Orange Beach, Alabama / recreation (bike trails, parks, arts), dining, Happy Hours

November 2018, 7 nights

This post contains information about some of the places we visited by bicycle or on foot from Grand Pointe Condominiums. You can also click on the labels at the end of this post, or on the Orange Beach recreation links for 2018 and 2017  for further information about area bike rentals, trails inside Gulf State Park, Happy Hours, dining, parks, boating, and more.

Orange Beach Waterfront Park

Bicycle trails, Orange Beach Waterfront Park, Coastal Arts Center

In addition to biking and walking in Gulf State Park, we rode our bikes from Grand Pointe Condos to the bay on the north side of AL-180. There is a bicycle lane alongside Perdido Beach Blvd., and then most of the remaining route is a designated trail. We turned off Perdido Beach Blvd. onto the road to Cotton Bayou Boat Launch just east of AL-161. There is a trail from the boat launch that connects to the bicycle trail, which runs parallel to AL-161. Next, we turned toward the police station just before Al-180, and then crossed AL-180 at the crosswalk at the end of Callaway Drive. The screen shots below can be enlarged by clicking on them to view this detail.  

The turn from Perdido Beach Blvd.

The turns just south of AL-180

Orange Beach Waterfront park, located on Wolf Bay, has restroom facilities, picnic pavilions, BBQ grills, bicycle racks, a playground, and a fishing pier. There are also benches and swing seats in the grass overlooking the bay, and an area to launch canoes and kayaks. When I first looked at the canoe map in the park, I got excited because I mistakenly thought it was a bicycle trail map showing a different route we could take back. Silly me - the map clearly says "canoe" trail! I labeled our "GP" condo on the canoe map below to show where we started.

Orange Beach Canoe Trail

Orange Beach, Alabama / Grand Pointe Condominium #605 through Liquid Life

November 2018, 7-nights, Unit 605

View of gulf and pass from unit 605

This unit has the same 3-bedroom floor plan as unit 601 where we stayed in 2017, and it is located on the same floor with a view of Perdido Pass. I had contacted the manager for the unit we stayed in the prior year, and did not hear back from him before we decided to try a different unit. The cost for unit 601 in 2018 was higher than it had been in 2017, and the cost for this unit was similar.

One of the amazing sunsets from the beach at Grand Pointe

Reservation process with Liquid Life

I liked that we were able to do everything online for this rental, including the deposit payment and making the final payment. Additionally, we did not need to send in a security deposit. The contract we signed said that if there was any damage, our credit card would be charged, and evidence/photos provided. The only uncertainty with this process, is that we did not know when they had completed checking the unit after our stay. We did not damage anything; however, there were a few minor damages and some wear when we arrived (wall gouges/damage, carpet stains, cracked fridge shelves, etc.). Since we have not had much experience with property rentals, I am still unsure what to expect. When we rented unit 601 through Alabama Getaway in 2017, we had to mail in a security deposit check, which was returned after our stay. We also had to mail in the payment, and we preferred paying online by credit card.

Alabama Recreation: Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and Gulf State Park

November 2018, weekend and weekdays

View from platform overlooking Gator Lake and
Little Lagoon in Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

We only visited a small portion of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, which is HUGE! Specifically, 7,157-acres located in five separate units in Baldwin and Mobile Counties, United States, directly west of Gulf Shores, Alabama on the Fort Morgan Peninsula.

Start of Pine Beach Trail near parking lot

We hiked Pine Beach Trail, which starts at Fort Morgan Road and runs between Gator Lake and Little Lagoon out to the gulf. It is beautiful! The trail is a fairly easy hike of less than 4 miles round trip. Only a small portion of the trail is beach sand near the end.

We saw an eagle in the swampy area near the start of the trail before reaching the lake and lagoon. Unfortunately, I did not get any good photos of the eagle. Following are a couple more trail photos.

Alabama: Dauphin Island & Mobile Bay Ferry

November 2018

We learned about Mobile Bay Ferry when we were deciding upon our route to Orange Beach, Alabama from Mobile, Alabama. Since we had previously traveled around the top of the bay, and also visited USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, we decided to take the ferry from Dauphin Island across this time. We always like to try new things! Taking the ferry added less than ½ hour to our travel time.

