If there is a fruit that says summer, it has to be watermelon. Kids and adults love it alike! Every summer celebration at our house includes watermelon. For Emmy’s birthday party I cut up 2 whole seedless ones. After the party, I had half a watermelon left. It had gotten pretty juicy sitting out all sliced up on the counter for a couple hours, so I diced it and threw it into a big tupperware. I usually make smoothies with the too-juicy-to-bite watermelon leftovers, but lucky little Emmy was just diagnosed with the dreaded hand-foot-and-mouth disease. (If you aren’t familiar with this lovely childhood illness, click the link for more info. You are in for a real treat if your kids catch it!) It really hurts her to swallow anything, so popsicles seemed like the perfect solution! We are all enjoying them, but my sick little one has been especially happy since these came out of the freezer!
Watermelon Popsicles
What you need:
Blender or food processor
Popsicle molds
Room in your freezer 🙂
Ingredients:
Half of a seedless watermelon, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1-3 Tbsp sugar (I find this varies depending on the sweetness of each watermelon)
A little bit of cold water to get it going – about 1/4 cup
Put all the watermelon in the blender. Mine barely fits. You can pulse a couple times to fit more in – it goes down in volume as it is blended.
Add the lime juice and 1 Tbsp sugar. Pulse the blender. Depending how juicy the watermelon is, you might not need to add any water. If things are not moving along, add the water, a little bit at a time, until the watermelon starts blending easily.
Puree the mixture until totally smooth. Give it a taste to see if it needs more lime or sugar. If you want to add more, do so and puree a few more seconds.
Once you are satisfied with the taste, pour into molds and place them on a LEVEL surface in your freezer.
Freeze until solid. Our pops usually take around 4 hours to freeze all the way through, but time varies by freezer temp and the size/shape of your mold. I would give them AT LEAST 4 hours to be safe.
When you are ready to enjoy your treats, just dip the bottom of the mold in warm water for a couple seconds and carefully pull out your popsicle. You can store the rest in your freezer for up to 1 week – if they make it that long without being devoured by your popsicle-obsessed children!
I was scrolling through Facebook, and suddenly became overwhelmed with an envious realization:
My friends are all living out their vacation dreams.
My news feed and Instagram are constantly flooded with their fabulous vacay pics; including, but not limited to: selfies on a cliff, selfies on a beach, selfies on the Vegas strip, selfies in bikinis, selfies on top of a mountain, selfies with tropical cocktails….You get the picture. I think I would kill a man for a decent vacation. Let’s be real – Sipping cocktails at the poolside bar while the steel drums play looks equal to heaven from where I am currently standing.
Where exactly am I standing, you ask?
Oh, just knee-deep in a swamp of housework, yard work and apple juice. And no, the episode of Peppa Pig currently on TV is not creating a desirable ambiance. You don’t want to see any selfies of me right now. I promise.
I know that you are thinking, “You guys could go to Disney! Fun for the whole family! Blah blah blah.” I know this because people have told me these exact words.
Sure, let’s do “Disney on a Budget”!
Yup. That is actually a thing I tried. I got all excited because dropping a couple grand didn’t seem too bad when I was looking up all the activities we could do. In fact, these words maaaay have come out of my mouth: “It is breakfast with Queen Elsa of Arendelle for Christ’s sake! You can’t put a price on that!” Don’t judge me. It’s Disney.
Then I started thinking…Avery’s going to end up whining about being too hot, thirsty, sweaty, hungry, tired, itchy – and my own personal favorite – “maybe even dying.” She pulls that crap on a trip to Target, so guiding her around 90-degree theme parks for a week didn’t look promising. Then I thought about Emmy having a meltdown in the line to the Dumbo ride – or really – anywhere on the Disney grounds, for any reason under the hot Florida sun. That kid is currently a ticking time bomb of endless meltdowns. I would be entering The Happiest Place on Earth with a grenade of toddler screams that could detonate at any moment. And you know what? I don’t know how to defuse that bomb. So F that. Sorry, Mickey!
Then I told myself that spending the money on a Disney trip is silly right now. They are too young to appreciate it, and we are too strapped to waste money on a vacation they won’t even remember. Obviously, being a stay-at-home mom means the word I hate more than any other word in the English language: BUDGET. Four people living on one paycheck per month is doable, but not always fun. I would love to hop on a plane to take my kids to a Disney dream vacation, but that crap isn’t happening anytime soon. If I get my thousands of dollars worth of fun out of that place, it definitely isn’t going to be with a 4-year-old and 2-year-old.
So it was back to the vacation drawing board for this chick! Darn it.
But then the clouds parted and angels sang to me,
“You live by Lake Michigan! Drive to the beach, you idiot!”
