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Special Advertising Section | Weekend Getaway

NO MATTER THE DIRECTION, VACATION AWAITS

Living in the great state of Michigan, it’s easy to forget how fortunate we are to have such an amazing vacation destination right here.

From gleaming lakeshores and rollicking casinos to cities big and small where you can feel like a tourist or a native, Michigan has it all. This summer, it’s time to pick your direction and head out. To the north, there’s the Traverse City area with its wineries, restaurants, and miles of beauty by the bay, or the Petoskey area with its quaint shopping district and loads of activities to enjoy outdoors. You might even find that vacation home you didn’t even know you were searching for.

Or you can head west to the treasure that is the Ludington area and its miles of sandy beaches, historic lighthouses, and beautiful state parks that many have yet to discover. Heading east takes you to downtown Detroit and the MGM Grand and MotorCity Casino, both renowned for their fine dining, top-notch entertainment, and loads of tables and slots to try your luck.

If your vacation plans go south, that’s actually a good thing, because the great state of Ohio is ready to provide you with all the fun you can handle. From riding the most intense, fastest, longest, and highest coasters in the world at Cedar Point to discovering the state’s natural beauty and exploring the music and culture of its cities, Ohio is never the same vacation twice.

This summer, why not decide to go in all directions? It’s easy to, as all of these destinations are within a morning’s drive from metro Detroit. Whether your ideal relaxation is a world-class golf course, a blackjack table, or an awe-inspiring cliff side view, you’ll find it all so close to home in Michigan or Ohio.

PAT LEAVY

REPRESENTING NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S FINEST PROPERTIES

Guest Information: 231-838-6700
patleavy@kiddleavy.com |

Making cottage memories
Pat Leavy has been helping southeast Michigan families create memories in beautiful Northern Michigan for over 20 years. With boundless energy, perseverance, humor, dogged persistence, and a great staff, Pat works harder than any other agent to achieve his clients’ goals. He has sold over $95 million of luxury properties in just 2017.

Pat believes buying a home in northwest Michigan is more than square footage and a floor plan. With its blue lakes, miles of shoreline, fresh air, rolling hills, undisturbed woods, vibrant towns, and friendly people, it’s an extraordinary opportunity to experience and share a real treasure. Clearly, it is Pat’s enthusiasm for the area’s lifestyle that translates into results for you, whether you are a buyer or a seller.

As your Buyer’s Representative, Pat can make the process of house hunting much easier and more efficient than if you did it all yourself. He can help you get financing, guide you to local neighborhoods, help you determine your budget, and prioritize a list of essential features that you need in your next home. He’ll save you valuable time by finding the properties that best suit your requirements, and will show you only the most promising ones. Once you’ve found a place that catches your eye, he’ll look at comparable properties in the area to help determine a purchase offer. Then he’ll negotiate on your behalf with the seller to make sure you get the most favorable terms.

Pat would consider it a privilege to work with you. Call him today to begin your search for your vacation home or vacation rental.

MGM GRAND DETROIT

Guest Information: 1777 Third Street,
Detroit, MI 48226
1-877-888-2121 |

The only Forbes four-star resort in Detroit
Award-winning experiences are waiting for you day and night at MGM Grand Detroit. From the moment you step into this magnificent MGM Resorts International destination, we strive to provide you with an escape that’s both undeniably exciting and absolutely unforgettable. The truth is, MGM Grand Detroit has worked tirelessly to build an experience that will truly make a lasting impression. From dining to gaming and spa treatments at IMMERSE spa, there are always Grand Times Ahead.

Vacation or staycation?
Whether you live in the great city of Detroit or plan on stopping by on your way through town, MGM Grand Detroit is the ideal place to settle in for a bit. This is the only hotel in Detroit to receive Four Stars from the Forbes Travel Guide, as well as AAA’s coveted Four-Diamond Award. Each of our 400 stylish rooms offer marble showers, pillow-top beds with plush down comforters, and 50-inch HD televisions. Want more? As a hotel guest, you’ll enjoy a dedicated entrance, a private lobby living room, and access to the luxury spa and fitness center.