Bridge to Dauphin Island

Dauphin Island 

Getting to Dauphin Island from Mobile was easy. The traffic was minimal, and the drive was less than 45 minutes from the Renaissance Riverview in Mobile. The island is not very big, and we walked around for a bit after we paid and parked for the next ferry departure. There is a paved trail, which goes as far as Fort Gaines at the east end, and almost to West End Public Beach at the opposite end of the island. There is a bicycle lane for a short distance where the paved trail ends before the beach.

Entrance to Fort Gaines

A private campground is located near the ferry dock, and there is a short trail across from the campground on the north side of Bienville Rd. called Magnolia Park. I was surprised there were not any businesses or tourist type shops near the ferry dock.

Carnival Fantasy Cruise ~ 6 - Day Western Caribbean [Cozumel Plus] from Mobile, Alabama

November 2018

This was our first experience on Carnival Fantasy, and our first time cruising out of Mobile, Alabama. You can find additional pictures and information about Carnival Fantasy in my Facebook album. 

Carnival Fantasy atrium steps and elevator behind bar.

Pre-cruise

This cruise was kind of a last minute decision for us. We initially thought we would rent a condo in Orange Beach, Alabama for two weeks; however, the cost was quite high. We rented a condo last year for a week, and my husband said he wanted to go for two weeks this time to make the drive from Michigan worth it. I am the one who usually does all our vacation research; however, he found this cruise! The cruise was a much better value than booking the condo for a second week. 

View of Carnival Fantasy in Mobile showing location
of cabin E244. Click photo to enlarge it.

Mobile, Alabama / Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza

November, 1-night, weekend, king guestroom 1106

View from guestroom 1106 after check-in

Gold perks and check-in

We booked the pre-cruise package at this hotel, which includes parking while on the cruise. I had checked several area hotels, and decided this one provided the best value at $149. When I checked in on the app the morning of our arrival, I noticed our room was listed as a riverview guestroom, as if we had already received an upgrade. The app also said that the reservation was for only 1 guest, and my reservation was for 2 guests, so I was not sure how accurate the room type would be. Seems there is still some difficulty with information displaying correctly on the app since the Marriott/Starwood merger.

View from guestroom 1106 in the morning;
Carnival Fantasy in the distance returning to port.

I had received a notification via the app saying that our room was ready, so we went to the front desk when we arrived around 1:00 PM. Our room was not ready, and it took a bit of shuffling by the front desk agent to find us an available guestroom. She said she was giving us a riverview guestroom because we had booked the cruise package. I am not sure if all cruise guests get a riverview room (it did not say that when making the reservation), or if that was actually a Gold member upgrade. She provided a parking key card to exit the garage when we returned, and she said she would sign us up on the first shuttle to the cruise port (after I requested this).

Guestroom diagram from back of door

King guestroom 1106

Guestroom 1106 is a basic room on the 11th floor overlooking the river. The 11th floor is only about half way to the top of the building; however, I cannot really complain about not having a higher floor, since we arrived before check-in time, and the hotel was quite full. In fact, I had looked online to see if I could add a second night--the night before--to our stay, and there were no rooms available. The king corner rooms at this hotel look amazing!

Guestroom 1106

Fultondale, Alabama / Holiday Inn Express & Suites Birmingham North -

November, Weekend, 1-night, Extended king guestroom 519

Sunset from guestroom 519

Platinum perks and check-in

The morning of our arrival, I noticed that the AAA rate for a king guestroom had dropped $5. Rather than redoing our reservation to save the $5, I decided to call the hotel to see if we could secure an upgrade instead. The person I spoke with said she would change our reservation to a suite right then. When we arrived, we were not able to get the suite (guestroom 430, I think it was) that the agent had assigned us because another staff member told her the A/C unit in that guestroom was not working. That must have been the only suite guestroom left, because we were then reassigned a different guestroom type. I think the original guestroom was a larger corner suite; however, I forgot to take a photo of the guestroom diagram when we got to our room, and now I do not recall the exact details. I chose 500 bonus points for my Platinum perk.