Of course I smacked myself. There are so many things to do with little kids right here in the good old Great Lakes! I got right to work researching some Good Cheap Fun for our mini-vacation destinations. Over the past couple of years, we have had some awesome local family trips! I just need to share the goods with you!
I think it will be easiest to do a separate post for each vacation spot, so stay tuned for more! I am starting with my favorite little getaway town of all time. It is where I spent childhood summers, got engaged and got married! Sometimes I throw the kids in the car and head there for the day, just because we can.
Drumrollllll pleaseee…..
NEW BUFFALO, MICHIGAN !!!
I know. I know. Not that exciting. But you have to give me a chance here! The drive time from my house in the southwest Chicago suburbs is only 1 hour and 10 minutes. (Provided the Frank Borman expressway isn’t a damn parking lot. Public Service Announcement: AVOID RUSH HOUR AT ALL COSTS!) It is perfect for a summer day trip, quick overnight or a whole week to relax. The beach town atmosphere really does make it feel like you are on a real vacation. Plus there is a BOATLOAD of cheap stuff to do with little kids, and we have tried it all! Ready for your cheap family vacay? Here we go!
FREE admission. If you want the convenience of beach parking, it is $10 per vehicle. (I never pay to park. I find a spot downtown and walk over the bridge to the beach. It is about a half mile walk. I have managed it with both kids many times as long as I have a wagon!)
There is a small playground, dune trails and wooden walkways you can explore. The concessions building has working bathrooms and assorted snacks. I recommend doing potty checks before you head out, because on busy afternoons lines can get long. I always pack a small cooler with drinks and snacks from home. Concessions for a family of four can add up quickly, plus it is inconvenient to walk all the way back up the boardwalk for a snack. I suggest bringing a wagon to pull little kids or beach gear to your spot on the sand because it is a little easier – strollers are useless off the boardwalk. (I have seen people pulling gear and kids across the sand on plastic snow sleds. I have never tried it, but seems ingenious!) Bring a big blanket to spread out so the kids have a clean place to sit for snacks, and a beach umbrella for shade if you have little ones. Sunscreen and hats are a must! I always bring shovels and buckets to build sandcastles and collect beach treasures. I also bring a chair for myself – the kind you can carry on your back with the shoulder straps so your hands are free to pull the wagon and corral the kids. There are life guards on duty during the summer season. More details on the beach policies and forecast can be found by clicking on the link above.
(Mommy Tangent Alert: I love our puddle jumpers! It is a life jacket meets water wings. They are USCG approved, so you can use them for boating as well. I make my kids wear their puddle jumpers in the water. The sand bars move around, and sometimes there is a drop-off in the shallow water that you can’t see.)
12032 Red Arrow Highway, Sawyer, MI 49125 (about a 15 minute drive from New Buffalo)
There is an entrance fee of $9 per car regardless of how many people you are traveling with. You can ask for a map at the entrance to help you find your way because this is a pretty big state park. The best way to describe it is “beach meets forest preserve”. Bring your beach gear, and some hiking clothes if you want to explore some of the wooded trails.
There are plenty of trails to hike and HUGE dunes to climb. The tallest is 260 ft above the lake! You can take a creek walk to a clay pit, which is fun if you have some older kids to keep busy. There is also a playground and a designated picnic area with grills if you want to picnic or cook out. I usually just pack a cooler of snacks and drinks and eat out on the beach. Restrooms are located throughout the park. Bring your puddle jumpers and sand toys if you want some beach time. Be ready for a lot of walking, and most of it is not what I would call stroller-friendly. Our wagon works well here. Don’t forget bug spray if you are going to hike some of the wooded trails, and sunscreen for climbing the dunes!
If you are into camping, this is a great place to camp for a weekend. I normally HATE camping, but I do love the beach! Therefore, I actually had fun camping here for one night. You can click here to make a camping reservation.
I think more blueberries end up in Emmy’s tummy than her bucket!
Blueberry Picking
If you have been reading my blog, you already know how much we love blueberry pancakes in our house! Fresh Michigan blueberries are an absolute must in the summer, plus it is fun to pick your own. My kids love it. It is free admission and parking at our 3 favorite places, but be prepared with CASH ONLY to pay by the pound for what you pick. (To give you an idea, my girls and I picked almost 3 lbs of blueberries this morning at Billy Boy’s and our total was around $5.00.) All 3 farms listed below have port-a-potties on-site in case of bathroom emergencies. It isn’t very stroller-friendly at any of them, but a wagon works well if you need to pull little kids. You can bring food and drink for a picnic at any of the 3 farms, but we never do. The kids snack on blueberries while we pick, and we are usually only there for an hour or two. Dress for the weather, and don’t forget sunscreen, water bottles, hats, bug spray and closed shoes! The phone numbers are listed below, and I recommend calling ahead of time to make sure they will have the U-Pick open the day you are planning to go. Seasons vary from year to year, so they don’t always have set hours.
