Tunnel of Trees

One of my favorite things to do in October is take up a trip up north with my wife to the Tunnel of Trees. It is a 20-mile-long scenic route on M-119 that runs along the coast of Lake Michigan. The route begins in Harbor Springs in the south and ends in Cross Village in the north. The trees form a natural tunnel over the road which burst forth with beautiful, fall-time colors starting around early to mid-October. I like to play Vivaldi’s “Autumn” from the famous Four Seasons concertos as we cruise down the winding road. Along the way are many fun places to stop and explore, such as Pond Hill Farm, a family farm sporting a vineyard, brewery, cafe and many outdoor activities for kids. My wife and I have a tradition of stopping to buy a bottle of their homemade cherry wine, delicious! At the end of the trail in Cross Village is the historic Legs Inn. The restaurant is a Michigan Historical Site, built in the 1930’s by artist and Polish immigrant Stanley Smolak with the help of local Ottawa Indians. Together, they created all the building’s furniture and decorations out of tree roots, limbs and driftwood. The Inn serves delicious Polish cuisine, but it’s only open from May – October and doesn’t take reservations, so you have to get there early!