It’s all about the entertainment
MGM Grand Detroit is home to an impressive collection of “must-dos.” Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck perfects the art of steak at award-winning Wolfgang Puck Steak, while Detroit’s best sports pub, TAP at MGM Grand Detroit, has become a game-changer for local sports fans. Elevate your golf game with cutting-edge virtual technology at the Topgolf Swing Suite, or kick back and enjoy live entertainment at AXIS Lounge. And, of course, our 100,000-square-foot casino—equipped with Detroit’s premier poker room, nearly 150 table games, and close to 3,500 slots and video poker—is always open and ready to play. 21+

TOURISMOHIO

Guest Information:

Need some space? Find it in Ohio. July 20 marks 50 years since Wapakoneta native Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. Celebrate Ohio’s place in space at these out-of-this-world spots.

1. The Armstrong Air & Space Museum celebrates Wapakoneta’s favorite son and the space program. Practice landing on the moon in one of three simulators. Gaze in awe at the Gemini 8 spacecraft Armstrong piloted, and see how his space suits evolved from the Gemini flight in 1966 to Apollo 11 in 1969.
2. At the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, walk onto a full-size NASA space shuttle payload bay to discover how astronauts function in space. The evolution of space travel is on display, with Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spacecraft as well as rockets and satellites.
3. Armstrong wasn’t Ohio’s only famous space pioneer. New Concord native John Glenn was one of the first seven astronauts in the U.S. space program, and became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. The John Glenn Astronomy Park in Logan, built in one of the darkest places in the state (not affected by light pollution), offers incredible views of the night sky. Programs guide visitors through what they’re seeing through the observatory’s 28-inch telescope.
4. Today’s space program is on display at the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, located inside the Great Lakes Science Center. Here you can experience what goes on at the nearby NASA Glenn Research Center. Get your photo taken in a space suit, see a real moon rock, and try lots of interactive exhibits.
5. Enjoy breathtaking views of the night sky at Observatory Park in Montville. The remote location is one of only 45 International Dark Sky Parks in the U.S., and gives visitors brilliant views that will take their breath away. Bring a telescope or look through the parks’ 36-inch mirror research telescope.

CEDAR POINT

Guest Information: 1 Cedar Point Dr.,
Sandusky, OH 44870
419-627-2350 |

Cedar Point has more to offer than ever before this summer, Cedar Point is a place like no other with 70 rides, including 18 world-class roller coasters. The riding experiences are so diverse that there’s a roller coaster for every thrill-seeker, but there is more at Cedar Point than just amazing rides and coasters. A surprising number of must-do experiences exist on the 364-acre peninsula, on the water and along the 1-mile-long, sandy beach.

A number of surprises wait inside the park, such as the Sunrise Thrills Tour. On this exclusive VIP tour, you’ll learn more about what it takes to operate some of the biggest scream machines in the world, get the first rides of the day on some of the best coasters, and see the sunrise 223 feet in the air on top of the Valravn dive roller coaster.

For other thrill-seekers, fun awaits on the water! North Coast Parasail & Jet Ski offers rentals and parasail rides. Take a break from the action of riding roller coasters and thrill rides and sail high above Lake Erie or cruise the waves with a personal watercraft, taking in beautiful views of Cedar Point.

If relaxing on a beach is more your style, Cedar Point can deliver. Smooth, soft white sand invites you to stretch out on your towel in the sunshine as the sound of the waves gently roll onto the shore. Enjoy a game of pick-up volleyball, help build a fairy tale sandcastle, or do nothing at all. It’s your getaway, and your choice. Whatever you enjoy about being on a beach, you’re sure to find it on the beautiful Cedar Point beach. It’s been offering cooling breezes and beautiful views for more than 140 years. Best of all, the beach is available to all Cedar Point Amusement Park, Cedar Point Shores Waterpark, and Cedar Point Resort guests as well as Season and Platinum passholders.

Now you can enjoy all these great activities and more throughout the summer with a Super Saver ticket! Exclusive to Michigan, receive admission, parking, and all-day drinks for just $39.99! You and your family and friends are sure to have a vacation like no other at this amazing resort right along the shores of Lake Erie.

MOTORCITY CASINO HOTEL

Guest Information: 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit, MI 48201
1-877-PLAY-MCC |

Welcome to Detroit’s most exciting escape destination. At MotorCity Casino Hotel, you’ll find a world where you can escape from the everyday. Whether you’re dining, making the slot machines ring out, relaxing at our spa, or seeing a show, you’ll discover what it’s like when excitement, luxury, and pleasure are shaken together to create an experience you can’t get anywhere else.