Mike’s Blueberry Farm
11160 Farina Rd., New Buffalo, MI
(269) 469-2509
Closed Mondays
Billy Boy Blueberry Barn
650 Freyer Rd., Michigan City, IN (about a 10-minute drive from New Buffalo)
This park is an awesome way to spend a day! There is a really nice enclosed playground and separate splashpad. My kids also love doing the nature walks to the scenic outlook decks. They are short little paths that explore the woods and take you to gorgeous decks overlooking the creek bed. The paths are stroller-friendly. Working bathrooms and drinking fountains are on-site. Plenty of shade to get a break from the summer sun. There is a picnic pavilion, so pack a lunch. There are also basketball courts and bocce ball courts to entertain your older kids while the younger ones play on the playground.
Cody and the girls heading up to the observation tower.
115 Lakeshore Dr., Michigan City, IN 46360 (about a 15 minute drive from New Buffalo)
CASH ONLY
Parking: $7 per car
Admission: $7 adult, $6 children age 3-11, and under 3 is FREE
A cute little zoo with some fun exhibits! You can get right up close to tigers, monkeys, bobcats, river otters and bears. A couple of the exhibits were closed without much explanation when we visited, but there was still plenty to see. The park is pretty stroller-friendly, with the exception of some steep hills. There is a small playground structure, clean bathrooms and basic concessions inside the zoo. I saw signs posted for no outside food or drink, but we brought in water bottles and had a quick snack of granola bars at one of the picnic tables. Nobody seemed to mind. Your ticket is good for the day, so you could go out to your car to eat if you wanted to save your cash and do a picnic lunch. There is also a historical observation tower we climbed for some pretty views of the lake. You could easily keep the whole family busy here for an afternoon.
1201 E 1000 N, La Porte, IN (about a 10-minute drive from New Buffalo)
Hours: Saturday and Sunday from 12:00-5:00 CENTRAL time (it is just over the Indiana border)
Admission and parking are both FREE, but you pay to ride the steam trains. Single ride tickets are $5 per adult, $3 per child (3-12 years) and FREE for 2 and under. If you know you want to ride all the trains, buy a multiple ride ticket. (Gives you 4 train rides – enough to try all the trains they have.) Prices for multiple ride tickets are $17 per adult, $10 per child (3-12 years) and FREE for 2 and under.
They have some interesting historical trains, sawmills, and power plants on the grounds that you can check out. They also have a historical blacksmith’s shop. There is a soda fountain/cafe that you can eat at, but we have never tried it. I usually just bring snacks or a picnic of our own because there are picnic tables on the grounds. There are bathrooms, it is somewhat stroller-friendly, and there are shady spots. The paths are mostly gravel. We usually just show up to take a few train rides, and then head back to New Buffalo. Perfect place to bring little kids, ESPECIALLY if they are into trains at all. The steam train rides are very exciting for my girls. We love spending an afternoon here!
10975 S. Red Arrow Highway, Bridgman, MI 49106 (about a 15-minute drive from New Buffalo)
Hours:
Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm EASTERN time
Monday-Saturday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm EASTERN time
A fun little amusement park! They have go-karts, mini go-karts, bumper boats, bumper cars, and mini golf. They also have a few other games and an arcade. Admission and parking are both FREE. You pay for tickets for the ride/activity of your choice or tokens to play arcade games. Most of the rides and mini golf were around $5 CASH ONLY per person, but they do let little kids (under 12) ride in the double go-karts for free with a paid adult. The mini golf course was very cute and easy for little kids to navigate. We didn’t spend much time in the arcade, since our kids are still too young for most of those games. There are bathrooms and typical amusement park concessions. You can bring your own food and drink for a picnic at one of their picnic tables. Stroller-friendly.
10411 N 200 E , LaPorte, IN (about a 15-minute drive from New Buffalo)
(219) 778-9020 (Call ahead to book your trail ride! You can view their schedule here.)
This place looks perfect for entertaining a family with kids of multiple ages. Kids 8 and older and adults can go for a horse trail ride for $35 per person. There is a lead line pony trail option for younger/inexperienced kids for $15. They also offer riding lessons for $35 per hour. It is a little more expensive than something I would normally do with my family, but for a one-time adventure I would be willing to spend the money. **We have never been here! My friend told me about this place when she heard I was working on this blog post, and it does sound awesome. I think we are going to try it next time we take a trip out this way – so I will update this post with more information once I actually go. If you have been here, then give me some more information in the comments please!**
17440 Red Arrow Highway, New Buffalo, Michigan 49117
Hours: 11:00-6:00 EASTERN time zone
Another good activity for families with multiple ages of children – not really doable with a baby. If you have older kids, you can rent single kayaks for $20/hour or $70/day. If your kids are younger, rent a double kayak for $25/hour or $75/day.
