QUIZ: what great lakes vacation should you take this summer?
grab a pencil and paper! It's 2007!
The first blooms are on the trees here in the Upper Midwest and campsites are beginning to book up for the summer months, which means it’s time to figure out where you’re going to spend that long weekend you plan on taking in early August!
Grab a pencil, paper, and a biggggg cup of coffee and settle in to find out what Great Lakes summer vacation destination is actually perfect for you!
Shot on iphone 8 & edited with preset “soft sunset💕”. Remember to use the code NEWSLETTER35 for 35% off presets.
7) What do you look forward to most on vacation?
A) Fun places to drink, taking pretty pictures, and getting a tan
B) Bug bites, bruises, and having the best story to tell your friends back home
C) Experiencing a beautiful place
D) Creating memories with friends & family
Shot on iphone 6, edited with preset “Vintage”
6) Choose your ideal campsite:
A) Tucked away in a rocky cove, your tent set up in the sandy shade of a low-hanging Oak Tree. You hang your clothes to dry near the water for the breeze. The water is crystal clear; the bottom is sandy. In the distance, you can see the steady blinking of a lighthouse. In the morning, you’ll sip your coffee with your toes in the sand and watch the sun rise and burn off the fog.
B) Underneath a canopy of conifers covered in Spanish moss, you’ve set up your tent at the edge of a sparkling lake. At night, you’ll cook hot dogs on the fire grate and eat them sitting on the rocky shore. You fall asleep to the sound of a calling loon, and a wolf howls in the distance.
C) An endless beach stretches as far as you can see, strewn with sand-blasted logs and shipwrecks, and the horizon line is so long and flat that it feels like the ocean or the edge of the earth. The clear water is almost too cold to swim in— almost. At night, you’ll watch the Northern Lights dance over the lake, reflected in the water.
D) Next to a winding river with wildflowers on all sides, you set up your tent in the woods. After a long day of hiking and playing, you rinse off in the clear river water, and wade in its sandy bottom up to your knees. In the morning, you’ll have coffee on the nearby bluff overlooking the river and watch the sun burn off the steam.
shot on iphone 8, edited with preset “Dark Gold Summer”
5) Which description best matches your travel companions:
A) Just me and my significant other! We’re looking for some place quiet & beautiful, a place that offers outdoor adventure, but nothing necessarily hardcore. We’re going to show up decked out head to toe with gear and clothes freshly purchased from the Bloomington REI (gotta rack up those dividends am i right?). Contrary to our outfits, we would like to spend the majority of our vacation time checking out every local restaurant and coffee, and regaling the staff with tales of our outdoor exploits (half marathons). Sophisticated drinking scene is a must. Would like to hike one hiking trail, preferably moderate difficulty, less than five miles in length. Bonus points for more local outdoor stores to spend money at.
B) Me and six of my best friends are going to pile into a Subaru Forester (no, don’t do the math on the seats!). All of us will be wearing Tevas, except Casey, they’re still wearing Chacos like a loser. We’re looking to car camp and set up a tent city for the weekend, drink beer around the fire, swim in waterfalls, and make some memories. Also, we have no money.
C) Just me, solo in my van. I have a double burner Coleman in the back. Most days, it’s just me and the open road. My dream? Just a place to park the car for the night and watch the sunset. And set up my camera and film it. And share it on Instagram. Okay so solo travel but, make it aesthetic.
D) I drive a Yukon XL filled to the brim with my dog, four kids, cat, and two hamsters. Ideally, my parents would also like to meet us for vacation. Some of them want to hike, some of them want to shop, some of them want to drink.
shot on iphone 8 & edited with preset “Forest Light🌲”
4) Which of these places would you prefer to travel to:
A) Maine
B) PNW
C) Greece
D) Caribbean
Shot on iPhone 8 & edited with preset “Beach Day🌊”
3) Choose your ideal hike:
A) A 2-3 mile hike through the woods to a waterfall, easy terrain. After, I’d like to hit a local farm-to-table restaurant.
B) A brutal 6-10 mile trek featuring waterfalls, slippery trails, hard uphills, beautiful views, bugs, and thorns.
C) A moderate 5-6 mile hike through the woods leading out to beautiful swimming holes and coves, and cliffside hiking.
D) An easy 2-3 miles leading to impressive overlooks from 400 ft above, and other short easy hikes & overlooks.
Shot on iPhone 6 and edited with preset “Vintage”. Remember to use the code NEWSLETTER35 for 35% off presets.
2) Choose your sunset location
A) A roof-top bar, don’t ask silly questions.
B) A beautiful overlook, far above an inland lake, with a three mile-hike in the dark back to your car ahead of you.
C) A shallow-water cove perfect for swimming, with carved out cliffs on either side, a 2-mile hike in the dark back to your car ahead of you.
D) A massive sand dune, four hundred feet above the water with islands far below you, a picnic blanket and beer in hand, a short walk in the dark back to the car.
shot on iphone 8 & edited with preset “Forest Light🌲”
1) Choose your ideal splurge vacation activity
A) kayak or sailing tours
B) renting canoes to day trip to remote waterfalls
C) tourist! traps!! give me that roadside attraction
D) winery tours
shot on iPhone 8 & edited with preset “Dark Gold Summer”. While I still shoot a lot of my photos on my Canon, I’ve found that in sea kayak guiding, on kayaking expeditions, and backpacking, the camera you have on you most conveniently is a powerful tool. During the 70 days I spent kayaking last summer, I found that it was much easier to consistently shoot on my phone and focus on editing. Along the way, I developed a set of 10 photo presets, designed to edit adventure photos shot on a phone in Lightroom Mobile (free app), in just a few clicks.
Quiz Results!
mostly A’s: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore & Bayfield
Great for couples and small outdoorsy groups, the Apostle Islands and Bayfield offer a healthy mix of hiking, kayak tours, shopping, cruising, and a great food & drink scene! Must-visits include Tom’s Burned-Down Diner on Madeline Island, and live music and beer at Howl Adventure Center. Check out 30 Things to do in the Apostle Islands to start planning your trip!
mostly B’s: The North Shore of Minnesota & the BWCA
If you’re in it for the story adventure, head up to the North Shore of Minnesota! Here you can find some of the most hardcore hikes in the Midwest, beautiful campsites, and endless things to do. While hikes under four miles tend to be crowded, spending more than 7 miles on trail almost guarantees solitude and a great story. Check out 30 Things to do on the North Shore to start planning your trip, and!
mostly C’s: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore & the Upper Peninsula
The Pictured Rocks are a great place for solo travelers, with lots of scenic lakefront camping options if you know where to look! The hiking is great, the swimming is better, and a trip here can be very thrifty if you play your cards right. Check out 30 Things to do in the Pictured Rocks to start planning your trip!
mostly D’s: Traverse City & Sleeping Bear Dunes
Perfect for large families with kids, a visit to Traverse City and the Sleeping Bear Dunes has something for everyone. Sleeping Bear sports some of the best beaches in the Midwest, there are hiking trails for every ability level, beautiful views, wineries, rivers to paddle, hotels, cabins to rent, and rustic and glamping- style campsites alike. For more on exploring the Traverse City area, check out Exploring the Sleeping Bear Dunes: Your Guide to the National Lakeshore by Michigan adventurer travelovermiway.
Nice quiz - I’m all for the challenging stuff, but no bug bites…. I’ll be hiking in the lake district of the UK this summer & back to the UP when the bugs are dead.