Just seeing the room is a wake-up call. In our 400 rooms and suites you’ll find elegance coupled with the latest technology and amenities. With complimentary Wi-Fi, decadent bedding and spa bath products, in-room dining, and a business center and fitness center, it’s like being right at home.

Big sound. Up close. Sound Board, our 1,500-seat theater, puts everyone up close to the performers, and its state-of-the-art sound and lighting makes it an intense entertainment experience.

Every day, we offer a place to hide out from the everyday. D. Tour Spa offers thermal whirlpools, steam rooms, and saunas and a specialized selection of massage and body treatments so you can pamper yourself with manicures, pedicures, facials, and massages.

You can’t work or play on an empty stomach. Perfectly executed food, intelligent wine selections, and stunning ambience are on the menu at Iridescence, our AAA Four-Diamond award-winning restaurant. Modern American cuisine is complemented by a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. If you’re in the mood for something more casual, Assembly Line Buffet, The Lodge Diner, Grand River Deli & Burgers, and Little Caesars are guaranteed to get your motor running.

We’re in the business of unforgettable. We offer everything you need to make your event truly memorable. From cutting-edge presentations to gala banquets, MotorCity Casino Hotel has the right facilities and the right people to make the extraordinary happen. With 67,000 square feet of flexible banquet and meeting space plus the state-of-the-art Sound Board theater, you’ll find everything you need to make your next event legendary.

TRAVERSE CITY TOURISM

Guest Information:

When you’re in a pretty great place, you can go your own speed. It’s where you can throw yourself into adventure, or let yourself dip each toe in, one at a time. We all relax in different ways, and that’s why it’s important to plan trips that work for every gear in your chill mode, and in your travel companions’. In Traverse City, Michigan, the foodie tourist has fresh, local options for breakfast through dessert, plus snacks and craft beverages in between. The outdoor enthusiast has playgrounds of water, sand, trail, and pavement. And the artist can choose between live performances, striking galleries, or museums (or not make a choice and enjoy them all). Whether you pack your itinerary tight or wander and see what the day may bring, when you’re in a pretty place, it just works.

LUDINGTON CVB

Guest Information:
800-542-4600

Ludington offers visitors the quintessential “Up North” experience. Miles of sandy shoreline, biking and hiking trails, a vibrant downtown, and so much more make for endless possibilities. No matter what you’re seeking — fun for the whole family, outdoor adventures, or a peaceful getaway — you can find it here in Pure Ludington.

PETOSKEY AREA

Guest Information: 800-845-2828

The Petoskey Area is a Michigan Treasure
The Petoskey Area of northern Michigan welcomes you with timeless beauty and Victorian charm along the shore of Lake Michigan. You can stroll sandy beaches looking for Petoskey stones, dive into crystal-clear Lake Charlevoix, or catch a million-dollar sunset over Lake Michigan. The memories you’ll share after visiting here will be filled with one “remember when” story after another.

What makes the Petoskey Area so much more than just another pretty place is all there is to do after your beach towel has been put away. In fact, our charming resort communities of Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Alanson, Bay Harbor, and Boyne City offer a whole vacation full of activities.

Culture: Great Lakes Center for the Arts is located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Bay Harbor, Michigan. It features world-class performances in a variety of genres with virtually limitless possibilities to inspire, entertain, and educate.

Victorian Charm: The Bay View Association, with its nearly 500 Victorian structures, has earned designation as a National Historic Landmark. A summer lineup of concerts, lectures, and classes adds to the appeal.

Hiking & Biking: The Petoskey Area is home to some of the most beautiful hiking and biking trails imaginable, some of which hug the shoreline and offer incredible views.

World-Class Golf: Enjoy more than a dozen courses, from the 2019 National Golf Course of the Year, The Heather, to economical facilities. Our courses are often named in top-rated golf publications.

Wineries: “Small but with a lot of heart and personality” may best describe the area’s wineries. Twelve locations combine to create the Petoskey Wine Region, part of Michigan’s newest AVA.

Stay Awhile: Choose from quaint country inns, luxurious condominiums, and modern, full-service hotels. For more information or lodging help, call the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau at 800-845-2828 or visit .