Down on the Boardwalk

I'm talking Grand Haven, Michigan, not Atlantic City.  One of our favorite things to do on a warm summer evening is to go to Grand Haven, a little town about 8 miles south of us, and walk the boardwalk.  It starts at Chinook Pier and ends at the light house on Lake Michigan.  It's about 2.5 miles long and has restaurants, charter fishing boats, shops, and a marina.  

Chinook Pier and Charter Fishing Boats

Shops at Chinook Pier

Boats come in from Lake Michigan and tie up along the boardwalk.

One of the many ice cream shops along the boardwalk.

Which flavor should we get tonight, honey?

There is a grand stand for concerts and for viewing the nightly Musical Fountain.  What is a musical fountain, you ask?  It's a display of water and lights that is synchronized to music.  (It's a little weird, especially when they use rock music with the flowing water.)  

There is a little kiosk that sells Pronto Pups that has been there forever.  Pronto pups are hotdogs on a stick that are coated with corn meal and then deep fried.  People are always lined up to buy them.  Go figure.

 Corn dogs, anyone?

 The lighthouse keeper used the catwalk in storms.

The light house is about halfway out the breakwall.

Lake Michigan has the best beaches in the world.

And the water is unsalted.

Heading back to town.

We used to bring the kids when they were little.  They loved playing on the big boulders that line the boardwalk near the beach.  We would stop for ice cream, of course.  Now it's just the two of us.  Next thing you know, the kids will be pushing us down the boardwalk in our wheel chairs.