfect festive shirt for any beach vacay. Another favorite of mine is this “O Hey Vacay” tee.

A day at the beach calls for denim cut offs and the most skin bearing top you own. This peplum cami is just $10 and comes in 6 colors! Two other beach necessities are a straw hat and bag. Invest in durable ones that will last you years to come. I’ve had this hat and bag for months and have lasted me through several beach trips so far!

If you are heading somewhere sunny, don’t forget to bring along your favorite swimsuit, cover up, beach bag and sunglasses. I never want to bring my designer shades on vacation because let’s be honest, after a few cocktails, they are usually the first to go. These oversized aviator sunglasses are my favorite everyday glasses and are just $14!

Dress | Wedge Sandals | Clutch | Earrings | Bracelet

I’m convinced almost any dress can be turned into a beach outfit with the right pair of wedges and fun accessories. These wedges are my most recent and best purchase that I expect to wear on every vacation for awhile. They come in black, brown and blush– all are good colors that can go with any outfit and instantly dress up any outfit.

If you are still in need of some vacation outfit inspiration I have an entire page to beach inspired looks. Everything from swimsuits, to beach bags, to summer dresses, find all of the inspiration here!

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Outfits

The Season’s Hottest Swimwear

April 21, 2017

Britt and I’s swimsuits are from Kortni Jeane

If you have seen my Instagram lately, you might think that I’ve taken up a new profession as a swimsuit connoisseur. Well let me tell you, there is this funny thing about recovery and being cooped up all day. It forces you to buy an absurd amount of swimsuits. That’s right, it’s the darndest thing and I’ve yet to figure out why this is the case. I’m hyping it up to be a side effect of the pain meds. Since I am going on SO many beach trips in the near future it’s totally justifiable though. Well I mean I’ve thought about going on vacation so that is kind of the same thing right…it’s like maybe if I just buy enough swimsuits it will force me to plan a beach getaway. Or is that not how it works?

I love that there are more options than ever when it comes to swimwear this season. And not just the ity bity bikinis, but one pieces and all over coverage is making a major fashion statement. I have to admit that I was pretty worried when I heard that Victoria’s Secret was going to quit carrying swimsuits. It’s where I got ALL of my swimsuits so branching out has been quite the adjustment for me. Change is hard guys. I’m that girl that orders the same item off the menu every single time at every restaurant so just imagine the dispare I went through to learn that I’d have to completely turn my life upside down to find a new favorite swimsuit retailer.

Me dramatic? Never.

So what did my search results find? Well for starters, Kortni Jeane was an obvious girly girls’ heaven. They have so many different patterns so that you can mix and match your top and bottoms. I also love that they are the perfect mix of modest and cute! Another bonus is that the majority of their swimsuits are high waisted and flattering on ALL body types, even expecting mamas! Just for sizing reference I ordered an XS (my normal size) but definitely regretted not getting the small so if you are in between sizes, I would size up! Other retailers that I have bought swimsuits from this year are ASOS, Nordstrom, Dillards, and Shein. Check out some of my favorites from these retailers below.

Bikinis

One Pieces

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Outfits

Spring Break Instagram Round Up

March 17, 2017

Happy Friday and I apologize for my blog hiatus. I’ve been having some serious post vacation blues and am just now getting back into the work groove. I also must apologize as I am most positive that I spammed your newsfeed with obnoxious vacation pictures. O wait I haven’t stopped because let’s be honest the vacation life is much more interesting than real life! Pretty poolside cocktails > excel spread sheets and half eaten donuts. If you are not following me on Instagram (shame on you!), and would like to shop my Spring Break outfits, I am going to go ahead and give you all of the outfit details today before sharing the rest of my trip later on because SO many of my outfit pieces are already selling out. Simply click on the item below each picture to shop what I am wearing.

Spring Break Instagram round-up

Swimsuits via Kortni Jeane

Spring Break Instagram round-up

Again, if you are looking for any more vacation or summer outfit inspiration, I have an entire page here that I am currently crushing on! Don’t forget to check back to see more of Britt and I’s adult Spring Break adventures soon!

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Outfits, Travel

Adult Spring Break

March 8, 2017

Spring Break Vacation style: palm print tank + distressed denim + wedges

Photography by: Banavenue

If you could use a vacation I would like you to raise your hand right now. I’m assuming all of you are raising your hands and I might as well be jumping up and down waving both because this girl needs the beach and a drank STAT! Well I’m excited to say that’s exactly where my happy butt will be in less than 2 days and I could not be more thrilled!

Britt, from Hello Honey blog, and I spontaneously decided a couple of weeks ago that we wanted an adult Spring Break adventure. Although we are certainly not above having a few too many drinks and dancing on the tables, we both were down for a more relaxing beach trip. Mexico was the obvious answer to our Spring Break wannabe blues. So without further ado, we are off to Puerto Vallarta in just 2 short days!

I have been snatching up all of the vacation wear that I can find. Nothing is more true when it comes to packing about suddenly needing 32 outfits for 3 days of vacation. #oops. If you are interested in getting a sneak peak of what I will be bringing along with me, I have listed everything here and also created a Spring Break wish list here.

This top is already packed in my ever growing suitcase and these jeans haven’t even made it in there yet because I wear them on a daily basis. There is a 99.9% chance I will even wear them on the plane. You know that pair of pants that very rarely gets washed because they are almost always on you? These are them and I have no shame whatsoever! As a side note, do make sure to size down in these as they run big.

I’d love for you to share along in our mini adult Spring Break adventures! Follow along with us on my Snapchat (shelbiadams) or Instagram as I post everything that we will be doing, where we are staying, and OF COURSE all of my outfits!

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