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This September has truly become an extension of summer.  I am thankful that the boys haven’t had any homework, so the moment they are out of school we’ve been able to do all the million things a person can do under the sun in Northern Michigan.  Colebrook and Hawthorn caught the biggest fish they’ve ever had on a line.  They built beach structures and slept on the beach under the stars.  They’ve snorkeled and tubed and learn to water ski.  But again, these photos can express the fun far better t ...

For the second year in a row, frigid temperatures over Lake Michigan have left it nearly 60% frozen. Those cold temperatures coupled with the strong winds we've had over the past month are the perfect ingredients for the formation of ice caves. There were ice caves on Lake Michigan last year, but none had formed so far this year. Until last week, that is. Eric LaPaugh, owner of Leelanau Adventures, shot some footage from inside an ice cave near Glen Arbor and shared it with us. Inspired b ...

The breathtaking Islands Lookout on Alligator Hill affords a spectacular view of Sleeping Bear Bay, the Manitou Islands, and South Fox Island. Alligator Hill is an often overlooked jewel in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Its nine miles of hiking trails loop their way through some of the most beautiful landscapes in northern Michigan. Located smack in the middle of Glen Arbor, Alligator Hill has been driven past by almost every up north visitor. Driven over the Glen Lake Narro ...

Breaking trail for the Bay to Bay Hiking and Kayaking Trail. Here Bob and the team hike through the dunes in Platte Bay with Empire Bluffs and Sleeping Bear Point in the distance. It's an epic hike. From south to north across the entire Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, hiking the Bay to Bay Trail will be an amazing experience. When we first heard about the proposed Bay to Bay Hiking and Kayak Trail we were excited. The trail's planned route ran from the south of the park all the wa ...

Just one of the many breathtaking vistas to be found on Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive No list of northern Michigan scenery is complete without a mention of Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Situated between Glen Arbor and Empire it offers spectacular views, firstly through forest and across Glen Lake, and then over the dunes and out across Lake Michigan. A little over seven miles long, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive snakes its way through the steeply rolling hills of the Lake Michigan shoreline. ...

Spring, at last, is making its presence felt in the Republic. The days are noticeably longer and warmer, the snow has almost completely melted, and ice is gradually yielding to open water. Patches of grass are even turning green! There doubtless remain a few snowy days ahead, and we can never forget the risk of frost, but the weather has turned. The long, cold winter of 2014 is finally relenting. Spring is here. Yesterday was mild and gloriously sunny. With so much open water, I wanted to ...

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVWEOz_yPpY] What some have dubbed "the endless winter" may at last be drawing to a close. Spring Break is here! Like many around the country, several at Cherry Republic have skipped town heading for warmer climes. Those of us left holding the fort in Glen Arbor decided to get out for our very own Cherry Republic-style Spring Break, complete with sunbathing and swimming. So either the weather is finally warming up or our cabin fever is approachin ...

Hiking back from North Manitou Island towards the Crib with Pyramid Point in the distance. On Thursday, March 6th, 2014, we attempted something that hasn't been done for 40 years: to hike the treacherous ice across the Manitou Passage to the islands 8 miles out. In the 1970’s, Bob's father and two brothers left the shore in Glen Arbor early one morning to attempt the crossing. They were cut off by open water a mile from South Manitou. Their hike took so much longer than planned that Bob's ...

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This post was written by Alex Lowry.  She and her family were Cherry Republic's millionth gift box recipients.  Inside this box they found our Golden Ticket, which automatically earned them a trip to Glen Arbor and a peek into the inner workings of Cherry Republic.  Here are her reflections on their trip: I need to start with a confession. Last year I, a lifetime Cherry Republic faithful fan, unsubscribed from the Orchard Report. I know it sounds blasphemous, but after several years of unsucc ...