View from entrance guestroom 519

Guestroom 519

Although the agent had referred to this guestroom as a suite also, it looked like an extended guestroom, to me. I would not be too happy, if I had booked and paid for a suite, and then received this type of guestroom. As far as a regular guestroom goes though, this one was fabulous. It was almost exactly the same as the one I'd had at the Holiday Inn Express in Evansville two days prior (except this is a king guestroom, rather than two queen beds). 

Jeffersonville, Indiana / Sheraton Louisville Riverside Hotel

November 2018, Weekday, 1-Night, King guestroom 812

River and sunset is visible from riverview and rooms on west side.
This photo taken from parking lot across Riverside Drive from hotel.

Gold perks and check-in

This hotel provided the worst service and Gold member recognition I have ever received at a Marriott or Starwood hotel. The agent did not recognize my status, and when I inquired about an upgrade, I was told that Marriott does not allow them to give upgrades to Gold members; only Platinum members. I told the agent that could not be correct, because I receive upgrades at Starwood and Marriott hotels all the time. She went to get the manager, who then told me the same thing.

When I had checked in on the Marriott app before my arrival, the screen showed I was eligible for an upgrade. I did not take a snapshot of  that screen, although I have taken one for every stay since then. The screen shot above was taken after I checked in for my next Marriott stay, one day after I checked out of Sheraton. The screenshot below shows Gold member perks listed on Marriott's website. Although no one mentioned the 500 Gold bonus points, these posted to my account when this stay posted.

Gold upgrade perks from Marriott/SPG website 11/11/2019
Click to enlarge

King guestroom 812

This guestroom is on the 8th floor of this 10 floor hotel. It has a connecting room door, and it faces the expressway. The bridge view from the guestroom was nice; however, we could hear traffic through the window. The expressway is fully visible to the left of the building shown in the photo below.

View from guestroom 812

The king size bed in the guestroom was comfortable, and the full length windows offered good visibility. The desk and chair were strategically placed facing out the window. The guestroom also contained nightstands with lamps, a soft chair and foot stool, flatscreen TV on an armoire, ice bucket, and coffeemaker with supplies. The coffee was good quality. The guestroom was smaller than I had expected from viewing the photos on the hotel website.

Guestroom 812; view from in front of desk

Evansville, Indiana / Holiday Inn Express

November 2018, Weekday, 1-Night, Queen guestroom #427

Wow, this was the most comfortable, clean, and well-appointed Holiday Inn Express I have ever stayed in!

Sunset from guestroom 427

Advance reservations, check-in, platinum perks

I called this hotel to make my reservation because the online rates were much higher than neighboring hotels--about $40 more per night than Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, Marriott Courtyard... The agent I spoke with said the least expensive room type is 2-queen beds, and that he had one available he could give me. The online system had not shown me this guestroom type was available, and I did not know he was booking me an accessible/handicap guestroom until I looked at the reservation the next day under my IHG profile. I had asked him to request a top floor guestroom for me, so I hoped someone would cancel before my stay, and I could end up in a regular guestroom on a higher floor.

When I arrived, I received a top floor non-handicap guestroom. The agent did not recognize my status or mention any IHG perks, although 500 Platinum bonus points posted to my account before I checked out.

Microwave, Keurig coffee, fridge
Located in hall entrance between bathroom and beds

Guestroom 427

This guestroom is on the top floor near the end of the hall (exactly my preference!). The sunset view was beautiful, and the room quality was excellent. I cannot say enough nice things about the quality of the guestroom at this hotel. I wish all Holiday Inn Express hotels offered this same comfort.

Kalamazoo, Michigan / Camping, Biking, Breweries, Downtown

October 2018, Weekend, 2-Nights

Michigan map on the floor at Bell's Brewery

Markin Glen County Park, Campsite #36

We decided to camp and visit Kalamazoo less than two weeks in advance. When I called the park to inquire about making a campground reservation, I was surprised to learn there were only two campsites left for the weekend we wanted to visit. We made a reservation, and when we arrived, the other open site had been filled, as well. When you make a reservation less than two weeks out, or pay when you arrive without a reservation, you need to pay in cash or by check. Credit cards are only accepted at the main county office, which takes reservations more than two weeks in advance.

