One of our stops along our Midwest Summer Roadtrip 09 was Silver Beach in St. Joseph , Mich., along

One of our stops along our Midwest Summer Roadtrip 09 was Silver Beach in St. Joseph , Mich., along I-94 to take in some sun, sand, waves and visit family. We love visiting St. Joe, and apparently we re not alone as Delta Airlines recently selected St. Joseph as a World s Greatest Escape. With clean beaches and plentiful car rental toronto sand, it s a family-friendly town and is easy to get to from Southwest Michigan or Chicago as it s just off of I-94 (about an hour from The Loop via car). While we only spent a morning at Silver Beach this past trip, I was surprised to see so much construction near the train depot and Silver Beach. The renovation includes a Whirlpool Compass Fountain, the construction of a carousel and reconstructed Shadowland Ballroom (which is now booking for 2010 weddings). I look forward to taking Li l Boo to ride the carousel on a future trip.
Time Out Chicago posted a suggested getaway to St. Joe last year that included some of my recommendations too: Schu s , Tosi s , Kilwins and The Chocolate Cafe (The South Bend Chocolate Company). While we didn t have time to do it on this trip, part of what makes it one of our favorite places to visit is the opportunity to enjoy the view of Lake Michigan from the bluff downtown. We like to count sailboats or use binoculars for fun from up there, and eat some nibbles as we sit watching the view from a bench or swing. Of course, Li l Boo also likes to walk along the pier, waving at boats heading in or out along the St. Joe River .