Great for beginners! Do not be intimidated if you have never kayaked before! This river is easy to navigate. You rent at the address above, and then return to the same place when you are done. Since the water moves slow, it is not that challenging to paddle back upstream. With younger kids, just an hour of paddling is fine. Avery got bored and antsy for the last 10 minutes or so. (Remember to bring their puddle jumpers/life vests! You can rent one if you don’t own one.) We did see a lot of wildlife on the river! If you have older kids and want to try the full 3-mile trip down to the beach, then you might want to consider renting for the day. We have never gone that far, but according the their website this takes about 4 hours round trip. Apply sunscreen and bug spray before you launch, dress in clothes that can get a little wet and bring a water bottle or 2. There are no bathrooms – you are floating on a river. Do a potty check before you embark on this adventure. Kayaks are not known for their spaciousness so leave snacks and extra stuff in the car. Bring a ziplock bag for your keys and cell phone, and keep some air in it. If they end up in the water, they will stay dry and float on the surface.
Good Eats
When we go on these trips, I usually end up bringing most of our food. I plan ahead, buy what we will need for the trip, then pack a couple of grocery bags and a cooler for cold stuff. Most of our breakfasts, snacks and lunches are eaten from these groceries, and we usually even grill out a night or 2. But sometimes…when I am on vacation…I just don’t want to cook anything. So on these days we head out to a family-friendly restaurant. In my own personal opinion, family-friendly restaurants have to:
Be able to tolerate some noise
Have a reasonably priced menu
Provide a kid’s menu
Be casual – I am talking t-shirts and flip flops casual
Not too much to ask…Right?! We have luckily found some really good spots to stop in and eat lunch or dinner with the kids. There are a bunch of other decent restaurants around town, but these two are our favorites! They are both always crowded, so you might want to be prepared to wait for a table. If it is peak dinner hours my husband heads there ahead of time to put our name in. I show up with the kids a little later so we don’t have to keep them entertained while waiting to be seated. Both places also provide carry-out service if you don’t feel like putting on your flip flops and t-shirt after leaving the beach! Just call in your order ahead of time!
The best way to stay overnight with little kids is in a house or cottage. Everybody gets their own place to sleep, there is a full kitchen to make and eat meals, a fridge for groceries, a yard for kids to play in, etc. It might cost a little more per night, but when you think about the cost of eating out every meal while staying at a hotel, you save in the long run. You can always get a bigger house and split it with some friends to make it even cheaper! If it is just your family, there are some less-expensive options as long as you stick to the smaller cottages.
Check these links for rental options in the area. We have had some awesome and very affordable experiences renting.
I am not what you would call a happy camper, but I know plenty of people who have had fun and affordable vacations while staying at a campsite. I cannot speak from experience, other than one tolerable night at Warren Dunes State Park. Here is a link of some campgrounds in the area. Good luck, you crazy campers!
When I was researching for our wedding last year, I came across the most adorable little cottage resort. I have not stayed here yet, but I did stop by to check it out. I can’t wait to bring the kids here! It is so cute! Click the link below for more details and to book a beach-side cottage.
Still too much money for your stay-at-home mom budget? I feel you, girlfriend! Don’t forget that it is only an hour away! You could always pick a couple activities from the list and visit for a day, without the added expense of spending the night somewhere. We have done this so many times that I have lost count. Sometimes we just head to the beach all day and grab an ice cream cone on our way out of town.
Now, my fellow adventurers, there are three things I would like you to do with all of this information:
Enjoy your vacation.
Flood my news feed and Instagram with pics of your fabulous yet cheap family vacay.
Use a few of the dollars you saved to buy me a tropical drink. (Bob Marley playing in the background is optional.)
If there is a fruit that says summer, it has to be watermelon. Kids and adults love it alike! Every summer celebration at our house includes watermelon. For Emmy’s birthday party I cut up 2 whole seedless ones. After the party, I had half a watermelon left. It had gotten pretty juicy sitting out all sliced up on the counter for a couple hours, so I diced it and threw it into a big tupperware. I usually 
make smoothies with the too-juicy-to-bite watermelon leftovers, but lucky little Emmy was just diagnosed with the dreaded hand-foot-and-mouth disease. (If you aren’t familiar with this lovely childhood illness, click the link for more info. You are in for a real treat if your kids catch it!) It really hurts her to swallow anything, so popsicles seemed like the perfect solution! We are all enjoying them, but my sick little one has been especially happy since these came out of the freezer!