Taken from island bridge in park

Newaygo, Michigan / State Park on Hardy Pond during Hot Boat Weekend

September 2018, Weeknight-weekend, 3 nights, Campsite 85

Watching boats on the river from Newaygo State Park during Hot
Boat weekend. Photo credit goes to a camping friend of mine.

Advance reservations and check-in

We made a reservation on the Michigan DNR website as soon as possible, because we wanted sites overlooking the water. The campsite photo on the state website is accurate for site 85. The photo shown for site 84 is still incorrect. The photo on their website for site 84 is actually a picture of site 85. See my previous post about this park for further details.

Watching boats on the river from Newaygo State Park 
during Hot Boat weekend 

The rate is $17 a night, and the reservation fee is $8. Although this is a state of Michigan campground, it is rustic like a state forest campground. The office was closed when we arrived Thursday evening, so we did not need to stop and check-in. Details for incoming campers with reservations were posted on the window.

View of site 85 from bank looking toward road

West Michigan Distillery and Winery Visits

September and October 2018

A shout-out for a couple of new locations we visited this fall!

18th Amendment Spirits Co.
Picture above fireplace

18th Amendment Spirits Co. in Muskegon, Michigan

This was our first visit to the craft distillery that opened in downtown Muskegon, Michigan in 2017. We only had beverages this visit. We self-seated at a tall bar table, and each tried something from the menu. The beverages were flavorful and good quality. I hope to visit again soon for dinner, because the photos they post on Facebook look amazing! 

18th Amendment Spirits Co.

Grand Rapids, Michigan / Lodging, Dining, Brewery, Meadery, Distillery, and more!

September 2018, Weekend, 1-night, 2 days

You can find more posts about the Grand Rapids area by clicking on labels at the bottom of this post. I am sharing a few brief details about new experiences here.

View from guestroom at JW Marriott Grand Rapids

JW Marriott, 2-Queen bed guestroom #1318, Gold status

This is the first  time we have stayed in a room with two queen beds, and it is also the first time I did not receive an automatic upgrade to the concierge floor at this hotel. I did receive an upgrade to a river view guestroom. I am not sure if three adults in the room had something to do with the concierge upgrade. After I inquired, the front desk agent said there were not any concierge floor rooms available with two queen beds; however, she would code our keys for access to the lounge. We were not in the hotel that evening, so we missed the concierge social hour. It was nice to have access in the morning for speciality coffee and continental breakfast. The only difference I could see between a king and queen guestroom is that the queen guestroom contained a chair and footstool instead of a chaise lounger. Both beds were super comfy, as usual!

2-queen bed guestroom at JW Marriott in Grand Rapids

My Marriott app has not been working properly since the Marriott-Starwood merger. Following is what happened this stay: After I checked in on the app, it was still saying I needed to check-in. Additionally, the guest information showing was incorrect after I checked in; it said 1 guest on the app, and 6 guests in my website confirmation. My reservation had been made for 3 guests, and the hotel confirmed it was correct on their end. When I arrived, I was told that it showed I had checked in. I did not receive a notification that my room was ready via the app, and I never received a bill after checkout. Usually, I receive a bill via email after checking out on the app. I had the same check-in and similar checkout app experience with a recent Marriott Courtyard stay.

Hog Heaven pizza at Mitten Brewing Company

Ludington, Michigan / Harbor View Marina, beach, shopping, boat launch, and trailer parking

August 2018, 2-nights, Harbor View Marina Slip #D24

Anchored on Lake Michigan in Ludington

This post is not very detailed, as some time has passed since our stay. I thought about skipping it; however, we learned some new information that I would like to share with others, and that I want to be able to find next time we visit.

Peter Copeyon Park boat launch and trailer parking

We learned about this boat launch when I inquired during my call to the marina to make a reservation. We liked it better than the more popular boat ramp in the arms on Lake Michigan (Loomis Street). The charge is the same at both places; $10 per launch, and overnight parking is not allowed. Peter Copeyon Park is about a 1 mile walk from Harbor View Marina, and Loomis Street ramp is just a tad closer (.8 mile). 

Columbus, Ohio / Fairfield Inn & Suites Columbus Airport

September 2018, Weeday, 1-night, King guestroom 319

Gold perks and check-in

Check-in went smoothly. The agent asked my preference for room location (yes, I had entered my requests online when I made the reservation). I told her I usually prefer a top floor corner room in a quiet area. I did not receive any extras for having Gold status, other than the automatic 250 bonus points.

Guestroom 319

This guestroom is located fairly close to the elevator on the third floor of this 4-floor hotel. If you enlarge the floor diagram farther down in this post, you can see the exact room location. During check-in, the agent had used positive words to tell me she had the perfect room for me, so I was surprised to see my room so close to the elevator. Fortunately, hallway noise was not a problem.

Bathroom in guestroom 319

This guestroom has a long entrance hall with a large bathroom off the hall. The bathroom is tile, it has a large vanity, and nice large shower with glass doors. I loved the bathroom in this guestroom! Bath amenities, good quality towels, and a hair dryer were provided.

Grand Rapids, Michigan / DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Rapids Airport

September 2018, Weekend, 1-night, King guestroom #300

I have stayed at this hotel at least four times, and this was my second stay after the property became a DoubleTree.

Gold perks and check-in

Check-in was efficient, and the DoubleTree cookie was delicious. I had reserved a queen guestroom, and received an automatic upgrade to a king guestroom. Two bottles of water had already been placed in the guestroom before my arrival. I also received beverage coupons to use in the lobby lounge and breakfast coupons. When the agent learned I would be leaving before breakfast in the morning, he gladly offered bonus points instead. The offer of breakfast and then points puzzled me, because I have always chosen extra bonus points for my stays, rather than breakfast. Fortunately, I checked my online profile after this stay, because all my bonus point preferences had been lost or reset, and continental breakfast or snack was checked under "my way" preferences. If I had paid closer attention to my receipts and points as they posted this year, I would have noticed this sooner. This change had been made sometime between the middle of February 2018 and the beginning of May 2018. I changed my choices back to points, and will pay closer attention going forward.

Guestroom 300

King guestroom 300

This guestroom is on the third floor at the end of the hall. The room location further reflects staff member's attention to detail, because I always request a top floor room in the corner or at the end of the hall, as it is usually quieter. I think I have stayed in this exact room before when this property was a Hilton; however, I could not find a previous post for this guestroom. Sometimes, when I get busy, I do not always post a review after my stay. Guestroom 411, which I previously stayed in at this DoubleTree, seems like a slightly larger room with a small fridge.

Springfield, Ohio / Marriott Courtyard Downtown

September 2018, Weekday, 1-night, Queen handicap accessible room #614

Plants in island along back drive next to parking lot

Gold perks and check-in

For some reason, I did not receive a notification via the Marriott app telling me my room was ready. I arrived a few minutes early of the check-in time I had chosen, and my room was ready. All Marriott rewards members get to spin a wheel for prizes at this hotel. I won free breakfast. Other prizes included different MR point values, something from the market, or a beverage in the lounge.

Sunset view from guestroom 614

Guestroom 614

I did not intentionally book a handicap room, and I did not realize that was my room type until I entered the room. Apparently, I am not the only one who has made this mistake, because when I returned to the front desk, I was told that many people do not realize that the "one queen bed" guestroom is a handicap room. This information is not visible during the reservation process or in the confirmation email, unless you click on the "room details" information. I was told the only other room type I could have is a room with two double beds. I prefer a queen bed to a double bed, so I kept the room I had been assigned.

Frankfort, Michigan / Marinas and Town

August 2018

We usually stay at the Municipal Marina in Frankfort. This trip, we stayed at two different marinas (one being the municipal), and we learned about a third one.

Sunset from beach in Frankfort, Michigan

Frankfort Municipal Marina

We pulled up to the marina dock after we launched our boat to see about a slip for the night. This marina takes transient reservations, and they usually have a few slips open for people who do not make a reservation. The last two times we have stayed here, we were initially told they did not think they had anything, and then after some conversation, we got a slip both times. The next morning, when we asked what time we needed to be out, we were told, "11ish," as the marina was going to be full on Saturday. We stayed in the area another night after we left this marina, and the slip where we had stayed the first night was open the entire time (along with a couple of others). I am not sure why this marina always gives the impression there are no available slips. The cost for our 25' boat was $40.

Suttons Bay and Traverse City, Michigan / Recreation, Marinas, Camping...

August 2018

This post goes along with the previous one about dining and area info. We stayed in Suttons Bay and Traverse City two different times in August (7 nights total). 

Sunset in Suttons Bay from boat slip 58

Boating, marinas, campground

We enjoyed fabulous boating weather in Grand Traverse Bay! We stayed at Suttons Bay Municipal Marina for two nights. This is one of our favorite marinas: the water is beautiful, it is a peaceful town, there is a beach next door, and the rates are reasonable. We were in slip 58 one night, and 59 the second night, which is our preferred area in this marina. We were supposed to be in slip 58 both nights; however, a vagrant boater tied up his boat in that slip the night we were gone, and he did not return to cover his boat and then sneak out the next morning, until the office had closed. Fortunately, slip 59 was open, and the dock hand reassigned us.

Arriving at Power Island. About 15 boats already anchored.

Power Island (previously known as Marion Island) is located in the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay between Suttons Bay and Traverse City. We anchored there for the night on a Saturday evening. The water was perfectly calm, and we observed the most boats we have ever seen anchored at the island--over 25! We ended up having to re-anchor after dusk because a boat with a very loud generator came later in the day, and then rafted up with a nearby boat for the evening. Our previous stays in this anchorage have been more peaceful with less boaters.

Sunrise from Power/Marion Island.
We heated up egg bagels on our grill, visible at the bottom of photo.

Northern Michigan Dining, Breweries, Wineries, Happy Hour, and more!

August 2018

We visited Suttons Bay and Traverse City two different times in August (7 nights total). This post covers some new beverage and dining venues we discovered. I will have separate posts about recreation and other topics. We learned about some of these places from the Visitors Centers, and some from What's Up Michigan's website. I am not sure how well the What's Up Michigan site is maintained, as I also found several expired or invalid links within their site. Make sure to check dates when looking for information.

Blue Tractor Slider for $3 ~ delicious!

Dining and specials

We visited Blue Tractor Barbecue in Traverse City because we had a coupon for a free slider. We were surprised when we arrived and saw this is a restaurant/bar. For some reason, we had expected a food truck. We also ordered a Bloody Mary, and learned when we received the bill, that Bloody Marys are on special for only $1.50 on Sundays!

Blue Tractor menu

The slider was amazing, and the regular cost is only $3. We had planned to stop again during our second visit to the area; my husband wanted another BBQ, and I wanted to try the Tractor Salad. Unfortunately, things did not work out for us. The service was excellent, as well. We thought Blue Tractor Barbecue was an excellent find, definitely worth visiting again.

Montague and Whitehall, Michigan / attractions, lodging, boating, beaches, bicycle trails, food & beverage

July 2018

We stayed at Trailway Campground in Montague for a month starting at the end of June. I am sharing some of our experiences and area finds for future travelers. I have condensed much of the information to keep this post from becoming even longer. Please let me know if you want more details about any places we visited.

Sunset colors over the field behind Trailway Campground

Lodging: Trailway Campground, White Lake Municipal Marina, Elllenwood Landing

We stayed on site 46 at Trailway Campground, which is a pull through site near Montague Foods. This is a grassy site with plenty of shade. All of the sites are grassy, and other than a few tent sites, they all have full hookup. There is one community fire pit, and wood is provided. Although this campground is located in town, it is peaceful. We were not disturbed by any traffic noise during our stay.

Partial view of campground from trailhead parking where we kept our boat

We wanted to leave our boat in the water a couple of times during our stay, so we rented a boat slip two different times: Ellenwood Landing Marina for one night, and White Lake Municipal Marina for two nights. Ellenwood Landing is located across Dowling Street from the campground. This marina has a clubhouse, swimming pool, and hot tub. White Lake Municipal Marina is located next to Goodrich Park in Whitehall, ½ mile away. Both are decent marinas with locked bathhouses and Internet access. The municipal marina does not have the extra amenities that Ellenwood has, and the cost was half as much per night for our 25' boat (Ellenwood $60, Municipal $30).

July 4th fireworks from our slip at White Lake Municipal Marina